Introduction

In this tutorial, we will learn about branch creation, which is a fundamental aspect of Git and GitHub. A branch is essentially a unique set of code changes with a unique name. It is a way of duplicating the source code (repository) so that you can isolate your work from others.

By the end of this tutorial, you will be able to create branches within a repository, which will help you manage different versions of a project within the same repository.

Prerequisites
You will need:
- Basic understanding of Git and GitHub
- Git installed on your system
- A GitHub account

Step-by-Step Guide

Understanding Branches

In Git, branches allow you to move back and forth between 'states' of a project. For instance, if you want to add a new feature (which might break your project if it's not perfect), you can create a new branch just for that feature.

Creating a New Branch

To create a new branch, you will use the git branch command followed by the name of your branch. For example, if you want to create a new branch called "new_feature", you would type: git branch new_feature.

Switching Between Branches

After creating a new branch, you will still be in the master branch (or whatever branch you were in when you created the new branch). To switch to your new branch, use the git checkout command followed by the name of the branch. For example: git checkout new_feature.

Best Practices

• Use meaningful names for your branches
• Regularly pull updates from the master to your branch to avoid conflicts

Code Examples

Let's go through some practical examples.

Example 1: Creating a New Branch

1. Start by listing all existing branches:

git branch

You will see a list of all branches in your repository.

1. Create a new branch called "new_feature":

git branch new_feature

1. Check that your new branch has been created:

git branch

You should now see "new_feature" in the list of branches.

Example 2: Switching Between Branches

1. To switch to your new branch, use the git checkout command:

git checkout new_feature

1. To confirm you are now in the "new_feature" branch, use the git branch command. The current branch will have a * next to it.

Summary

In this tutorial, we've learned how to create branches in Git, how to switch between them, and some best practices for branch management. Your next steps could be to learn how to merge branches, or how to handle conflicts.

Practice Exercises

1. Create a new branch called "test_branch".
2. Switch to "test_branch".
3. Switch back to the master branch.

Solutions
1. git branch test_branch
2. git checkout test_branch
3. git checkout master

These exercises help you practice the skills you've learned in this tutorial. Keep practicing these commands until you're comfortable with them.

For further practice, try creating and switching between multiple branches, and pulling updates from the master branch to your other branches.