Git Checkout — Free Git & GitHub Tutorial
Learn Git Checkout in Git & GitHub with a free, beginner-friendly tutorial, examples and practice for Indian students on Syllab.in.
TL;DR: Learn Git Checkout in Git & GitHub with a free, beginner-friendly tutorial, examples and practice for Indian students on Syllab.in.
Written & reviewed by the Syllab.in Academic Team (CBSE/NCERT subject experts) · Updated
Git Checkout in Git & GitHub
`git checkout` switches your working directory to a different branch. When you switch, Git updates all files in your folder to match that branch's code. It's fast and safe because Git knows the history of each branch.
Modern Git also supports `git switch` (newer command, same purpose). Both work, but we'll focus on `checkout` since it's more widely used.
Arjun switches from main to the login-feature branch, makes changes specific to login, then switches back to main. The files in his folder change as he switches.
Git Checkout — Syntax
git checkout <branch-name> # Switch to existing branch git checkout -b <branch-name> # Create and switch (shorthand)
Learn Git Checkout step by step with Syllab's free interactive Git & GitHub tutorial — runnable code examples, practice exercises and instant AI feedback, all free with no signup. Explore the full Git & GitHub course →