For the branch workflow: * Step 1: git checkout -b feature-whatever * Step 2: git commit -a (for all changes) OR or git add file1 file2; git commit (for speci

For the branch workflow: * Step 1: git checkout -b feature-whatever * Step 2: git commit -a (for all changes) OR or git add file1 file2; git commit (for specific files) OR git add -p; git commit (for staging specific changes within files) * Step 3: git fetch origin master:master; git merge master OR git pull origin master (while your feature is checked out) OR git fetch origin master:master; git rebase master (to replay your changes on top of master, which is cleaner and avoids a merge in history) * Step 4: git checkout master; git merge feature-whatever; git push origin master Is that really so much harder? Plus if you use the rebase option for Step 3 you don't get an ugly pointless merge.