you might expect git to enforce some rules about branches

some rules you might imagine:

• you can’t remove commits from a branch, only add them
• the main branch has to stay more less in sync with origin/main

But there are no rules.

git character with demon hat: want to do something horrible to your branch? no problem!

there are literally no rules

commands that you can use to do weird stuff to a branch:

• git reset
• git rebase

instead of rules, we have conventions

for example:

• run git pull often to keep your main up to date
• if you’re working with a big team, don’t commit to main directly

Illustration of the git demon talking to a nonplussed stick figure with curly hair.

git demon: you’ve just gotta be really careful to not do the wrong thing and not mess up your branch

person: um… thanks?

our only saviour: the reflog

git reflog BRANCHNAME

will show you the history of every change to the branch, so you can always undo

the reflog is a VERY unfriendly UI, but it’s always there.