1GIT-BRANCH(1) Git Manual GIT-BRANCH(1)
2
6 git-branch - List, create, or delete branches
7
9 git branch [--color[=<when>] | --no-color] [--show-current]
10 [-v [--abbrev=<n> | --no-abbrev]]
11 [--column[=<options>] | --no-column] [--sort=<key>]
12 [--merged [<commit>]] [--no-merged [<commit>]]
13 [--contains [<commit>]] [--no-contains [<commit>]]
14 [--points-at <object>] [--format=<format>]
15 [(-r | --remotes) | (-a | --all)]
16 [--list] [<pattern>...]
17 git branch [--track[=(direct|inherit)] | --no-track] [-f]
18 [--recurse-submodules] <branchname> [<start-point>]
19 git branch (--set-upstream-to=<upstream> | -u <upstream>) [<branchname>]
20 git branch --unset-upstream [<branchname>]
21 git branch (-m | -M) [<oldbranch>] <newbranch>
22 git branch (-c | -C) [<oldbranch>] <newbranch>
23 git branch (-d | -D) [-r] <branchname>...
24 git branch --edit-description [<branchname>]
25
27 If --list is given, or if there are no non-option arguments, existing
28 branches are listed; the current branch will be highlighted in green
29 and marked with an asterisk. Any branches checked out in linked
30 worktrees will be highlighted in cyan and marked with a plus sign.
31 Option -r causes the remote-tracking branches to be listed, and option
32 -a shows both local and remote branches.
33 If a <pattern> is given, it is used as a shell wildcard to restrict the
35 output to matching branches. If multiple patterns are given, a branch
36 is shown if it matches any of the patterns.
37 Note that when providing a <pattern>, you must use --list; otherwise
39 the command may be interpreted as branch creation.
40 With --contains, shows only the branches that contain the named commit
42 (in other words, the branches whose tip commits are descendants of the
43 named commit), --no-contains inverts it. With --merged, only branches
44 merged into the named commit (i.e. the branches whose tip commits are
45 reachable from the named commit) will be listed. With --no-merged only
46 branches not merged into the named commit will be listed. If the
47 <commit> argument is missing it defaults to HEAD (i.e. the tip of the
48 current branch).
49 The command’s second form creates a new branch head named <branchname>
51 which points to the current HEAD, or <start-point> if given. As a
52 special case, for <start-point>, you may use "A...B" as a shortcut for
53 the merge base of A and B if there is exactly one merge base. You can
54 leave out at most one of A and B, in which case it defaults to HEAD.
55 Note that this will create the new branch, but it will not switch the
57 working tree to it; use "git switch <newbranch>" to switch to the new
58 branch.
59 When a local branch is started off a remote-tracking branch, Git sets
61 up the branch (specifically the branch.<name>.remote and
62 branch.<name>.merge configuration entries) so that git pull will
63 appropriately merge from the remote-tracking branch. This behavior may
64 be changed via the global branch.autoSetupMerge configuration flag.
65 That setting can be overridden by using the --track and --no-track
66 options, and changed later using git branch --set-upstream-to.
67 With a -m or -M option, <oldbranch> will be renamed to <newbranch>. If
69 <oldbranch> had a corresponding reflog, it is renamed to match
70 <newbranch>, and a reflog entry is created to remember the branch
71 renaming. If <newbranch> exists, -M must be used to force the rename to
72 happen.
73 The -c and -C options have the exact same semantics as -m and -M,
75 except instead of the branch being renamed, it will be copied to a new
76 name, along with its config and reflog.
77 With a -d or -D option, <branchname> will be deleted. You may specify
79 more than one branch for deletion. If the branch currently has a reflog
80 then the reflog will also be deleted.
81 Use -r together with -d to delete remote-tracking branches. Note, that
83 it only makes sense to delete remote-tracking branches if they no
84 longer exist in the remote repository or if git fetch was configured
85 not to fetch them again. See also the prune subcommand of git-remote(1)
86 for a way to clean up all obsolete remote-tracking branches.
87
89 -d, --delete
90 Delete a branch. The branch must be fully merged in its upstream
91 branch, or in HEAD if no upstream was set with --track or
92 --set-upstream-to.
93 -D
95 Shortcut for --delete --force.
96 --create-reflog
98 Create the branch’s reflog. This activates recording of all changes
99 made to the branch ref, enabling use of date based sha1 expressions
100 such as "<branchname>@{yesterday}". Note that in non-bare
101 repositories, reflogs are usually enabled by default by the
102 core.logAllRefUpdates config option. The negated form
103 --no-create-reflog only overrides an earlier --create-reflog, but
104 currently does not negate the setting of core.logAllRefUpdates.
105 -f, --force
107 Reset <branchname> to <startpoint>, even if <branchname> exists
108 already. Without -f, git branch refuses to change an existing
109 branch. In combination with -d (or --delete), allow deleting the
110 branch irrespective of its merged status, or whether it even points
111 to a valid commit. In combination with -m (or --move), allow
112 renaming the branch even if the new branch name already exists, the
113 same applies for -c (or --copy).
114 -m, --move
116 Move/rename a branch, together with its config and reflog.
117 -M
119 Shortcut for --move --force.
120 -c, --copy
122 Copy a branch, together with its config and reflog.
123 -C
125 Shortcut for --copy --force.
126 --color[=<when>]
128 Color branches to highlight current, local, and remote-tracking
129 branches. The value must be always (the default), never, or auto.
130 --no-color
132 Turn off branch colors, even when the configuration file gives the
133 default to color output. Same as --color=never.
134 -i, --ignore-case
136 Sorting and filtering branches are case insensitive.
137 --column[=<options>], --no-column
139 Display branch listing in columns. See configuration variable
140 column.branch for option syntax. --column and --no-column without
141 options are equivalent to always and never respectively.
142 This option is only applicable in non-verbose mode.
144 -r, --remotes
146 List or delete (if used with -d) the remote-tracking branches.
147 Combine with --list to match the optional pattern(s).
148 -a, --all
150 List both remote-tracking branches and local branches. Combine with
151 --list to match optional pattern(s).
152 -l, --list
154 List branches. With optional <pattern>..., e.g. git branch --list
155 'maint-*', list only the branches that match the pattern(s).
156 --show-current
158 Print the name of the current branch. In detached HEAD state,
159 nothing is printed.
160 -v, -vv, --verbose
162 When in list mode, show sha1 and commit subject line for each head,
163 along with relationship to upstream branch (if any). If given
164 twice, print the path of the linked worktree (if any) and the name
165 of the upstream branch, as well (see also git remote show
166 <remote>). Note that the current worktree’s HEAD will not have its
167 path printed (it will always be your current directory).
168 -q, --quiet
170 Be more quiet when creating or deleting a branch, suppressing
171 non-error messages.
172 --abbrev=<n>
174 In the verbose listing that show the commit object name, show the
175 shortest prefix that is at least <n> hexdigits long that uniquely
176 refers the object. The default value is 7 and can be overridden by
177 the core.abbrev config option.
178 --no-abbrev
180 Display the full sha1s in the output listing rather than
181 abbreviating them.
182 -t, --track[=(direct|inherit)]
184 When creating a new branch, set up branch.<name>.remote and
185 branch.<name>.merge configuration entries to set "upstream"
186 tracking configuration for the new branch. This configuration will
187 tell git to show the relationship between the two branches in git
188 status and git branch -v. Furthermore, it directs git pull without
189 arguments to pull from the upstream when the new branch is checked
190 out.
191 The exact upstream branch is chosen depending on the optional
193 argument: -t, --track, or --track=direct means to use the
194 start-point branch itself as the upstream; --track=inherit means to
195 copy the upstream configuration of the start-point branch.
196 --track=direct is the default when the start point is a
198 remote-tracking branch. Set the branch.autoSetupMerge configuration
199 variable to false if you want git switch, git checkout and git
200 branch to always behave as if --no-track were given. Set it to
201 always if you want this behavior when the start-point is either a
202 local or remote-tracking branch. Set it to inherit if you want to
203 copy the tracking configuration from the branch point.
204 See git-pull(1) and git-config(1) for additional discussion on how
206 the branch.<name>.remote and branch.<name>.merge options are used.
207 --no-track
209 Do not set up "upstream" configuration, even if the
210 branch.autoSetupMerge configuration variable is set.
211 --recurse-submodules
213 THIS OPTION IS EXPERIMENTAL! Causes the current command to recurse
214 into submodules if submodule.propagateBranches is enabled. See
215 submodule.propagateBranches in git-config(1). Currently, only
216 branch creation is supported.
217 When used in branch creation, a new branch <branchname> will be
219 created in the superproject and all of the submodules in the
220 superproject’s <start-point>. In submodules, the branch will point
221 to the submodule commit in the superproject’s <start-point> but the
222 branch’s tracking information will be set up based on the
223 submodule’s branches and remotes e.g. git branch
224 --recurse-submodules topic origin/main will create the submodule
225 branch "topic" that points to the submodule commit in the
226 superproject’s "origin/main", but tracks the submodule’s
227 "origin/main".
228 --set-upstream
230 As this option had confusing syntax, it is no longer supported.
231 Please use --track or --set-upstream-to instead.
232 -u <upstream>, --set-upstream-to=<upstream>
234 Set up <branchname>'s tracking information so <upstream> is
235 considered <branchname>'s upstream branch. If no <branchname> is
236 specified, then it defaults to the current branch.
237 --unset-upstream
239 Remove the upstream information for <branchname>. If no branch is
240 specified it defaults to the current branch.
241 --edit-description
243 Open an editor and edit the text to explain what the branch is for,
244 to be used by various other commands (e.g. format-patch,
245 request-pull, and merge (if enabled)). Multi-line explanations may
246 be used.
247 --contains [<commit>]
249 Only list branches which contain the specified commit (HEAD if not
250 specified). Implies --list.
251 --no-contains [<commit>]
253 Only list branches which don’t contain the specified commit (HEAD
254 if not specified). Implies --list.
255 --merged [<commit>]
257 Only list branches whose tips are reachable from the specified
258 commit (HEAD if not specified). Implies --list.
259 --no-merged [<commit>]
261 Only list branches whose tips are not reachable from the specified
262 commit (HEAD if not specified). Implies --list.
263 <branchname>
265 The name of the branch to create or delete. The new branch name
266 must pass all checks defined by git-check-ref-format(1). Some of
267 these checks may restrict the characters allowed in a branch name.
268 <start-point>
270 The new branch head will point to this commit. It may be given as a
271 branch name, a commit-id, or a tag. If this option is omitted, the
272 current HEAD will be used instead.
273 <oldbranch>
275 The name of an existing branch to rename.
276 <newbranch>
278 The new name for an existing branch. The same restrictions as for
279 <branchname> apply.
280 --sort=<key>
282 Sort based on the key given. Prefix - to sort in descending order
283 of the value. You may use the --sort=<key> option multiple times,
284 in which case the last key becomes the primary key. The keys
285 supported are the same as those in git for-each-ref. Sort order
286 defaults to the value configured for the branch.sort variable if
287 exists, or to sorting based on the full refname (including refs/...
288 prefix). This lists detached HEAD (if present) first, then local
289 branches and finally remote-tracking branches. See git-config(1).
290 --points-at <object>
292 Only list branches of the given object.
293 --format <format>
295 A string that interpolates %(fieldname) from a branch ref being
296 shown and the object it points at. The format is the same as that
297 of git-for-each-ref(1).
298
300 pager.branch is only respected when listing branches, i.e., when --list
301 is used or implied. The default is to use a pager. See git-config(1).
302
304 Start development from a known tag
305 $ git clone git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/.../linux-2.6 my2.6
307 $ cd my2.6
308 $ git branch my2.6.14 v2.6.14 [1m(1)
309 $ git switch my2.6.14
310 1. This step and the next one could be combined into a single
312 step with "checkout -b my2.6.14 v2.6.14".
313 Delete an unneeded branch
315 $ git clone git://git.kernel.org/.../git.git my.git
317 $ cd my.git
318 $ git branch -d -r origin/todo origin/html origin/man [1m(1)
319 $ git branch -D test [1m(2)
320 1. Delete the remote-tracking branches "todo", "html" and
322 "man". The next fetch or pull will create them again
323 unless you configure them not to. See git-fetch(1).
324 2. Delete the "test" branch even if the "master" branch (or
325 whichever branch is currently checked out) does not have
326 all commits from the test branch.
327 Listing branches from a specific remote
329 $ git branch -r -l '<remote>/<pattern>' [1m(1)
331 $ git for-each-ref 'refs/remotes/<remote>/<pattern>' [1m(2)
332 1. Using -a would conflate <remote> with any local branches
334 you happen to have been prefixed with the same <remote>
335 pattern.
336 2. for-each-ref can take a wide range of options. See git-
337 for-each-ref(1)
338 Patterns will normally need quoting.
340
342 If you are creating a branch that you want to switch to immediately, it
343 is easier to use the "git switch" command with its -c option to do the
344 same thing with a single command.
345 The options --contains, --no-contains, --merged and --no-merged serve
347 four related but different purposes:
348 • --contains <commit> is used to find all branches which will need
350 special attention if <commit> were to be rebased or amended, since
351 those branches contain the specified <commit>.
352 • --no-contains <commit> is the inverse of that, i.e. branches that
354 don’t contain the specified <commit>.
355 • --merged is used to find all branches which can be safely deleted,
357 since those branches are fully contained by HEAD.
358 • --no-merged is used to find branches which are candidates for
360 merging into HEAD, since those branches are not fully contained by
361 HEAD.
362 When combining multiple --contains and --no-contains filters, only
364 references that contain at least one of the --contains commits and
365 contain none of the --no-contains commits are shown.
366 When combining multiple --merged and --no-merged filters, only
368 references that are reachable from at least one of the --merged commits
369 and from none of the --no-merged commits are shown.
370
372 git-check-ref-format(1), git-fetch(1), git-remote(1), “Understanding
373 history: What is a branch?”[1] in the Git User’s Manual.
374
376 Part of the git(1) suite
377
379 1. “Understanding history: What is a branch?”
380 file:///usr/share/doc/git/user-manual.html#what-is-a-branch
381Git 2.36.1 2022-05-05 GIT-BRANCH(1)