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Commit | Line | Data |
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215a7ad1 JH |
1 | git-branch(1) |
2 | ============= | |
7fc9d69f JH |
3 | |
4 | NAME | |
5 | ---- | |
c3f0baac | 6 | git-branch - List, create, or delete branches |
7fc9d69f JH |
7 | |
8 | SYNOPSIS | |
9 | -------- | |
dd181119 | 10 | [verse] |
ecf55ae4 | 11 | 'git branch' [--color[=<when>] | --no-color] [--show-current] |
1fde99cf | 12 | [-v [--abbrev=<length> | --no-abbrev]] |
783b8292 | 13 | [--column[=<options>] | --no-column] [--sort=<key>] |
ac3f5a34 | 14 | [(--merged | --no-merged) [<commit>]] |
783b8292 | 15 | [--contains [<commit]] [--no-contains [<commit>]] |
1fde99cf PO |
16 | [--points-at <object>] [--format=<format>] |
17 | [(-r | --remotes) | (-a | --all)] | |
18 | [--list] [<pattern>...] | |
94a13806 | 19 | 'git branch' [--track | --no-track] [-f] <branchname> [<start-point>] |
6183d826 | 20 | 'git branch' (--set-upstream-to=<upstream> | -u <upstream>) [<branchname>] |
b84869ef | 21 | 'git branch' --unset-upstream [<branchname>] |
b1889c36 | 22 | 'git branch' (-m | -M) [<oldbranch>] <newbranch> |
52d59cc6 | 23 | 'git branch' (-c | -C) [<oldbranch>] <newbranch> |
b1889c36 | 24 | 'git branch' (-d | -D) [-r] <branchname>... |
b7200e83 | 25 | 'git branch' --edit-description [<branchname>] |
7fc9d69f JH |
26 | |
27 | DESCRIPTION | |
28 | ----------- | |
049716b3 | 29 | |
de90ff81 | 30 | If `--list` is given, or if there are no non-option arguments, existing |
ab313814 NB |
31 | branches are listed; the current branch will be highlighted in green and |
32 | marked with an asterisk. Any branches checked out in linked worktrees will | |
33 | be highlighted in cyan and marked with a plus sign. Option `-r` causes the | |
34 | remote-tracking branches to be listed, | |
1fde99cf PO |
35 | and option `-a` shows both local and remote branches. |
36 | ||
37 | If a `<pattern>` | |
de90ff81 JK |
38 | is given, it is used as a shell wildcard to restrict the output to |
39 | matching branches. If multiple patterns are given, a branch is shown if | |
1fde99cf PO |
40 | it matches any of the patterns. |
41 | ||
42 | Note that when providing a | |
43 | `<pattern>`, you must use `--list`; otherwise the command may be interpreted | |
de90ff81 | 44 | as branch creation. |
049716b3 | 45 | |
e5ac1217 DM |
46 | With `--contains`, shows only the branches that contain the named commit |
47 | (in other words, the branches whose tip commits are descendants of the | |
783b8292 ÆAB |
48 | named commit), `--no-contains` inverts it. With `--merged`, only branches |
49 | merged into the named commit (i.e. the branches whose tip commits are | |
50 | reachable from the named commit) will be listed. With `--no-merged` only | |
51 | branches not merged into the named commit will be listed. If the <commit> | |
52 | argument is missing it defaults to `HEAD` (i.e. the tip of the current | |
53 | branch). | |
7fc9d69f | 54 | |
bb35f35e | 55 | The command's second form creates a new branch head named <branchname> |
e3d6539d DL |
56 | which points to the current `HEAD`, or <start-point> if given. As a |
57 | special case, for <start-point>, you may use `"A...B"` as a shortcut for | |
58 | the merge base of `A` and `B` if there is exactly one merge base. You | |
59 | can leave out at most one of `A` and `B`, in which case it defaults to | |
60 | `HEAD`. | |
2eaf273d | 61 | |
46749204 | 62 | Note that this will create the new branch, but it will not switch the |
328c6cb8 | 63 | working tree to it; use "git switch <newbranch>" to switch to the |
46749204 FMQ |
64 | new branch. |
65 | ||
2de9b711 | 66 | When a local branch is started off a remote-tracking branch, Git sets up the |
fef0e991 JH |
67 | branch (specifically the `branch.<name>.remote` and `branch.<name>.merge` |
68 | configuration entries) so that 'git pull' will appropriately merge from | |
29b9a66f | 69 | the remote-tracking branch. This behavior may be changed via the global |
da0005b8 | 70 | `branch.autoSetupMerge` configuration flag. That setting can be |
4eec6f98 | 71 | overridden by using the `--track` and `--no-track` options, and |
6183d826 | 72 | changed later using `git branch --set-upstream-to`. |
0746d19a | 73 | |
3ea2232d | 74 | With a `-m` or `-M` option, <oldbranch> will be renamed to <newbranch>. |
c976d415 LH |
75 | If <oldbranch> had a corresponding reflog, it is renamed to match |
76 | <newbranch>, and a reflog entry is created to remember the branch | |
77 | renaming. If <newbranch> exists, -M must be used to force the rename | |
78 | to happen. | |
79 | ||
52d59cc6 SD |
80 | The `-c` and `-C` options have the exact same semantics as `-m` and |
81 | `-M`, except instead of the branch being renamed it along with its | |
82 | config and reflog will be copied to a new name. | |
83 | ||
2eaf273d | 84 | With a `-d` or `-D` option, `<branchname>` will be deleted. You may |
3a4b3f26 | 85 | specify more than one branch for deletion. If the branch currently |
1e72a40d JH |
86 | has a reflog then the reflog will also be deleted. |
87 | ||
3ea2232d | 88 | Use `-r` together with `-d` to delete remote-tracking branches. Note, that it |
1e72a40d | 89 | only makes sense to delete remote-tracking branches if they no longer exist |
0b444cdb | 90 | in the remote repository or if 'git fetch' was configured not to fetch |
e5ac1217 DM |
91 | them again. See also the 'prune' subcommand of linkgit:git-remote[1] for a |
92 | way to clean up all obsolete remote-tracking branches. | |
dd181119 JL |
93 | |
94 | ||
7fc9d69f JH |
95 | OPTIONS |
96 | ------- | |
d4072c97 | 97 | -d:: |
171edcbb | 98 | --delete:: |
fff0d0ab JN |
99 | Delete a branch. The branch must be fully merged in its |
100 | upstream branch, or in `HEAD` if no upstream was set with | |
a060f3d3 | 101 | `--track` or `--set-upstream-to`. |
d4072c97 AE |
102 | |
103 | -D:: | |
83fe1670 | 104 | Shortcut for `--delete --force`. |
d4072c97 | 105 | |
171edcbb | 106 | --create-reflog:: |
792d2370 JK |
107 | Create the branch's reflog. This activates recording of |
108 | all changes made to the branch ref, enabling use of date | |
967506bb | 109 | based sha1 expressions such as "<branchname>@\{yesterday}". |
4c35f0db | 110 | Note that in non-bare repositories, reflogs are usually |
c3342b36 | 111 | enabled by default by the `core.logAllRefUpdates` config option. |
67c70bd9 CW |
112 | The negated form `--no-create-reflog` only overrides an earlier |
113 | `--create-reflog`, but currently does not negate the setting of | |
c3342b36 | 114 | `core.logAllRefUpdates`. |
3a4b3f26 | 115 | |
075dd8ee | 116 | -f:: |
f7aec129 | 117 | --force:: |
e61cb19a JH |
118 | Reset <branchname> to <startpoint>, even if <branchname> exists |
119 | already. Without `-f`, 'git branch' refuses to change an existing branch. | |
8482d042 MM |
120 | In combination with `-d` (or `--delete`), allow deleting the |
121 | branch irrespective of its merged status. In combination with | |
122 | `-m` (or `--move`), allow renaming the branch even if the new | |
52d59cc6 | 123 | branch name already exists, the same applies for `-c` (or `--copy`). |
2eaf273d | 124 | |
c976d415 | 125 | -m:: |
171edcbb | 126 | --move:: |
c976d415 LH |
127 | Move/rename a branch and the corresponding reflog. |
128 | ||
129 | -M:: | |
83fe1670 | 130 | Shortcut for `--move --force`. |
c976d415 | 131 | |
52d59cc6 SD |
132 | -c:: |
133 | --copy:: | |
134 | Copy a branch and the corresponding reflog. | |
135 | ||
136 | -C:: | |
137 | Shortcut for `--copy --force`. | |
138 | ||
73e9da01 | 139 | --color[=<when>]:: |
29b9a66f MM |
140 | Color branches to highlight current, local, and |
141 | remote-tracking branches. | |
73e9da01 | 142 | The value must be always (the default), never, or auto. |
f3673988 BG |
143 | |
144 | --no-color:: | |
145 | Turn off branch colors, even when the configuration file gives the | |
146 | default to color output. | |
73e9da01 | 147 | Same as `--color=never`. |
f3673988 | 148 | |
3bb16a8b NTND |
149 | -i:: |
150 | --ignore-case:: | |
151 | Sorting and filtering branches are case insensitive. | |
152 | ||
ebe31ef2 NTND |
153 | --column[=<options>]:: |
154 | --no-column:: | |
155 | Display branch listing in columns. See configuration variable | |
156 | column.branch for option syntax.`--column` and `--no-column` | |
157 | without options are equivalent to 'always' and 'never' respectively. | |
158 | + | |
159 | This option is only applicable in non-verbose mode. | |
160 | ||
2eaf273d | 161 | -r:: |
171edcbb | 162 | --remotes:: |
7dda22e3 | 163 | List or delete (if used with -d) the remote-tracking branches. |
1fde99cf | 164 | Combine with `--list` to match the optional pattern(s). |
bfcc9214 AP |
165 | |
166 | -a:: | |
171edcbb | 167 | --all:: |
bfcc9214 | 168 | List both remote-tracking branches and local branches. |
1fde99cf | 169 | Combine with `--list` to match optional pattern(s). |
075dd8ee | 170 | |
a15d5981 | 171 | -l:: |
cddd127b | 172 | --list:: |
75ec4a6c JH |
173 | List branches. With optional `<pattern>...`, e.g. `git |
174 | branch --list 'maint-*'`, list only the branches that match | |
175 | the pattern(s). | |
cddd127b | 176 | |
0ecb1fc7 DU |
177 | --show-current:: |
178 | Print the name of the current branch. In detached HEAD state, | |
179 | nothing is printed. | |
180 | ||
3240240f | 181 | -v:: |
f0970faa | 182 | -vv:: |
3240240f | 183 | --verbose:: |
7b787599 MG |
184 | When in list mode, |
185 | show sha1 and commit subject line for each head, along with | |
2d8a7f0b | 186 | relationship to upstream branch (if any). If given twice, print |
6e938146 NB |
187 | the path of the linked worktree (if any) and the name of the upstream |
188 | branch, as well (see also `git remote show <remote>`). Note that the | |
189 | current worktree's HEAD will not have its path printed (it will always | |
190 | be your current directory). | |
75e6e213 | 191 | |
d65ddf19 JK |
192 | -q:: |
193 | --quiet:: | |
194 | Be more quiet when creating or deleting a branch, suppressing | |
195 | non-error messages. | |
196 | ||
75e6e213 | 197 | --abbrev=<length>:: |
e5ac1217 | 198 | Alter the sha1's minimum display length in the output listing. |
b792c067 NK |
199 | The default value is 7 and can be overridden by the `core.abbrev` |
200 | config option. | |
75e6e213 | 201 | |
5e00f6fa | 202 | --no-abbrev:: |
e5ac1217 | 203 | Display the full sha1s in the output listing rather than abbreviating them. |
5e00f6fa | 204 | |
be427d75 | 205 | -t:: |
84d176ce | 206 | --track:: |
fef0e991 JH |
207 | When creating a new branch, set up `branch.<name>.remote` and |
208 | `branch.<name>.merge` configuration entries to mark the | |
167d7445 JK |
209 | start-point branch as "upstream" from the new branch. This |
210 | configuration will tell git to show the relationship between the | |
211 | two branches in `git status` and `git branch -v`. Furthermore, | |
212 | it directs `git pull` without arguments to pull from the | |
213 | upstream when the new branch is checked out. | |
214 | + | |
29b9a66f | 215 | This behavior is the default when the start point is a remote-tracking branch. |
da0005b8 | 216 | Set the branch.autoSetupMerge configuration variable to `false` if you |
328c6cb8 | 217 | want `git switch`, `git checkout` and `git branch` to always behave as if `--no-track` |
167d7445 | 218 | were given. Set it to `always` if you want this behavior when the |
29b9a66f | 219 | start-point is either a local or remote-tracking branch. |
84d176ce FMQ |
220 | |
221 | --no-track:: | |
167d7445 | 222 | Do not set up "upstream" configuration, even if the |
da0005b8 | 223 | branch.autoSetupMerge configuration variable is true. |
84d176ce | 224 | |
4fc50066 | 225 | --set-upstream:: |
52668846 KS |
226 | As this option had confusing syntax, it is no longer supported. |
227 | Please use `--track` or `--set-upstream-to` instead. | |
4fc50066 | 228 | |
6183d826 CMN |
229 | -u <upstream>:: |
230 | --set-upstream-to=<upstream>:: | |
231 | Set up <branchname>'s tracking information so <upstream> is | |
232 | considered <branchname>'s upstream branch. If no <branchname> | |
233 | is specified, then it defaults to the current branch. | |
234 | ||
b84869ef CMN |
235 | --unset-upstream:: |
236 | Remove the upstream information for <branchname>. If no branch | |
237 | is specified it defaults to the current branch. | |
238 | ||
b7200e83 JH |
239 | --edit-description:: |
240 | Open an editor and edit the text to explain what the branch is | |
561d2b79 PO |
241 | for, to be used by various other commands (e.g. `format-patch`, |
242 | `request-pull`, and `merge` (if enabled)). Multi-line explanations | |
243 | may be used. | |
b7200e83 | 244 | |
f36ed6db VR |
245 | --contains [<commit>]:: |
246 | Only list branches which contain the specified commit (HEAD | |
d0403508 | 247 | if not specified). Implies `--list`. |
9a7ea2b1 | 248 | |
ac3f5a34 ÆAB |
249 | --no-contains [<commit>]:: |
250 | Only list branches which don't contain the specified commit | |
251 | (HEAD if not specified). Implies `--list`. | |
252 | ||
58d2c961 JN |
253 | --merged [<commit>]:: |
254 | Only list branches whose tips are reachable from the | |
17d6c744 ÆAB |
255 | specified commit (HEAD if not specified). Implies `--list`, |
256 | incompatible with `--no-merged`. | |
9a7ea2b1 | 257 | |
58d2c961 JN |
258 | --no-merged [<commit>]:: |
259 | Only list branches whose tips are not reachable from the | |
17d6c744 ÆAB |
260 | specified commit (HEAD if not specified). Implies `--list`, |
261 | incompatible with `--merged`. | |
9a7ea2b1 | 262 | |
52a22d1e | 263 | <branchname>:: |
d4072c97 | 264 | The name of the branch to create or delete. |
2b1f4247 | 265 | The new branch name must pass all checks defined by |
5162e697 | 266 | linkgit:git-check-ref-format[1]. Some of these checks |
2b1f4247 | 267 | may restrict the characters allowed in a branch name. |
7fc9d69f | 268 | |
075dd8ee | 269 | <start-point>:: |
bb35f35e JN |
270 | The new branch head will point to this commit. It may be |
271 | given as a branch name, a commit-id, or a tag. If this | |
272 | option is omitted, the current HEAD will be used instead. | |
2eaf273d | 273 | |
c976d415 LH |
274 | <oldbranch>:: |
275 | The name of an existing branch to rename. | |
276 | ||
277 | <newbranch>:: | |
278 | The new name for an existing branch. The same restrictions as for | |
e5ac1217 | 279 | <branchname> apply. |
7fc9d69f | 280 | |
aedcb7dc KN |
281 | --sort=<key>:: |
282 | Sort based on the key given. Prefix `-` to sort in descending | |
283 | order of the value. You may use the --sort=<key> option | |
284 | multiple times, in which case the last key becomes the primary | |
285 | key. The keys supported are the same as those in `git | |
560ae1c1 SM |
286 | for-each-ref`. Sort order defaults to the value configured for the |
287 | `branch.sort` variable if exists, or to sorting based on the | |
aedcb7dc KN |
288 | full refname (including `refs/...` prefix). This lists |
289 | detached HEAD (if present) first, then local branches and | |
560ae1c1 | 290 | finally remote-tracking branches. See linkgit:git-config[1]. |
aedcb7dc | 291 | |
1e2ccd3a | 292 | |
aa3bc55e KN |
293 | --points-at <object>:: |
294 | Only list branches of the given object. | |
1e2ccd3a | 295 | |
3d9e4ce3 | 296 | --format <format>:: |
e4933cee MG |
297 | A string that interpolates `%(fieldname)` from a branch ref being shown |
298 | and the object it points at. The format is the same as | |
3d9e4ce3 KN |
299 | that of linkgit:git-for-each-ref[1]. |
300 | ||
d74b541e MÅ |
301 | CONFIGURATION |
302 | ------------- | |
303 | `pager.branch` is only respected when listing branches, i.e., when | |
0ae19de7 | 304 | `--list` is used or implied. The default is to use a pager. |
d74b541e MÅ |
305 | See linkgit:git-config[1]. |
306 | ||
76a8788c | 307 | EXAMPLES |
2eaf273d | 308 | -------- |
1e2ccd3a | 309 | |
e5ac1217 | 310 | Start development from a known tag:: |
1e2ccd3a JH |
311 | + |
312 | ------------ | |
313 | $ git clone git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/.../linux-2.6 my2.6 | |
314 | $ cd my2.6 | |
2eaf273d | 315 | $ git branch my2.6.14 v2.6.14 <1> |
328c6cb8 | 316 | $ git switch my2.6.14 |
1e2ccd3a | 317 | ------------ |
2eaf273d SE |
318 | + |
319 | <1> This step and the next one could be combined into a single step with | |
ba170517 | 320 | "checkout -b my2.6.14 v2.6.14". |
1e2ccd3a | 321 | |
e5ac1217 | 322 | Delete an unneeded branch:: |
1e2ccd3a JH |
323 | + |
324 | ------------ | |
325 | $ git clone git://git.kernel.org/.../git.git my.git | |
326 | $ cd my.git | |
33b1f3d5 FM |
327 | $ git branch -d -r origin/todo origin/html origin/man <1> |
328 | $ git branch -D test <2> | |
2eaf273d SE |
329 | ------------ |
330 | + | |
e5ac1217 | 331 | <1> Delete the remote-tracking branches "todo", "html" and "man". The next |
ba170517 JNA |
332 | 'fetch' or 'pull' will create them again unless you configure them not to. |
333 | See linkgit:git-fetch[1]. | |
e5ac1217 | 334 | <2> Delete the "test" branch even if the "master" branch (or whichever branch |
ba170517 | 335 | is currently checked out) does not have all commits from the test branch. |
2eaf273d | 336 | |
1fde99cf PO |
337 | Listing branches from a specific remote:: |
338 | + | |
339 | ------------ | |
340 | $ git branch -r -l '<remote>/<pattern>' <1> | |
341 | $ git for-each-ref 'refs/remotes/<remote>/<pattern>' <2> | |
342 | ------------ | |
343 | + | |
344 | <1> Using `-a` would conflate <remote> with any local branches you happen to | |
345 | have been prefixed with the same <remote> pattern. | |
346 | <2> `for-each-ref` can take a wide range of options. See linkgit:git-for-each-ref[1] | |
347 | ||
348 | Patterns will normally need quoting. | |
2eaf273d | 349 | |
76a8788c | 350 | NOTES |
2eaf273d SE |
351 | ----- |
352 | ||
328c6cb8 NTND |
353 | If you are creating a branch that you want to switch to immediately, |
354 | it is easier to use the "git switch" command with its `-c` option to | |
355 | do the same thing with a single command. | |
2eaf273d | 356 | |
ac3f5a34 ÆAB |
357 | The options `--contains`, `--no-contains`, `--merged` and `--no-merged` |
358 | serve four related but different purposes: | |
9a7ea2b1 LH |
359 | |
360 | - `--contains <commit>` is used to find all branches which will need | |
361 | special attention if <commit> were to be rebased or amended, since those | |
362 | branches contain the specified <commit>. | |
363 | ||
ac3f5a34 ÆAB |
364 | - `--no-contains <commit>` is the inverse of that, i.e. branches that don't |
365 | contain the specified <commit>. | |
366 | ||
9a7ea2b1 LH |
367 | - `--merged` is used to find all branches which can be safely deleted, |
368 | since those branches are fully contained by HEAD. | |
369 | ||
370 | - `--no-merged` is used to find branches which are candidates for merging | |
371 | into HEAD, since those branches are not fully contained by HEAD. | |
1e2ccd3a | 372 | |
b85e6c5f NS |
373 | SEE ALSO |
374 | -------- | |
375 | linkgit:git-check-ref-format[1], | |
376 | linkgit:git-fetch[1], | |
bb35f35e JN |
377 | linkgit:git-remote[1], |
378 | link:user-manual.html#what-is-a-branch[``Understanding history: What is | |
379 | a branch?''] in the Git User's Manual. | |
b85e6c5f | 380 | |
7fc9d69f JH |
381 | GIT |
382 | --- | |
9e1f0a85 | 383 | Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite |