Pushing new branches to remote in Git - Step-by-Step Execution

Process Flow - Pushing new branches to remote

Create new branch locally

↓

Switch to new branch

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Make changes and commit

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Push branch to remote

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Remote branch created

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Branch available for others

This flow shows how you create a new branch locally, commit changes, then push it to the remote repository so others can access it.

Execution Sample

Git

git checkout -b feature
# make changes
git add .
git commit -m "Add feature"
git push -u origin feature

Create and switch to a new branch 'feature', commit changes, then push it to remote and set upstream tracking.

Process Table

Step	Command	Action	Result
1	git checkout -b feature	Create and switch to branch 'feature'	Local branch 'feature' created and checked out
2	git add .	Stage all changes	Changes staged for commit
3	git commit -m "Add feature"	Commit staged changes	New commit added to 'feature' branch
4	git push -u origin feature	Push branch to remote and set upstream	Remote branch 'feature' created and linked
5		End of process	Branch 'feature' is now available on remote

💡 After step 4, the new branch exists on remote and is tracked locally

Status Tracker

Variable	Start	After 1	After 2	After 3	After 4	Final
Current Branch	main	feature	feature	feature	feature	feature
Staged Changes	none	none	all changes staged	none	none	none
Commits on feature	0	0	0	1	1	1
Remote Branches	origin/main	origin/main	origin/main	origin/main	origin/main + origin/feature	origin/main + origin/feature

Key Moments - 3 Insights

Why do we use '-u' in 'git push -u origin feature'?

The '-u' option sets the upstream tracking so future 'git push' or 'git pull' commands know which remote branch to use automatically, as shown in step 4 of the execution_table.

What happens if you push a branch that already exists on remote?

If the branch exists, git will update it with your commits. In this example, since 'feature' is new, the remote branch is created (step 4).

Why do we need to commit before pushing?

Only committed changes are pushed. Staging (step 2) prepares changes, committing (step 3) saves them in the branch, then pushing (step 4) sends them to remote.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution table, what is the result after step 1?

A Changes staged for commit

B Remote branch 'feature' created

C Local branch 'feature' created and checked out

D New commit added to 'feature' branch

💡 Hint

Check the 'Result' column for step 1 in the execution_table

At which step is the remote branch 'feature' created?

A Step 2

B Step 4

C Step 3

D Step 5

💡 Hint

Look for 'Remote branch created' in the 'Action' column of execution_table

If you omit '-u' in 'git push origin feature', what changes in the process?

A Upstream tracking won't be set automatically

B The remote branch won't be created

C The branch won't be pushed to remote

D You cannot commit changes

💡 Hint

Refer to key_moments about the purpose of '-u' option

Concept Snapshot

git checkout -b <branch>  # create and switch to new branch
git add .                   # stage changes
git commit -m "msg"       # commit changes
git push -u origin <branch> # push new branch and set upstream

'-u' sets tracking so future pushes/pulls are easier.

Full Transcript

This lesson shows how to push a new branch to a remote git repository. First, you create and switch to a new branch locally using 'git checkout -b feature'. Then you stage your changes with 'git add .' and commit them with 'git commit -m "Add feature"'. Finally, you push the branch to the remote repository with 'git push -u origin feature'. The '-u' option sets upstream tracking, linking your local branch to the remote one for easier future pushes and pulls. After pushing, the new branch is available on the remote server for others to use.