git switch beats git checkout

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

git checkout does too much: it moves branches, restores files, detaches HEAD, and creates branches — all under one overloaded verb. That’s why it’s a classic source of “I ran the right command and lost my changes.”

Since Git 2.23 the job is split into two honest commands:

git switch -c new-feature   # create and move to a branch
git switch main             # move to an existing branch
git restore path/to/file    # discard changes to a file

switch only changes branches. restore only touches files. The name tells you the blast radius before you hit enter.

git commit --fixup and autosquash

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

When review feedback belongs in a commit three back, you don’t have to hand-edit a rebase todo. Mark the fix, then let Git sort it:

git commit --fixup=<sha>          # stages a "fixup! <subject>" commit
git rebase -i --autosquash main   # reorders and squashes it automatically

--fixup writes a specially-named commit; --autosquash recognizes the name, moves it next to its target, and pre-marks it as fixup in the todo list. You just confirm. Set git config --global rebase.autosquash true and the flag is on by default.

git on semikolan

git switch beats git checkout

git commit --fixup and autosquash