How to move the most recent commit(s) to a new branch with Git?

To move the most recent commit(s) to a new branch in Git, follow these steps:

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Check Current Commit History:
   Use git log to confirm the commit(s) you want to move.

   git log --oneline

2. Create a New Branch that includes the recent commit(s):

   git branch new-branch-name

• This branch will point to the current commit (HEAD), preserving the recent commits.

1. Reset the Current Branch to remove the commits:

   git reset --hard HEAD~N  # Replace `N` with the number of commits to move

• Example: HEAD~2 moves the last 2 commits to the new branch.
• Note: This deletes the commits from the current branch (use with caution!).

1. Checkout the New Branch to continue working:

   git checkout new-branch-name

Example

Move the last 3 commits from main to a new branch feature/login:

# Create a new branch containing the latest commits
git branch feature/login

# Reset the current branch (e.g., main) to discard the last 3 commits
git reset --hard HEAD~3

# Switch to the new branch
git checkout feature/login

Key Notes

• Uncommitted Changes: Ensure all changes are committed or stashed before resetting.
• Pushed Commits: If the commits were already pushed, use git push --force to update the remote (risky on shared branches).
• Safety Check: Use git log to verify the state before and after the reset.

Visual Workflow

Before: main [A -> B -> C -> D (HEAD)]
After:  
  main [A -> B]  
  feature/login [C -> D (HEAD)]

By following these steps, you can cleanly move recent commits to a new branch!