# Github branches

**URL:** <https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/github-branches/342978>\
**Category:** Programming & Scripting\
**Tags:** unreal-engine\
**Created:** [January 4, 2016, 3:34am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/github-branches/342978 "2016-01-04T03:34:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![alperenozgur](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@alperenozgur](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/alperenozgur)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2016, 3:34am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/github-branches/342978/1 "2016-01-04T03:34:57Z")

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can anybody explain that github stuff to me who has 0 knowledge of programming and stuff? whats the purpose of it and how to use it properly? and most importantly are that BRANCHES overwrites my regular engine? i just want to use nvidia’s vxgi and its seems so complicated and scary to me to deal with all that branches and stuff.

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**Author:** ![teak421](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/teak421/32/902996_2.png) [@teak421](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/teak421)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2016, 12:11am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/github-branches/342978/2 "2016-01-08T00:11:57Z")

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Hi.

Github allows developers access to the UE4 source code…This allows folks to make modifications (and bug fixes) to the actual game engine. This is useful for really smart people so they can apply certain commits (which is code changes) to their engine. So, let’s say I have a branch from 4.8 and there is some sort of bug that was fixed in 4.9, BUT, you don’t want to upgrade the entire UE4 system to 4.9 because you project might break, you could simply install the patch (commit) that fixes the issue.

If you do not know C++, I would suggest you stick with the binaries from the launcher.

BUT, if you want to play with new features before the binaries are released, that would be another reason to use github.

This is a little outdated, but this information should be helpful…

> **[A new, community-hosted Unreal Engine Wiki](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/a-new-community-hosted-unreal-engine-wiki/141494)**
>
> After over a year in maintenance mode, the official Unreal Engine Wiki is now permanently offline. These resources now live on a new community-run Unreal Engine Community Wiki — ue4community.wiki! You will be able to find content from the official...

teak