We’ve now successfully switched to the branchtest1.

Moreover, we can create and switch to a local branch simultaneously using thegit switch -ccommand. This saves time when setting up new branches for features or experiments.

Here is the syntax for it:

git switch -c branch-name
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git switch -c branch-name

Let’s use thegit switch -ccommand to create and navigate to another branchtest2from branchtest1:

git switch -c test2Switched to a new branch 'test2'
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git switch -c test2Switched to a new branch 'test2'

As we can see, we’ve created and switched to a new branchtest2.

In the next section, we’ll learn how to use thegit switchcommand to change to a remote branch in Git.

Switch to a remote branch in Git usinggit switch

A remote branch exists on a remote repository, and we must fetch it to work with it locally. We can use thegit switchcommand to fetch and switch to a remote branch in the local repository.

For example, if we want to switch to thecppentryremote branch in the Codecademy Docs remote repository usinggit switch, we need to use this command:

git switch cppentry
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git switch cppentry

Switched to a new branch 'cppentry'branch 'cppentry' set up to track 'origin/cppentry'.
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Switched to a new branch 'cppentry'branch 'cppentry' set up to track 'origin/cppentry'.

We’ve now created and switched to a new branchcppentry, which is set up to track the fetchedcppentryremote branch fromorigin. Here,originis an alternative name for the Codecademy Docs remote repository, which was set automatically when we first entered the cloned remote repository on our local machine.

Moreover, the local branchcppentryis tracking the remote branchorigin/cppentry, which helps us pull and push changes from the local branch to the remote branch.

Alternatively, we can use thegit switch -ccommand to simultaneously create and switch to a branch while explicitly linking it to a remote branch. The linking enables us to pull and push changes from the local branch to the linked remote branch. Unlike thegit switchcommand, thegit switch -ccommand requires manually fetching the remote branches first.

So, let’s fetch the remote branches to make them available locally using this command:

git fetch
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git fetch

Then, list the fetched remote branches using thegit branch -rcommand:

git branch -rorigin/HEAD -> origin/mainorigin/agraves.test-branchorigin/cppentryorigin/dotnet...
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git branch -rorigin/HEAD -> origin/mainorigin/agraves.test-branchorigin/cppentryorigin/dotnet...

Next, change to the remote branchorigin/dotnetusing thegit switch -ccommand:

git switch -c dotnet origin/dotnetSwitched to a new branch 'dotnet'branch 'dotnet' set up to track 'origin/dotnet'.
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git switch -c dotnet origin/dotnetSwitched to a new branch 'dotnet'branch 'dotnet' set up to track 'origin/dotnet'.

As we can see,dotnetis the name of the new branch that gets created and switched to and then set up to track the remote branchorigin/dotnet.

Next, let’s understand how to switch back to the previous branch in Git usinggit switch.

Switch back to the previous branch in Git usinggit switch

We’ve seen how to switch to a local branch in Git using thegit switchcommand. The same syntax can be utilized to switch back to the previous branch in Git as well.

To begin with, let’s first switch to themainbranch:

git switch mainSwitched to branch ‘main’
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git switch mainSwitched to branch ‘main’

Then, let’s switch again to thetest1branch:

git switch test1Switched to branch ‘test1’
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git switch test1Switched to branch ‘test1’

Next, if we want to switch back to themainbranch, we can use the same command we used earlier:

git switch mainSwitched to branch ‘main’
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However, there is an alternative way to switch back to themainbranch. We can use thegit switch -command to switch back to the previous branch, i.e.,mainin this case. This command is particularly useful when alternating between two branches frequently, as it eliminates the need to remember branch names.

Primarily, let’s again switch to thetest1branch:

git switch test1Switched to branch ‘test1’
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Now, let’s use thegit switch -command to switch back to themainbranch for another time:

git switch -Switched to branch ‘main’
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git switch -Switched to branch ‘main’

We’re done learning how to usegit switchto change branches in Git. In the next section, let’s compare it to thegit checkoutcommand to understand how they differ in their functionalities.

Now that you’ve learned how to usegit switchto change branches, let’s comparegit switchwith the traditionalgit checkoutcommand.

Differences betweengit switchandgit checkout

Thegit switchcommand is a newer alternative to thegit checkoutcommand. Let’s check out the differences between them:

With the differences covered, let’s discuss some common errors that we may face while usinggit switch.

Common errors while usinggit switch

Understanding these commongit switcherrors and learning how to fix them will help us change branches in a smooth manner.

fatal: invalid reference: branch-name

Cause:The specified branch does not exist.

Solution:

Make sure you typed the branch name correctly. You can list available branches with:

git branch
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git branch

error: Your local changes to the following files would be overwritten by checkout

Cause:You have uncommitted changes that would be lost by switching branches.

You can run these commands to stash or keep the changes, switch to another branch, and then pop or import the changes:

git stashgit switch other-branchgit stash pop
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git stashgit switch other-branchgit stash pop

To discard the changes and switch to another branch:

git reset --hardgit switch other-branch
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git reset --hardgit switch other-branch

error: pathspec 'branch-name' did not match any file(s) known to git

Cause:The branch doesn’t exist, and you didn’t specify-cto create a new one.

If you’re trying to create a new branch:

git switch -c branch-name
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In the next section, we’ll discuss some best practices for usinggit switch.

Best practices for usinggit switch

Applying these best practices will help us switch branches efficiently:

• Use descriptive branch names: When using-cto create a branch, choose meaningful names that reflect the feature or fix, e.g.,git switch -c fix/login-bug.
• Avoid usinggit switchon detached HEADs: Be cautious when switching to commits directly (e.g.,git switch --detach <commit>), as it puts you in a detached HEAD state and changes won’t belong to a branch unless explicitly committed and assigned.
• Use-to quickly switch between branches:git switch -toggles between your current and last checked-out branch — useful when alternating between two branches frequently.
• Verify changes are committed or stashed before switching: Before switching branches, ensure you’ve committed or stashed changes to prevent merge conflicts or lost work.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we discussed how to switch a branch in Git using thegit switchcommand. We learned how to clone a remote repository, create a branch, switch to a local and remote branch and switch back to the previous branch. By mastering thegit switchcommand, we can seamlessly navigate between branches and manage our codebase more efficiently.

If you want to learn more about Git branching and collaboration, check out theLearn Git: Branching and Collaborationcourse on Codecademy.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What happens to my current changes when I usegit switch?

If you have uncommitted changes that conflict with the target branch, Git will prevent you from performinggit switch. You must either commit, stash, or discard the changes first.

2. Isgit switchavailable in all Git versions?

No,git switchwas added in Git 2.23. Older versions requiregit checkout.

3. How do I switch to a branch with the same name as a remote branch?

Usegit switch -c <branch-name> --track origin/<branch-name>to create a local branch that tracks or points to the remote one.

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