05-creating-a-branch.md

lang	ref	layout	help	header	title	permalink	next-page	sidebar	main-content	show-me-how	tell-me-why
en	intro-to-github-05	simple-class	https://github.com/githubschool/open-enrollment-classes-introduction-to-github/issues/new?title=I%20need%20help&body=Describe%20what%20you%20need%20help%20with%20here.&labels=Help%20Wanted	overlay_image overlay_filter cover.jpeg rgba(46, 129, 200, 0.6)	Create a Branch	/intro-to-github/create-a-branch	/intro-to-github/find-your-coordinates	nav intro-nav	includes activity/intro-to-github/03-create-branch.md		## Creating A Branch You just learned that the first step in the GitHub Workflow is to create a branch. Branches are an important part of the GitHub workflow because they allow us to separate our work from the `master` branch. In other words, everyone's pins that are already shown on the map will be safe while you learn how to add yours. Since branches are so important, we recommend you take a look at this video to learn more: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xgQmu81G1yY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> ## Tips for Using Branches A single project like ours can have hundreds of branches - all trying out new features or alternate approaches to the same feature. The trick in managing branches with a team is to keep them concise and short lived. In other words, a single branch should represent a single new feature or bug fix. And, while GitHub doesn't limit the number of branches you can have, it makes things a lot less confusing when you only keep them active for a few days and delete them after they have been merged (we will discuss merging a little later).