Creating and switching between git branches with IBM i

One of the powerful features of Git is its ability to create and manage multiple branches within a repository. Branches allow developers to work on different features or bug fixes independently, without affecting the main codebase. 

In this lesson, we'll cover the process of creating and switching between branches on an IBM i system.

Step 1: Access the PASE Environment

If you're using Git installed in the IBM i Portable Application Solutions Environment (PASE), you'll need to access the PASE command line. You can do this by logging in to your IBM i system and running the following command:

call qp2term

This will take you to the PASE command prompt, where you can run Git commands.

Step 2: Navigate to the Git Repository

Navigate to the directory where you have initialized your Git repository. This is typically the directory where your IBM i application source code is located. You can use the cd command to change directories, for example:

cd /home/myuser/myapp

Step 3: Create a New Branch

To create a new branch, use the git branch command followed by the name of the new branch:

git branch feature/new-functionality

This will create a new branch named "feature/new-functionality" based on the current branch (typically the main or master branch).

Step 4: Switch to the New Branch

To start working on the new branch, you need to switch to it using the git checkout command:

git checkout feature/new-functionality

This will move you to the new branch, and any changes you make from this point forward will be isolated from the main branch.

Step 5: Verify the Current Branch

You can use the git status command to check which branch you're currently on:

git status

This will display the name of the current branch, as well as the status of the files in the repository.

Step 6: Switch Back to the Main Branch

When you're ready to merge your changes from the feature branch back into the main branch, you can switch back to the main branch using the git checkout command:

git checkout main

Now you're ready to merge the changes from the feature branch into the main branch.

Step 7: Delete the Feature Branch (Optional)

After merging the changes, you may want to delete the feature branch to keep your repository clean and organized. You can do this using the git branch -d command:

git branch -d feature/new-functionality

This will delete the feature branch, but the commits and changes will still be preserved in the main branch.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can effectively create and switch between branches on your IBM i Git repository. Mastering branch management is a crucial skill for IBM i developers, as it allows you to isolate changes, experiment with new ideas, and seamlessly integrate them back into the main codebase.

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