Cherry Pick Git Example

9 min read Oct 08, 2024

Cherry Picking Git: A Targeted Approach to Version Control

Git's powerful features enable developers to manage code changes efficiently. Among these features, cherry picking stands out as a versatile tool for selectively incorporating commits from one branch to another. This technique proves particularly useful when you need specific changes from a branch without merging the entire branch history.

But what exactly is cherry picking, and how do you utilize it effectively?

Understanding Cherry Picking

Imagine you have two branches, main and feature. The feature branch contains several commits, and you only want a particular commit (let's say commit C3) from feature to be included in main. Cherry picking allows you to isolate and transfer that specific commit to main without bringing over the entire history of feature.

How to Cherry Pick: A Step-by-Step Guide

Switch to the target branch: In this example, we want to cherry pick commit C3 onto main. Begin by switching to the main branch:
```
git checkout main
```
Identify the commit hash: Find the unique identifier (hash) of the commit you want to cherry pick. This can be done by using git log:
```
git log feature
```
This command displays the commit history of the feature branch. Locate commit C3 and note its hash (e.g., abcdef1234567890).
Perform the cherry pick: Execute the git cherry-pick command, specifying the commit hash:
```
git cherry-pick abcdef1234567890
```
Git will attempt to apply the changes from commit C3 to your current branch (in this case, main).
Resolve conflicts (if necessary): If the commit you're cherry picking introduces changes that conflict with the existing code in the target branch, Git will present you with merge conflicts. You'll need to resolve these conflicts manually before committing the cherry-picked changes.
Commit the cherry-picked changes: After resolving any conflicts, commit the cherry-picked changes to the target branch:
```
git commit -m "Cherry-picked commit C3 from feature" 
```

Cherry Picking in Action: An Example

Let's say you have a feature branch containing bug fixes and new features:

feature
  C5 (Fix: Minor bug)
  C4 (Feature: New UI element)
  C3 (Fix: Critical bug)
  C2 (Fix: Minor bug)
  C1 (Initial commit)

And your main branch is at a different state:

main
  C6 (Feature: New functionality)
  C5 (Fix: Major bug)
  C4 (Feature: Improved design)
  C3 (Fix: Critical bug)
  C2 (Initial commit)

You notice that a critical bug fix (commit C3) was also made in the feature branch. Instead of merging the entire feature branch, you want to isolate that specific fix and incorporate it into main.

Here's how you'd do it:

Switch to main:
```
git checkout main
```
Identify the commit hash: Look at the feature branch history and note the commit hash of C3 (e.g., abcdef1234567890).
Cherry pick commit C3:
```
git cherry-pick abcdef1234567890
```

Commit the changes:

git commit -m "Cherry-picked critical bug fix from feature"

Now, your main branch will include the critical bug fix from the feature branch without the other commits from that branch.

When to Use Cherry Picking

Cherry picking is a valuable tool, but it's important to use it wisely. It's best suited for specific situations where you need to apply individual changes from one branch to another without merging the entire branch history. Here are some common use cases:

Applying isolated fixes: When you have a specific fix in a branch and you want to include it in another branch without merging the entire branch history.
Backporting fixes: When you need to apply a fix made in a newer branch to an older branch, such as a bug fix for a release branch.
Reverting changes: You can cherry-pick a commit that reverts changes made in a previous commit, effectively undoing those changes.

Potential Risks and Considerations

While cherry picking can be a powerful technique, it's important to be aware of its potential risks and considerations:

Linear history: Cherry picking can create a non-linear commit history, which can be difficult to follow and manage. It's recommended to use it with caution in projects with complex histories.
Merge conflicts: If there are conflicts between the cherry-picked commit and the target branch, you'll need to manually resolve them.
Rewriting history: Cherry picking modifies the commit history of the target branch. This can create issues if the branch has already been shared with other developers.

Best Practices for Using Cherry Picking

Use it sparingly: Cherry picking should be used with caution and only when it's truly necessary.
Keep a clean history: Try to minimize the number of cherry-picked commits in your history.
Communicate clearly: If you are cherry-picking commits, be sure to inform other developers so they are aware of the changes.

Alternatives to Cherry Picking

Merging: A more traditional approach to integrating changes from one branch to another.
Rebasing: A powerful tool for rewriting the history of a branch.

Conclusion

Cherry picking is a valuable Git tool for selectively incorporating commits from one branch to another. It's particularly useful when you need specific changes from a branch without merging the entire branch history. While cherry picking can be a powerful technique, it's essential to understand its potential risks and use it wisely. By carefully considering the best practices and alternatives, you can leverage cherry picking to streamline your development workflow and manage code changes effectively.