Cheat Sheets · Git Cheat Sheet · Git Create Branch from Commit — Branch Off History

Git Create Branch from Commit — Branch Off History

git switch -c <new-branch> <sha>

Modern syntax: create and switch to new branch starting at

git checkout -b <new-branch> <sha>

Classic syntax: create and checkout new branch at

git branch <new-branch> <sha>

Create branch at without switching to it

Create branch from history

Command	Description
`git switch -c <new-branch> <sha>`	`Modern syntax: create and switch to new branch starting at <sha>`
`git checkout -b <new-branch> <sha>`	`Classic syntax: create and checkout new branch at <sha>`
`git branch <new-branch> <sha>`	`Create branch at <sha> without switching to it`

Need to experiment from an earlier release or fix a bug from a specific point in time? Create a new branch originating from any historical commit SHA.

Related Git recipes

Undo Last Commit — 3 Safe Ways Discard Local Changes — Safely and Completely Delete a Branch — Local and Remote Stash — Park Changes Without Committing Amend the Last Commit Undo a Pushed Commit — The Safe Way (git revert) Rename Local Branch — Safely & Quickly Rename Remote Branch — Complete 3-Step Process Cherry Pick — Apply a Specific Commit Elsewhere Squash Last N Commits — Combine Multiple Commits Sync Fork with Upstream — Step-by-Step Delete Remote Tag — Local and Remote Change Commit Author — Email & Name Unstage File — Remove from Staging Area Log Graph — Visual Commit History in Terminal Clean Untracked Files — Remove Clutter Safely Switch Branch — Modern Branch Navigation Stash Untracked Files (-u and -a Flags) Force Pull — Overwrite Local Changes with Remote Resolve Merge Conflict — Complete Workflow Show Commit — Inspect Changes in a Commit Tag a Release — Lightweight & Annotated Tags

FAQ

Can I branch off a tag instead of a commit SHA?
Yes! git switch -c hotfix-v1.0 v1.0.0 works identically with tags.

What happens to commits after that SHA?
They remain on their original branches. Your new branch diverges from the specified commit.

How do I find the commit SHA to branch from?
Use git log --oneline to locate the 7-character hash of the desired commit.

Stop memorizing — build it interactively

Build history branches in the Git Builder

Full reference: Git Cheat Sheet