Re: git question: how do I get a specific git version into my working directory?

[Harald Hanche-Olsen]

Eli Zaretskii wrote:
> > From: Stefan Monnier<address@hidden>
> > Date: Sat, 18 Apr 2015 13:09:01 -0400
> > Cc: address@hidden, Harald Hanche-Olsen<address@hidden>, address@hidden
> >
> > > Yes, I know all that.  But I'd still do all that on a separate branch,
> > > since 'master' is not supposed to be used for such stuff, it's
> > > supposed to track upstream as close as possible.
> > I think Harald's point is that after "git checkout e56ab7" you're simply
> > not in "master" any more.  At least, not more than you're in any
> > other branch.

That's my point, yes.

>> Instead, you're in a kind of transient nameless branch.

Well, not even that. Branches by definition have names: A branch is a 
name which (a) points to a commit, (b) moves to a newly created commit 
when you check in code, and optionally (c) has remote-tracking behaviour.

> And my point is: why have a nameless branch, if you can have a named
> one?

That's a good point, but the reason for it is not any danger of messing 
up the master branch. Rather, it is the danger of messing up any code 
you write while in the detached state.

– Harald