New branch -> "Check out after create" checkbox's persistance is frustrating

[dracan]

When creating a new branch the "Check out after create" checkbox remembers the state from the last time you did it. This has multiple times caused me to accidentally commit changes to the main branch. For example, consider this scenario...

• As a one-off, I want to create a new branch, but not switch to it -> so I uncheck that box to create.
• Given this doesn't happen too often, the next time I'm creating a branch, I don't even think about this check box state - and just type the branch name and hit enter. In my head, I think I'm in the branch, but I'm actually still on main.
• I continue my work, and commit the changes. Result is that the commit is now in main, not on my feature branch.

I'd argue that most people are going to want it to be defaulted to checked.
For the odd time that you need to uncheck it - it's most likely going to be a one-off, and not desired the next time you create a branch.

My suggestion would be to default it to checked all the time, and not persist from the last time you used the new branch dialogbox.
And also maybe add a setting to change the default state for those that don't want it to default to checked.

[DanPristupov]

What is the difference from the other issue you left the comment on?

[dracan]

What is the difference from the other issue you left the comment on?

Based on the op's description in the other ticket - presumably that one can be closed? Specifically this bit...

"or remembering the last selection would be a compromise."

So based on that, the ops request is how it already works.

My (this) ticket is specifically calling out the frustration of the current functionality - ie. it remembering the last selection.

[DanPristupov]

I think we should differentiate the checkout behavior based on the use case:

• Cmd+Shift+B / Create Branch toolbar button. Checkout enabled, since the user is creating a branch from the current commit and will likely continue working on it.
• Right-click on a commit with the main branch. Checkout enabled, since branching from main typically means the user intends to work on it immediately.
• Right-click on any other commit. Checkout disabled, since the user is branching from a different point in history and likely won't use it right away.

[dracan]

That makes sense to me :)

I'm just trying to think of scenarios where I create a branch and don't want to switch to it. The only one really is when I'm on a feature branch already, and want to make a 'backup' branch before doing some form of rebase (maybe a squash or something). I think that works with your suggestion. Although, that's still the HEAD, but not of main. So would your suggested logic explicitly check for "main" or "master"?

Either way - explicitly unticking when I need it is a non-issue - that's easy. I get caught out when it's unexpectedly unticked during normal branch creation.

[dracan]

Just thought of another scenario where I create branches that I don't want to check out.

Nowadays I'm creating worktrees a lot more because of AI stuff. The Fork "create worktree" UI only asks to select from existing branches. That means I need to create a local branch beforehand. I don't want to switch to it because I'll then want to create a worktree from that branch.

This doesn't really affect this current ticket. as I'm happy to uncheck the checkbox in that case. I just mentioned it for completeness, given my previous message was me thinking of scenarios where I wouldn't want to switch to new branches.

I'll raise a different ticket later for this (if there's not one already) - as it would be great if the "add new worktree" dialogbox gave an option to create a new branch when creating the worktree (rather than just choosing existing branches).