First timer. Autoflower. Topping and secondary branches question. Do I cut em off

Just train it -- bend and shape it with garden wire or similar. MAximize surface area to receive light and keep it simple otherwise. Remove stuff from the plant should only be done for good reasons. Since it is an autoflower, i'd stick to training over topping, but if you only cut off a couple nodes it's not a huge loss to yield. Probably can't notice a difference with the naked eye if done right. As you learn to grow, i'd keep it simple to start. Form a good baseline of simple growing methods so you can more easily recognize the multitude of nonsense bro-science magic out there that will often sound science-y but not have an iot of emprical evidence to support it. cocoforcannabis.com has excellent guides that will keep you from wasting time with magical nonsense. Form proper expectations and do things that interest you after that point. By that time you'll have a greater appreciation for the genetic variety that is possible and not attributable to 200usd fertilizer you can buy for 50usd anywhere else with a different brand slapped on it, lol. you'll see a lot of the over-sophsticated stuff out there is more about onanism. there is a strong urge to believe that what 'one' does is significant and impactful and that their outcomes are magically superior to others because they do useless things, lol. As long as you maintain a healthy plant, 90% of outcomes are about the genetics.. maybe 99%. We are responsible for far less than we give ourselves credit. What we do is better described as not getting in the way of the plant.