| git-branch(1) |
| ============= |
| |
| NAME |
| ---- |
| git-branch - List, create, or delete branches |
| |
| SYNOPSIS |
| -------- |
| [verse] |
| 'git branch' [--color[=<when>] | --no-color] [--show-current] |
| [-v [--abbrev=<n> | --no-abbrev]] |
| [--column[=<options>] | --no-column] [--sort=<key>] |
| [--merged [<commit>]] [--no-merged [<commit>]] |
| [--contains [<commit>]] [--no-contains [<commit>]] |
| [--points-at <object>] [--format=<format>] |
| [(-r | --remotes) | (-a | --all)] |
| [--list] [<pattern>...] |
| 'git branch' [--track | --no-track] [-f] <branchname> [<start-point>] |
| 'git branch' (--set-upstream-to=<upstream> | -u <upstream>) [<branchname>] |
| 'git branch' --unset-upstream [<branchname>] |
| 'git branch' (-m | -M) [<oldbranch>] <newbranch> |
| 'git branch' (-c | -C) [<oldbranch>] <newbranch> |
| 'git branch' (-d | -D) [-r] <branchname>... |
| 'git branch' --edit-description [<branchname>] |
| |
| DESCRIPTION |
| ----------- |
| |
| If `--list` is given, or if there are no non-option arguments, existing |
| branches are listed; the current branch will be highlighted in green and |
| marked with an asterisk. Any branches checked out in linked worktrees will |
| be highlighted in cyan and marked with a plus sign. Option `-r` causes the |
| remote-tracking branches to be listed, |
| and option `-a` shows both local and remote branches. |
| |
| If a `<pattern>` |
| is given, it is used as a shell wildcard to restrict the output to |
| matching branches. If multiple patterns are given, a branch is shown if |
| it matches any of the patterns. |
| |
| Note that when providing a |
| `<pattern>`, you must use `--list`; otherwise the command may be interpreted |
| as branch creation. |
| |
| With `--contains`, shows only the branches that contain the named commit |
| (in other words, the branches whose tip commits are descendants of the |
| named commit), `--no-contains` inverts it. With `--merged`, only branches |
| merged into the named commit (i.e. the branches whose tip commits are |
| reachable from the named commit) will be listed. With `--no-merged` only |
| branches not merged into the named commit will be listed. If the <commit> |
| argument is missing it defaults to `HEAD` (i.e. the tip of the current |
| branch). |
| |
| The command's second form creates a new branch head named <branchname> |
| which points to the current `HEAD`, or <start-point> if given. As a |
| special case, for <start-point>, you may use `"A...B"` as a shortcut for |
| the merge base of `A` and `B` if there is exactly one merge base. You |
| can leave out at most one of `A` and `B`, in which case it defaults to |
| `HEAD`. |
| |
| Note that this will create the new branch, but it will not switch the |
| working tree to it; use "git switch <newbranch>" to switch to the |
| new branch. |
| |
| When a local branch is started off a remote-tracking branch, Git sets up the |
| branch (specifically the `branch.<name>.remote` and `branch.<name>.merge` |
| configuration entries) so that 'git pull' will appropriately merge from |
| the remote-tracking branch. This behavior may be changed via the global |
| `branch.autoSetupMerge` configuration flag. That setting can be |
| overridden by using the `--track` and `--no-track` options, and |
| changed later using `git branch --set-upstream-to`. |
| |
| With a `-m` or `-M` option, <oldbranch> will be renamed to <newbranch>. |
| If <oldbranch> had a corresponding reflog, it is renamed to match |
| <newbranch>, and a reflog entry is created to remember the branch |
| renaming. If <newbranch> exists, -M must be used to force the rename |
| to happen. |
| |
| The `-c` and `-C` options have the exact same semantics as `-m` and |
| `-M`, except instead of the branch being renamed, it will be copied to a |
| new name, along with its config and reflog. |
| |
| With a `-d` or `-D` option, `<branchname>` will be deleted. You may |
| specify more than one branch for deletion. If the branch currently |
| has a reflog then the reflog will also be deleted. |
| |
| Use `-r` together with `-d` to delete remote-tracking branches. Note, that it |
| only makes sense to delete remote-tracking branches if they no longer exist |
| in the remote repository or if 'git fetch' was configured not to fetch |
| them again. See also the 'prune' subcommand of linkgit:git-remote[1] for a |
| way to clean up all obsolete remote-tracking branches. |
| |
| |
| OPTIONS |
| ------- |
| -d:: |
| --delete:: |
| Delete a branch. The branch must be fully merged in its |
| upstream branch, or in `HEAD` if no upstream was set with |
| `--track` or `--set-upstream-to`. |
| |
| -D:: |
| Shortcut for `--delete --force`. |
| |
| --create-reflog:: |
| Create the branch's reflog. This activates recording of |
| all changes made to the branch ref, enabling use of date |
| based sha1 expressions such as "<branchname>@\{yesterday}". |
| Note that in non-bare repositories, reflogs are usually |
| enabled by default by the `core.logAllRefUpdates` config option. |
| The negated form `--no-create-reflog` only overrides an earlier |
| `--create-reflog`, but currently does not negate the setting of |
| `core.logAllRefUpdates`. |
| |
| -f:: |
| --force:: |
| Reset <branchname> to <startpoint>, even if <branchname> exists |
| already. Without `-f`, 'git branch' refuses to change an existing branch. |
| In combination with `-d` (or `--delete`), allow deleting the |
| branch irrespective of its merged status, or whether it even |
| points to a valid commit. In combination with |
| `-m` (or `--move`), allow renaming the branch even if the new |
| branch name already exists, the same applies for `-c` (or `--copy`). |
| |
| -m:: |
| --move:: |
| Move/rename a branch, together with its config and reflog. |
| |
| -M:: |
| Shortcut for `--move --force`. |
| |
| -c:: |
| --copy:: |
| Copy a branch, together with its config and reflog. |
| |
| -C:: |
| Shortcut for `--copy --force`. |
| |
| --color[=<when>]:: |
| Color branches to highlight current, local, and |
| remote-tracking branches. |
| The value must be always (the default), never, or auto. |
| |
| --no-color:: |
| Turn off branch colors, even when the configuration file gives the |
| default to color output. |
| Same as `--color=never`. |
| |
| -i:: |
| --ignore-case:: |
| Sorting and filtering branches are case insensitive. |
| |
| --column[=<options>]:: |
| --no-column:: |
| Display branch listing in columns. See configuration variable |
| `column.branch` for option syntax. `--column` and `--no-column` |
| without options are equivalent to 'always' and 'never' respectively. |
| + |
| This option is only applicable in non-verbose mode. |
| |
| -r:: |
| --remotes:: |
| List or delete (if used with -d) the remote-tracking branches. |
| Combine with `--list` to match the optional pattern(s). |
| |
| -a:: |
| --all:: |
| List both remote-tracking branches and local branches. |
| Combine with `--list` to match optional pattern(s). |
| |
| -l:: |
| --list:: |
| List branches. With optional `<pattern>...`, e.g. `git |
| branch --list 'maint-*'`, list only the branches that match |
| the pattern(s). |
| |
| --show-current:: |
| Print the name of the current branch. In detached HEAD state, |
| nothing is printed. |
| |
| -v:: |
| -vv:: |
| --verbose:: |
| When in list mode, |
| show sha1 and commit subject line for each head, along with |
| relationship to upstream branch (if any). If given twice, print |
| the path of the linked worktree (if any) and the name of the upstream |
| branch, as well (see also `git remote show <remote>`). Note that the |
| current worktree's HEAD will not have its path printed (it will always |
| be your current directory). |
| |
| -q:: |
| --quiet:: |
| Be more quiet when creating or deleting a branch, suppressing |
| non-error messages. |
| |
| --abbrev=<n>:: |
| In the verbose listing that show the commit object name, |
| show the shortest prefix that is at least '<n>' hexdigits |
| long that uniquely refers the object. |
| The default value is 7 and can be overridden by the `core.abbrev` |
| config option. |
| |
| --no-abbrev:: |
| Display the full sha1s in the output listing rather than abbreviating them. |
| |
| -t:: |
| --track:: |
| When creating a new branch, set up `branch.<name>.remote` and |
| `branch.<name>.merge` configuration entries to mark the |
| start-point branch as "upstream" from the new branch. This |
| configuration will tell git to show the relationship between the |
| two branches in `git status` and `git branch -v`. Furthermore, |
| it directs `git pull` without arguments to pull from the |
| upstream when the new branch is checked out. |
| + |
| This behavior is the default when the start point is a remote-tracking branch. |
| Set the branch.autoSetupMerge configuration variable to `false` if you |
| want `git switch`, `git checkout` and `git branch` to always behave as if `--no-track` |
| were given. Set it to `always` if you want this behavior when the |
| start-point is either a local or remote-tracking branch. |
| |
| --no-track:: |
| Do not set up "upstream" configuration, even if the |
| branch.autoSetupMerge configuration variable is true. |
| |
| --set-upstream:: |
| As this option had confusing syntax, it is no longer supported. |
| Please use `--track` or `--set-upstream-to` instead. |
| |
| -u <upstream>:: |
| --set-upstream-to=<upstream>:: |
| Set up <branchname>'s tracking information so <upstream> is |
| considered <branchname>'s upstream branch. If no <branchname> |
| is specified, then it defaults to the current branch. |
| |
| --unset-upstream:: |
| Remove the upstream information for <branchname>. If no branch |
| is specified it defaults to the current branch. |
| |
| --edit-description:: |
| Open an editor and edit the text to explain what the branch is |
| for, to be used by various other commands (e.g. `format-patch`, |
| `request-pull`, and `merge` (if enabled)). Multi-line explanations |
| may be used. |
| |
| --contains [<commit>]:: |
| Only list branches which contain the specified commit (HEAD |
| if not specified). Implies `--list`. |
| |
| --no-contains [<commit>]:: |
| Only list branches which don't contain the specified commit |
| (HEAD if not specified). Implies `--list`. |
| |
| --merged [<commit>]:: |
| Only list branches whose tips are reachable from the |
| specified commit (HEAD if not specified). Implies `--list`. |
| |
| --no-merged [<commit>]:: |
| Only list branches whose tips are not reachable from the |
| specified commit (HEAD if not specified). Implies `--list`. |
| |
| <branchname>:: |
| The name of the branch to create or delete. |
| The new branch name must pass all checks defined by |
| linkgit:git-check-ref-format[1]. Some of these checks |
| may restrict the characters allowed in a branch name. |
| |
| <start-point>:: |
| The new branch head will point to this commit. It may be |
| given as a branch name, a commit-id, or a tag. If this |
| option is omitted, the current HEAD will be used instead. |
| |
| <oldbranch>:: |
| The name of an existing branch to rename. |
| |
| <newbranch>:: |
| The new name for an existing branch. The same restrictions as for |
| <branchname> apply. |
| |
| --sort=<key>:: |
| Sort based on the key given. Prefix `-` to sort in descending |
| order of the value. You may use the --sort=<key> option |
| multiple times, in which case the last key becomes the primary |
| key. The keys supported are the same as those in `git |
| for-each-ref`. Sort order defaults to the value configured for the |
| `branch.sort` variable if exists, or to sorting based on the |
| full refname (including `refs/...` prefix). This lists |
| detached HEAD (if present) first, then local branches and |
| finally remote-tracking branches. See linkgit:git-config[1]. |
| |
| |
| --points-at <object>:: |
| Only list branches of the given object. |
| |
| --format <format>:: |
| A string that interpolates `%(fieldname)` from a branch ref being shown |
| and the object it points at. The format is the same as |
| that of linkgit:git-for-each-ref[1]. |
| |
| CONFIGURATION |
| ------------- |
| `pager.branch` is only respected when listing branches, i.e., when |
| `--list` is used or implied. The default is to use a pager. |
| See linkgit:git-config[1]. |
| |
| EXAMPLES |
| -------- |
| |
| Start development from a known tag:: |
| + |
| ------------ |
| $ git clone git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/.../linux-2.6 my2.6 |
| $ cd my2.6 |
| $ git branch my2.6.14 v2.6.14 <1> |
| $ git switch my2.6.14 |
| ------------ |
| + |
| <1> This step and the next one could be combined into a single step with |
| "checkout -b my2.6.14 v2.6.14". |
| |
| Delete an unneeded branch:: |
| + |
| ------------ |
| $ git clone git://git.kernel.org/.../git.git my.git |
| $ cd my.git |
| $ git branch -d -r origin/todo origin/html origin/man <1> |
| $ git branch -D test <2> |
| ------------ |
| + |
| <1> Delete the remote-tracking branches "todo", "html" and "man". The next |
| 'fetch' or 'pull' will create them again unless you configure them not to. |
| See linkgit:git-fetch[1]. |
| <2> Delete the "test" branch even if the "master" branch (or whichever branch |
| is currently checked out) does not have all commits from the test branch. |
| |
| Listing branches from a specific remote:: |
| + |
| ------------ |
| $ git branch -r -l '<remote>/<pattern>' <1> |
| $ git for-each-ref 'refs/remotes/<remote>/<pattern>' <2> |
| ------------ |
| + |
| <1> Using `-a` would conflate <remote> with any local branches you happen to |
| have been prefixed with the same <remote> pattern. |
| <2> `for-each-ref` can take a wide range of options. See linkgit:git-for-each-ref[1] |
| |
| Patterns will normally need quoting. |
| |
| NOTES |
| ----- |
| |
| If you are creating a branch that you want to switch to immediately, |
| it is easier to use the "git switch" command with its `-c` option to |
| do the same thing with a single command. |
| |
| The options `--contains`, `--no-contains`, `--merged` and `--no-merged` |
| serve four related but different purposes: |
| |
| - `--contains <commit>` is used to find all branches which will need |
| special attention if <commit> were to be rebased or amended, since those |
| branches contain the specified <commit>. |
| |
| - `--no-contains <commit>` is the inverse of that, i.e. branches that don't |
| contain the specified <commit>. |
| |
| - `--merged` is used to find all branches which can be safely deleted, |
| since those branches are fully contained by HEAD. |
| |
| - `--no-merged` is used to find branches which are candidates for merging |
| into HEAD, since those branches are not fully contained by HEAD. |
| |
| include::ref-reachability-filters.txt[] |
| |
| SEE ALSO |
| -------- |
| linkgit:git-check-ref-format[1], |
| linkgit:git-fetch[1], |
| linkgit:git-remote[1], |
| link:user-manual.html#what-is-a-branch[``Understanding history: What is |
| a branch?''] in the Git User's Manual. |
| |
| GIT |
| --- |
| Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite |