Cloning a specific branch in Git allows you to download only the target branch without cloning the entire repository, saving time and bandwidth. As the creator of CoreUI, a widely used open-source UI library, I’ve guided thousands of contributors to clone specific feature branches for focused development work. From my expertise, the most effective approach is using the -b flag with git clone to target specific branches directly. This method reduces download time and disk usage while providing immediate access to the desired branch for development or testing.

Switching between Git branches is essential for navigating different feature developments, bug fixes, and release versions in collaborative development workflows. As the creator of CoreUI, a widely used open-source UI library, I regularly switch between branches to review contributor work, manage releases, and develop new features across multiple repositories. From my expertise, the most modern approach is to use git switch command for cleaner branch navigation. This method provides safer branch switching with clearer command semantics and better error messages compared to the traditional checkout command.