Git branches

As we've briefly mentioned, the default branch is called master, and we've been adding commits to this branch up to this point.

Now, when we develop a new feature or fix a particular bug, rather than adding those commits directory to master, we can instead create a branch from a certain commit from master. Any new commits to these bug fix and/or feature branches will be grouped together in a separate branch in the history tree, which does not affect the master branch. If and when the fix or feature is complete, we can merge this branch back into master.

The end result is the same, but the Git history is now much easier to read and understand. Furthermore, branches allow you to write and commit experimental code in an isolated part of the repository, so your changes, which may introduce new bugs and regressions, won't affect others until they have been tested and peer-reviewed.