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git checkout

Switches branches or restores working tree files.

Syntax

git checkout [<options>] <branch>
git checkout [<options>] -- <file>...

Options

-b <new-branch>: Creates a new branch and switches to it
-B <new-branch>: Creates or resets a branch and switches to it
--track: Sets up tracking for a remote branch
-- <file>: Restores a specific file from the index (discards working changes)

Example

git checkout main
git checkout -b feature/new
git checkout -- src/app.ts

Tip

Prefer git switch and git restore (Git 2.23+) for clearer intent.