Suggest an editImprove this articleRefine the answer for “What is a branch in Git?”. Your changes go to moderation before they’re published.Approval requiredContentWhat you’re changing🇺🇸EN🇺🇦UAPreviewTitle (EN)Short answer (EN)**A branch** is a named pointer to a commit that represents a separate line of development. **Key point:** a branch is a pointer to a commit that defines the current line of development in Git.Shown above the full answer for quick recall.Answer (EN)ImageA branch is a **named pointer to a commit** that represents a **separate line of development**. ## How a branch works technically - a branch is **not a copy of the code**, but **just a reference to a commit**; - with a new commit, the branch pointer **moves forward**; - the current branch is determined by the `HEAD` pointer. Example: ``` main → C3 feature → C2 HEAD → main ``` ## Why branches are needed - parallel development; - safe experiments; - feature development without affecting `main`; - convenient merging of changes (merge / rebase). ## Important facts about branches - creating a branch is an **instant operation**; - branches are **lightweight** and take up almost no space; - deleting a branch **does not delete commits** if they are still referenced. ## Short version for an interview > **A branch is a pointer to a commit that defines the current line of development in Git.**For the reviewerNote to the moderator (optional)Visible only to the moderator. Helps review go faster.