diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7bb1c672c..4b1ab3228 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ http://rawpedia.rawtherapee.com/Linux
 
 The instructions below will be merged into that article on RawPedia soon.
 
+### Clone the source code
 Clone the source code either using HTTPS:
 ```
 git clone https://github.com/Beep6581/RawTherapee ~/repo-rt
@@ -39,17 +40,14 @@ or update a previously cloned repository:
 cd ~/repo-rt && git fetch
 ```
 
-Apply a patch:
-If you want to apply a patch, use "git apply" if you just want to apply without committing, or "git am" if you want to automatically apply and commit:
+### Optionally pick a branch
+New features and bug fixes are made on their own branches. Once tested, those branches are merged into the "master" branch. We used to test new features and bug fixes by sharing patches (.diff files) but git makes branching easy and branching makes sharing patches unnecessary.
+To test a new feature or bug fix, just checkout [the right branch](https://github.com/Beep6581/RawTherapee/branches/active) before compiling:
 ```
-git apply /downloads/some.patch
-```
-or
-```
-git am /downloads/some.patch
+git checkout <branchname>
 ```
 
-Compile:
+### Compile and run
 To find out how many threads your CPU supports, run:
 `grep -c processor /proc/cpuinfo`
 Then replace the number in `-j8` below with this number. This will make compilation faster but it will have no effect on the speed of running RawTherapee.