Version control is an integral part of modern software development, and GitHub, a platform for version control and collaboration, is a key player in this space. One of the many powerful features of GitHub is the ability to create branches in your code. This facilitates a non-linear development process and allows multiple changes to be made concurrently without impacting the main project line. This article will walk you through the steps to create a new branch from a specific commit in GitHub.

Prerequisites

  • A GitHub repository
  • Git installed on your local machine
  • Terminal (Mac/Linux) or Command Prompt (Windows)

Step-by-Step Guide

Follow the steps below to create a new branch from a specific commit.

Step 1: Update your Local Repository

The first step is to ensure that your local repository is up-to-date with the remote repository. This can be achieved by fetching the data from the remote repository. Open the terminal and navigate to your local repository, then run the following command:

git fetch origin

This command fetches the data from the remote repository identified by “origin”, ensuring that your local repository has the latest changes.

Step 2: Check out the Specific Commit

Next, check out the commit from which you want to create a new branch. This can be done by referencing the commit hash. Replace “commit_hash” with the actual hash of your commit:

git checkout commit_hash

This will switch your working directory to the state of the commit specified by the commit hash.

Step 3: Create a New Branch

After your working directory is set to the desired commit, create and switch to a new branch by running the following command:

git checkout -b new_branch

This command creates a new branch named “new_branch” and automatically switches to it.

Step 4: Push the Branch to GitHub

Now you have created a new branch in your local repository, and the final step is to push this branch to GitHub. Use the following command to push the new branch to the remote repository:

git push origin new_branch

This command pushes the “new_branch” to the “origin” remote repository.

Note: Remember to replace “commit_hash” and “new_branch” with your actual commit hash and desired branch name respectively.

Conclusion

You now know how to create a new branch from a specific commit in GitHub. This powerful feature allows you to efficiently manage and track the different stages of your project and concurrently develop multiple features. Remember, good version control practices are key to successful software development.