Git cherry-pick command – How and Why to Use It

Git CherryPick is a powerful command that allows developers to select specific commits from one branch and apply them to another branch. This can be useful in situations where you want to merge specific changes from one branch into another, without merging the entire branch.

To use Git CherryPick, you first need to switch to the branch where you want to apply the changes using the command “git checkout [branch name]”. Then, you can use the command “git cherry-pick [commit hash]” to apply the changes from the specified commit.

It is important to note that when you use Git CherryPick, it applies the changes as a new commit on the current branch, rather than merging the entire branch. This means that the commit history of the original branch is not preserved in the new branch.

One of the main use cases for Git CherryPick is when you have made changes on a feature branch that you want to merge into your main development branch, but you only want to include certain commits. This can be useful in situations where you have made multiple commits on a feature branch, but not all of them are ready to be merged into the main branch.

Another use case for Git CherryPick is when you have made changes to a branch that are dependent on other changes that have not yet been merged into the main branch. In this case, you can use Git CherryPick to apply the dependent changes to the main branch, while the other changes are still being reviewed.

On the other hand, Git CherryPick should not be used in situations where you want to merge an entire branch into another branch. In this case, it is better to use the “git merge” command, which will preserve the commit history of the original branch.

Additionally, you should be careful when using Git CherryPick in situations where the commits you are picking depend on other commits that have not been picked yet. In this case, you may end up with conflicts or errors in your code. It is recommended to use Git CherryPick with caution and to thoroughly test the changes before merging them into the main branch.

In conclusion, Git CherryPick is a powerful command that allows developers to select specific commits from one branch and apply them to another branch. It can be useful in situations where you want to merge specific changes from one branch into another, without merging the entire branch. However, it should be used with caution and not in situations where you want to merge an entire branch or commits that depend on other commits.