What does a branch allow you to do in Git?

A branch in Git is a powerful feature that enables you to work on different versions of a repository simultaneously. When you create a branch, you essentially create an independent line of development within the repository. This allows you to make changes, add new features, or fix bugs in that branch without affecting the main project. The primary benefit of branching is that it provides the flexibility to explore new ideas or modifications without disrupting the stable code base.

While it is true that branches can also facilitate merging changes, that is a separate function related to how branches interact with each other. By maintaining multiple branches, developers can ensure that they can work on various tasks at the same time, streamlining the development process and making collaboration easier across teams working on different features or fixes.

The other options do not accurately describe the primary function of a branch in Git. For example, working on the same version of a repository does not leverage branches' capability to create isolated development environments. Similarly, while backups can be important in repository management, branches are not inherently designed for creating backups but instead for enabling parallel development, and merging branches can sometimes lead to conflicts that require resolution.