How does a tag differ from a branch?

A tag and a branch in Git differ in their role and behavior in the commit history.

In short: a branch is a "live pointer," while a tag is a "fixed marker."

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#The main difference

• A branch points to the last commit and moves forward with every new commit
• A tag points to a specific commit and never changes

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#A simple example

History:

A---B---C---D

• the main branch → D
• the v1.0.0 tag → B

If a new commit is added:

A---B---C---D---E

• main → E
• v1.0.0 → still B

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#Differences by purpose

#Branch

• used for development
• combined via merge/rebase
• can change and be rewritten
• often lives temporarily

#Tag

• used for versions and releases
• does not participate in merges
• does not change
• fixes the state of the code

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#Differences in behavior

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#Frequently asked in interviews

Can you commit to a tag? No. Commits are made to a branch; a tag only points to a commit.

Can a tag be "moved"? Technically, yes (delete and recreate it), but this is bad practice for releases.

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#Short answer for an interview

A branch is a moving pointer to the last commit and a development tool, while a tag is an immutable marker on a specific commit, used to fix a version or a release.