Why create feature branches?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

You are asked to consider why teams create feature branches.
Option 1: 'Because commits aren't allowed on main' — This is inaccurate in most workflows. There is generally no universal ban on committing to the main branch; many teams allow small, tested commits or require protected main policies, but the core motivation for feature branches is not about restrictions on main but about isolation of work.
Option 2: 'To duplicate work' — This is misleading. Branching is not primarily about duplicating effort; it aims to manage concurrent work without overwriting each other, not to create redundant copies of code.
Option 3: 'To avoid storing work locally' — This ignores the practical purpose of branches. Branches live in the repository and are not a mechanism to skip local storage; developers still have local copies and branches as part of standard workflows.
Option 4: 'To isolate in-progress features from stable code' — This correctly identifies the main purpose of feature branches: keep incomplete or experimental changes separate from the mainline to preserve stability, enable focused testing, and allow parallel development.

CPSC-491-01 Software Engineering (Fall 2025) CPSC 491 Exam 2

Why create feature branches?

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