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Which branch are feature branches created from?

GitMiddle~1 min read
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Usually feature branches are created from the main development branch, meaning the branch that holds the current stable code intended for further work.

In most cases this is:

  • main, the most common option
  • develop, if Gitflow is used

The most common option (Feature Branch Workflow)

In Feature Branch Workflow, feature branches are created from main:

bash
git checkout main git checkout -b feature/login

Why from main:

  • it holds stable, current code
  • all new features start from the same state
  • it is easier to merge back later

If Gitflow is used

In Gitflow, feature branches are created from develop, not from main:

  • main is production
  • develop is active development
bash
git checkout develop git checkout -b feature/login

General rule (important for an interview)

Feature branches are created from the branch they will later be merged into.

  • merging into main → create from main
  • merging into develop → create from develop

What you should not do

do not create a feature branch from another feature branch do not start a feature from an outdated branch do not mix several tasks in one branch

Short answer for an interview

Usually feature branches are created from the main development branch: from main in Feature Branch Workflow or from develop in Gitflow, that is, from the branch the changes will be merged into.

Short Answer

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