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GitKit (Linux Desktop Edition): Learn git and GitHub in Context

Grant Braught, Lori Postner, Darci Burdge, Ruth Lamprecht, Stoney Jackson, Karl R. Wurst

Section 3.2 Creating a Feature Branch

When you set out to make changes to the project you will do so by working on a feature branch. The exercises in this section will walk you through the process of creating a feature branch on which you will fix the issue that you claimed in Section 2.4.
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Exercises

1.

The git status command provides the current status of your local repository. Use the git status command to see the current status of your local GitKit-FarmData2 repository.
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(a)
    What part of the output tells you which branch is currently active in your repository?
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  • The branch name is displayed in the first line after "On branch".
  • Correct! The first line specifies the current branch.
  • The branch name is displayed at the end of the second line. It is "origin/main".
  • The second line specifies the origin branch not the active branch.
  • The branch name is not displayed in the output from this git command.
  • Look again, the active branch is listed.
  • The branch name is displayed at the end of the last line. It is "working tree".
  • The last line indicates if there are changes to commit.
Hint.
Look at the first line of the output from the git status command.
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(b)
Your output should contain the text “Your branch is up to date with ’origin/main’.” What do you think it means that your branch is “up to date”?
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(c)
Your output should contain the text “nothing to commit, working tree clean.” What do you think it means that you have “nothing to commit.” Hint: when would you have something to commit? This is the opposite of that!
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2.

The git branch <name> command creates a new branch with the given name. When creating a branch, you should give it a short but descriptive name (e.g. FixTypoInReadme). Note: name may not have spaces, so you can use - (dashes) or CammelCaseText to divide words in your branch names.
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(a)
Create a new feature branch with a descriptive name that you will use to fix the issue that you claimed. Remember not to include the < > when writing your own command. Type the command you entered below.
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(b)
    Use the git status command again now.
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    Creating a new branch with the git branch command makes your new branch the active branch.
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  • True.

  • git branch <name> only creates the branch.

  • False.

  • git branch <name> only creates the branch.
Hint.
After you create a branch what needs to be done to make it active?
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Figure 3.2.1 illustrates the process you just completed to create a feature branch. The feature branch created is shown in orange.
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Cloud image of origin, upstream, and local branches.
Figure 3.2.1. Create Feature Branch.
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You have attempted 1 of 7 activities on this page.
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