Git branching is fast and very simple. A 'git checkout -b FOO' and you've got one made. You can flip back and forth between branches with a single command as we

Git branching is fast and very simple. A 'git checkout -b FOO' and you've got one made. You can flip back and forth between branches with a single command as well, which makes very easy to set up experiments (say you wanted to profile a couple different prototypes), or you are working on three different new features at the same time. Branches are also very easy to move around the revision history. If I created a branch 3 months ago, and I wanted to go back and pull that back onto mainline, I can easy 'rebase' those changes as if I created the branch off of the most recent commit. Again, it's a single command that, barring merge conflicts, just works. Branches can also be pushed and pulled from one machine to another. Got started working on a feature, but can't finish it in this sprint? Have a coworker pull that branch to their box and pick it up. Made an experimental change? Push that branch back to the server so others can take a look. Git branching absolutely changed the way I write code. I create branches all the time, because they are so cheap I can use them to mess around with small changes without worrying about messing up mainline or my current feature branches.