Mastering Git Cherry Pick- How to Select and Apply Changes from Another Branch

How to Git Cherry Pick from Another Branch: A Comprehensive Guide

In the world of version control, Git stands out as a powerful tool for managing code repositories. One of the many features that Git offers is cherry picking, which allows you to apply specific commits from one branch to another. This can be particularly useful when you want to incorporate changes made in one branch into another without merging the entire branch. In this article, we will discuss how to git cherry pick from another branch and provide you with a step-by-step guide to make the process easier.

Understanding Cherry Picking

Before diving into the process, it’s essential to understand what cherry picking is and how it works. Cherry picking is a way to select specific commits from one branch and apply them to another branch. It is often used to bring in bug fixes or new features from a feature branch into the main branch without merging the entire branch. This feature is particularly useful when you want to selectively apply changes made in one branch to another.

Step-by-Step Guide to Git Cherry Pick from Another Branch

Now that we have a basic understanding of cherry picking, let’s proceed with the step-by-step guide on how to git cherry pick from another branch.

1.

Ensure you are on the branch where you want to apply the changes.

Before you can cherry pick commits from another branch, make sure you are on the branch where you want to apply the changes. Use the following command to switch to the desired branch:

“`
git checkout branch-name
“`

Replace `branch-name` with the name of the branch you want to apply the changes to.

2.

Identify the commit you want to cherry pick.

Next, you need to identify the commit you want to cherry pick. You can do this by using the `git log` command with the `–oneline` option to display the commit hashes:

“`
git log –oneline
“`

Look for the commit hash of the commit you want to cherry pick from the other branch.

3.

Cherry pick the commit.

Now that you have identified the commit, you can cherry pick it using the following command:

“`
git cherry-pick commit-hash
“`

Replace `commit-hash` with the actual commit hash you want to cherry pick. This command will apply the selected commit to the current branch.

4.

Resolve any conflicts.

If there are any conflicts between the cherry-picked commit and the current branch, Git will pause the cherry-pick process and notify you of the conflicts. You will need to resolve these conflicts manually by editing the conflicting files and then continuing the cherry-pick process using the following command:

“`
git cherry-pick –continue
“`

Repeat this step until all conflicts are resolved.

5.

Verify the cherry-pick.

Once the cherry-pick process is complete, verify that the commit has been successfully applied to the current branch. You can do this by using the `git log` command again:

“`
git log
“`

Look for the commit you cherry-picked to ensure it has been applied correctly.

Conclusion

Cherry picking is a valuable feature in Git that allows you to selectively apply commits from one branch to another. By following the step-by-step guide outlined in this article, you can now confidently git cherry pick from another branch and incorporate specific changes into your codebase. Remember to resolve any conflicts that may arise during the process, and always verify the cherry-pick to ensure the changes have been applied correctly.