A Detailed Guide to Checking Out and Switching Branches in Git

# Traditional Method
git checkout feature

# A New Approach（Recommendations）
git switch feature

# Output：
# Switched to branch 'feature'

# Switch tomainBranch
git switch main

# Output：
# Switched to branch 'main'
# Your branch is up to date with 'origin/main'.

# Switch to the previous branch
git switch -

# Output：
# Switched to branch 'main'

# Switch Branches and Create a Branch（If it does not exist）
git switch -c new-feature

# Force Switch（Discard Local Changes）
git switch -f feature

# Switch workspaces without changing them（Update OnlyHEAD）
git switch --detach feature

# Traditional Method
git checkout -b feature

# A New Approach（Recommendations）
git switch -c feature

# Output：
# Switched to a new branch 'feature'

# Created based on a specific commit
git switch -c feature a1b2c3d

# Created from a remote branch
git switch -c feature origin/feature

# Output：
# Branch 'feature' set up to track remote branch 'feature' from 'origin'.
# Switched to a new branch 'feature'

# Create a branch but do not switch to it
git branch feature

# Create and Switch，Set Up an Upstream Branch
git switch -c feature --track origin/feature

# Create a branch based on a specific tag
git switch -c v1.1-branch v1.0.0

# Create from a commit on another branch
git switch -c feature main~5

# Traditional Method
git checkout -- README.md

# A New Approach（Recommendations）
git restore README.md

# Restore from a Specific Commit
git restore --source=a1b2c3d README.md

# Restore from HEAD (Latest Commit)
git restore --source=HEAD README.md

# Restore Multiple Files
git restore file1.js file2.js

# Restore the entire directory
git restore src/

# Traditional Method
git reset HEAD README.md

# A New Approach（Recommendations）
git restore --staged README.md

# Cancel the temporary save and restore the workspace at the same time
git restore --staged --worktree README.md

# Or
git checkout HEAD -- README.md

# Accidentally Deleted Files
rm important-file.js

# Restore from the repository
git restore important-file.js

# Or
git checkout HEAD -- important-file.js

# View Deleted Files
git status

# Output：
# deleted:    important-file.js

# Recover All Deleted Files
git restore .

# Detect Specific Commits
git checkout a1b2c3d

# Output：
# Note: switching to 'a1b2c3d'.
# 
# You are in 'detached HEAD' state. You can look around, make experimental
# changes and commit them, and you can discard any commits you make in this
# state without impacting any branches by switching back to a branch.
#
# HEAD is now at a1b2c3d feat: Add a login feature

# Detection Label
git checkout v1.0.0

# Detect Remote Branches
git checkout origin/feature

# Currently in the "separate head" pointer state
git status

# Output：
# HEAD detached at a1b2c3d
# nothing to commit, working tree clean

# You can view the code
git log --oneline

# You can edit the file
echo "test" > test.js

# Can be submitted
git add test.js
git commit -m "test commit"

# Output：
# [detached HEAD d4e5f6g] test commit
#  1 file changed, 1 insertion(+)
#  create mode 100644 test.js

# ⚠️ Note：This commit is not on any branch.！

# A commit was created while the pointer was in the split head state.

# Method1：Create a new branch and save
git switch -c new-branch

# Output：
# Switched to a new branch 'new-branch'

# Method2：Merge into the existing branch
git branch temp-branch
git switch main
git merge temp-branch
git branch -d temp-branch

# If you switch branches without saving
git switch main

# You can do this byreflogRetrieve
git reflog
# d4e5f6g HEAD@{0}: checkout: moving from a1b2c3d to main
# a1b2c3d HEAD@{1}: commit: test commit

# Create a branch pointing to that commit
git branch saved-work d4e5f6g

# View Current Status
git status

# Output：
# Changes not staged for commit:
#   modified:   README.md

# Situation1：Modifications do not conflict with the new branch
git switch feature
# Switch Successful，The change has been saved

# Situation2：Conflicts Between Changes and a New Branch
git switch feature
# Output Error：
# error: Your local changes to the following files would be overwritten by checkout:
#   README.md
# Please commit your changes or stash them before you switch branches.

# Methods1：Submit Changes
git add .
git commit -m "WIP: Save as Draft"
git switch feature

# Methods2：Save Changes Temporarily（stash）
git stash
git switch feature
# After completing other tasks
git switch main
git stash pop

# Methods3：Cancel Edits
git restore .
git switch feature

# Methods4：Force Switch（Discard Changes）
git switch -f feature

# Methods5：Carry, Modify, Toggle（If possible）
git switch -m feature
# GitI'll try to merge the changes.

# Switch Branches - Usageswitch
git switch feature
git switch -c new-feature

# Restore Files - Usagerestore
git restore README.md
git restore --staged README.md

# Detect Specific Commits - Usageswitch --detach
git switch --detach a1b2c3d

# checkoutReserved for special cases
git checkout HEAD~5 -- file.js  # Restore a Specific File from a Previous Version