git_ask_04-How to understand HEAD?

ID = git_ask_04

Status: closed

Question

How to understand HEAD?

Answer

HEAD is a pointer, pointing to the current active branch(master, dev, or other branches).

Q: How to switch between different branches?
A: Use git checkout.

step1: create branch dev

create branch dev:

$ git checkout -b dev
Switched to a new branch 'dev'

HEAD already pointing to dev:

$ git reflog
e6f08b2 (HEAD -> dev, origin/master, origin/HEAD, base/master, master) HEAD@{0}: checkout: moving from master to dev
e6f08b2 (HEAD -> dev, origin/master, origin/HEAD, base/master, master) HEAD@{1}: commit: correct misunderstanding on 'git bash here'
e99ae95 HEAD@{2}: commit: commit operation in svn and git

step2: switch to branch master

switch to branch master:

$ git checkout master
Switched to branch 'master'
Your branch is up to date with 'origin/master'.

HEAD is now pointing to master (dev is the same commit-id as master):

$ git reflog
e6f08b2 (HEAD -> master, origin/master, origin/HEAD, base/master, dev) HEAD@{0}: checkout: moving from dev to master
e6f08b2 (HEAD -> master, origin/master, origin/HEAD, base/master, dev) HEAD@{1}: checkout: moving from master to dev
e6f08b2 (HEAD -> master, origin/master, origin/HEAD, base/master, dev) HEAD@{2}: commit: correct misunderstanding on 'git bash here'
e99ae95 HEAD@{3}: commit: commit operation in svn and git

step3: delete branch dev

delete branch dev:

$ git branch -d dev
Deleted branch dev (was e6f08b2).

HEAD is pointing to master (dev is removed):

$ git reflog
e6f08b2 (HEAD -> master, origin/master, origin/HEAD, base/master) HEAD@{0}: checkout: moving from dev to master
e6f08b2 (HEAD -> master, origin/master, origin/HEAD, base/master) HEAD@{1}: checkout: moving from master to dev
e6f08b2 (HEAD -> master, origin/master, origin/HEAD, base/master) HEAD@{2}: commit: correct misunderstanding on 'git bash here'
e99ae95 HEAD@{3}: commit: commit operation in svn and git

Reference

[1] 理解git中的head和master