Staging changes is a fundamental Git workflow step that allows you to selectively prepare files for commit and organize your modifications logically. As the creator of CoreUI, a widely used open-source UI library, I’ve staged thousands of changes across multiple repositories, carefully organizing commits for clear history and effective code reviews. From my expertise, the most essential approach is to use git add command with specific files or patterns. This method provides precise control over what changes are included in each commit, enabling atomic commits and better project organization.

Creating branches is essential for parallel development, feature isolation, and collaborative workflows in modern software development teams. As the creator of CoreUI, a widely used open-source UI library, I’ve managed complex branching strategies across multiple projects and contributors to maintain stable releases while developing new features. From my expertise, the most efficient approach is to use git checkout -b which creates and switches to a new branch in one command. This method ensures clean feature development without affecting the main codebase until changes are ready for integration.