Git & GitHub - lesson 4 | HackIndia Skills

Key point

One safe idea

A branch is a separate line of work. Use it when you are adding a feature, fixing a bug, or trying an idea that may break the project.

Keep main as the working version. Do your messy work on a branch, test it, then merge it back.

Why branches help

In a hackathon team, two people may edit the project at the same time. One person works on login. Another updates the landing page. Branches stop both changes from getting mixed too early.

Even when you work solo, branches help your commit history. A recruiter can see one clean story: branch made, commits added, branch merged.

Your to-do

Create a branch

Do each one yourself, then tap it to tick it off. The ticks are only a checklist for you: they are not marked or scored.

Check your current status before changing branches.
Create and switch to a branch with a clear name.
Make one type of change on that branch.
Commit your work when it runs.
Switch back to main only after committing or stashing your changes.

0 of 5 done

git status
git switch -c feature/add-expense-form

# edit files, run the project, then commit
git add .
git commit -m "Add expense form"

git switch main

Tip

Name branches clearly

Use names that explain the work. Good names are short and specific.

Try feature/add-login, fix/navbar-mobile, docs/update-setup. Avoid names like final, changes, newbranch, or mywork.

Your to-do

Merge back safely

Do each one yourself, then tap it to tick it off. The ticks are only a checklist for you: they are not marked or scored.

Switch to main.
Pull the latest changes if your repo is already on GitHub.
Merge your branch into main.
Run the project and check the changed feature.
Delete the branch only after the merge is good.

0 of 5 done

git switch main
git pull
git merge feature/add-expense-form

# test your app here

git branch -d feature/add-expense-form

Common mistake

Do not panic

A merge conflict does not mean the repo is broken. It means Git found the same part of a file changed in two branches and wants you to choose.

Open the file, remove the conflict markers, keep the correct code, then commit the merge.

Example

Conflict example

You may see a file like this after a merge conflict. The top part is from your current branch. The bottom part is from the branch being merged.

Edit it into the final version you want. Do not leave the marker lines in the file.

<<<<<<< HEAD
const title = "Campus Expense Tracker";
=======
const title = "Student Budget Tracker";
>>>>>>> feature/add-expense-form

# final file could be:
const title = "Student Budget Tracker";

# then finish the merge
git add src/config.js
git commit

Your to-do

Do this now

Do each one yourself, then tap it to tick it off. The ticks are only a checklist for you: they are not marked or scored.

Run git status in your project.
Create a branch named feature/readme-draft or another real change.
Make a small change, such as adding one setup note or one UI text fix.
Commit it with a clear message.
Switch to main and merge the branch after checking the change.

0 of 5 done

git status
git switch -c feature/readme-draft
# make a small edit
git add .
git commit -m "Draft setup note"
git switch main
git merge feature/readme-draft

Branch and merge without fear

One safe idea

Why branches help

Create a branch

Name branches clearly

Merge back safely

Do not panic

Conflict example

Do this now

Quick check