Git - Create and delete branch

Go to the git repository, (A Git repository is just a normal folder that contains a hidden subdirectory named .git.) .

[root@devopsvm01 html]# ls -lart

total 12

drwxr-xr-x. 4 root root   33 Nov  2 09:13 ..

-rw-r--r--. 1 root root 3561 Nov  2 09:20 about.html

-rw-r--r--. 1 root root 3081 Nov  2 09:40 index.html

-rw-r--r--. 1 root root 2455 Nov  2 10:46 services.html

drwxr-xr-x. 3 root root   75 Nov  2 10:46 .

drwxr-xr-x. 8 root root  166 Nov  2 10:49 .git

[root@devopsvm01 html]#

The git branch command, which is used to list, create, or delete branches, can only run inside a folder that has a .git directory.

[root@devopsvm01 html]#  git branch

* main

[root@devopsvm01 html]# 

The asterisk (*) next to main indicates that you are currently on the main branch.

Since only one branch name is listed, the repository currently only has the main branch.

The Two-Step Approach to create new Branch

This is useful if you want to create the branch but stay on your current branch for a moment.

1. Create the branch:

   git branch <branch-name>

   # Example: git branch feature/new-style
   

2. Switch to the new branch:

   git checkout <branch-name>

   # Example: git checkout feature/new-style

Let's do it.

 [root@devopsvm01 html]# git branch

* main

[root@devopsvm01 html]# git branch feature/branch-1

[root@devopsvm01 html]#

[root@devopsvm01 html]# git branch

  feature/branch-1

* main

[root@devopsvm01 html]#

In Git: The / (forward slash) in a branch name is only used for organization and convention, not for creating a physical directory in your file system.

When you use git checkout -b feature/my-feature, Git creates that branch pointer in its hidden internal .git/refs/heads/ directory, but your actual working directory (/var/www/html/) remains the same. The slash does not create a subfolder in /var/www/html/.

[root@devopsvm01 html]# git checkout feature/branch-1

Switched to branch 'feature/branch-1'

[root@devopsvm01 html]#

[root@devopsvm01 html]# git branch

* feature/branch-1

  main

[root@devopsvm01 html]#

The one-step approach to create new branch

 

git checkout -b <branch-name> - Creates a new branch and immediately switches you to it.

git checkout -b feature/branch-2

[root@devopsvm01 html]# git checkout -b feature/branch-2

Switched to a new branch 'feature/branch-2'

[root@devopsvm01 html]#

[root@devopsvm01 html]# git branch

  feature/branch-1

* feature/branch-2

  main

[root@devopsvm01 html]#

1. Deleting a Local Branch

You must be checked out to a different branch (e.g., main) before attempting to delete a branch.

Example,

[root@devopsvm01 html]# git branch -d feature/branch-2

error: cannot delete branch 'feature/branch-2' used by worktree at '/var/www/html'

[root@devopsvm01 html]#

[root@devopsvm01 html]# git checkout main

Switched to branch 'main'

Your branch is up to date with 'origin/main'.

[root@devopsvm01 html]#

[root@devopsvm01 html]# git branch -d feature/branch-2

Deleted branch feature/branch-2 (was 08b4859).

[root@devopsvm01 html]#

[root@devopsvm01 html]# git branch

  feature/branch-1

* main

[root@devopsvm01 html]#

2. Deleting a Remote Branch

Deleting a local branch does not delete the branch on your remote repository (like GitHub or GitLab). You need a separate command for that: