title: what does this git code that I use for merging my branch with master branch actually do?
body: <p>I'm new to get and understand most of how I'm using it, but when I want to merge to master and add my changes back I don't get what's going on.</p>
  
  <p>This is my flow:</p>
  
  <p>First I do my edits and commit them to my-branch. Then I do</p>
  
  <pre><code>git checkout master
  git pull origin master
  git checkout my-branch
  git merge master
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>so I think that in the first line</p>
  
  <pre><code>git checkout master
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I'm switching to the master branch. I'm not entirely sure what that means. But I think that it means that if I commit something at that point it would change master directly. I do know that my files stay in the same shape and maintain all of my edits.</p>
  
  <p>Then, I have no idea about the second line</p>
  
  <pre><code>git pull origin master
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>In the third line</p>
  
  <pre><code>git checkout my-branch
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I'm switching back to my-branch (again, not entirely sure of the implications).</p>
  
  <p>Then, finally, I merge the two.</p>
  
  <pre><code>git merge master
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I have no idea where the unmerged files are, but when I initiate a pull request on the git website I do see the nice diff.</p>
  
  <p>I'm also a bit confused as to why what I'm initiating on the website is a "pull request" because it seems more like a commit.</p>