Git Cheat Sheet · Branches

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Q: What is the difference between git switch and git checkout?

git checkout does two jobs: switching branches and restoring files. Since Git 2.23, git switch and git restore separate them, which avoids mistakes.

Q: How do I switch branches without losing my changes?

git stash, then git switch . When you come back, git stash pop.

git switch <branch>

git switch <branch> moves you to another branch: the files in the working copy take on that branch's state. If you have uncommitted changes that conflict, Git refuses: commit them or set them aside with git stash.

By Julien Dudek, author of Merathon · published on 4 November 2026

What it does

Puts the working copy in the state of another branch, which becomes the current branch.

A use case

You need to fix an urgent bug on main while working on a feature.

On the command line

git switch <branch>: Switches to a local branch.
git switch -: Goes back to the previous branch.
git switch <remote-branch>: Creates a local branch that tracks origin/<branch> if it does not exist yet.
git checkout <branch>: Older syntax, equivalent.
git branch -a: Lists local and remote branches.

In Merathon

Double-click the branch in "Local" (left panel), or right-click → "Checkout".
For a remote branch: right-click → "Checkout (local tracking branch)".

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between git switch and git checkout?

git checkout does two jobs: switching branches and restoring files. Since Git 2.23, git switch and git restore separate them, which avoids mistakes.

How do I switch branches without losing my changes?

git stash, then git switch <branch>. When you come back, git stash pop.