Documentation/git-branch.txt

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