What is the Difference Between “git branch” and “git checkout”?

Developers are allowed to create branches against every module. For the corresponding purpose, the “git branch” command can be utilized. Additionally, you can switch from one working branch to another after completing work on the current branch. Different commands can be used to perform this operation, such as the “git switch” or “git checkout” command.

This article will illustrate:

Primary Difference Between the “git checkout” and “git branch” in Git
How to Utilize the “git branch” Command in Git?
How to Utilize the “git checkout” Command in Git?

Primary Difference Between the “git checkout” and “git branch” in Git

The “git branch” command is utilized to create a new branch and view the list of branches. Whereas, the “git checkout” command is commonly used to switch branches, cancel changes in specific files, and also used for creating a new branch.

In order to practically differentiate between the mentioned commands, check out their uses.

How to Utilize the “git branch” Command in Git?

The “git branch” is used for numerous purposes, such as:

Create a New Branch
List Local Branches
List Remote Branches
List All Available Branches

Check out the below-provided uses of the “git branch” command!

Use 1: Create a New Branch With “git branch” Command in Git

To create a new branch, type out the “git branch” command and specify the desired branch name:

$ git branch master

Use 2: View List of Local Branches With “git branch” Command in Git

Execute the following command to view the list of available local branches:

$ git branch

According to the below output, the repository contains “main” and “master” two local branches and the “main” branch is the current working branch:

Use 3: View Remote Branches With “git branch” Command in Git

To display the remote branches, utilize the following command:

$ git branch -r

Here, the “-r” option is used to display the remote branches:

Use 4: View All Available Branches With “git branch” Command in Git

Show the list of all branches including remote and local branches with the help of the given-provided command:

$ git branch -a

In the above command, the “-a” option is used to display all available branches in the repository:

How to Utilize the “git checkout” Command in Git?

The “git checkout” is used for different purposes, such as:

Switch to another branch
Create and switch to another branch at once

Use 1: Switch to Another Branch With “git checkout” Command

Type out the “git checkout” command along with the existing target branch name and switch to it:

$ git checkout master

Use 2: Create and Switch to Another Branch At Once With “git checkout” Command

To create a new branch and switch to it immediately, execute the below-stated command along with the new branch name:

$ git checkout -b alpha

Here, the “-b” option is used for creating a new branch.

It can be observed that the new branch “alpha” has been created and we have switched to it:

That was all about the difference between “git branch” and “git checkout” and how these commands work.

Conclusion

The “git branch” is used for various purposes, such as creating a new branch and displaying a list of local, remote, and all branches in Git. While the “git checkout” command is used to cancel changes in a file, create a new branch, and switch branches. This article differentiates between “git branch” and “git checkout” commands.