git-branch(1) ============= NAME ---- git-branch - List, create, or delete branches SYNOPSIS -------- [verse] 'git branch' [--color[=<when>] | --no-color] [-r | -a] [-v [--abbrev=<length> | --no-abbrev]] [(--merged | --no-merged | --contains) [<commit>]] 'git branch' [--set-upstream | --track | --no-track] [-l] [-f] <branchname> [<start-point>] 'git branch' (-m | -M) [<oldbranch>] <newbranch> 'git branch' (-d | -D) [-r] <branchname>... DESCRIPTION ----------- With no arguments, existing branches are listed and the current branch will be highlighted with an asterisk. Option `-r` causes the remote-tracking branches to be listed, and option `-a` shows both. 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). 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. Note that this will create the new branch, but it will not switch the working tree to it; use "git checkout <newbranch>" to switch to the new branch. When a local branch is started off a remote-tracking branch, git sets up the branch 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`. 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. 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 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`. -D:: Delete a branch irrespective of its merged status. -l:: 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. -f:: --force:: Reset <branchname> to <startpoint> if <branchname> exists already. Without `-f` 'git branch' refuses to change an existing branch. -m:: Move/rename a branch and the corresponding reflog. -M:: Move/rename a branch even if the new branch name already exists. --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`. -r:: List or delete (if used with -d) the remote-tracking branches. -a:: List both remote-tracking branches and local branches. -v:: --verbose:: Show sha1 and commit subject line for each head, along with relationship to upstream branch (if any). If given twice, print the name of the upstream branch, as well. --abbrev=<length>:: Alter the sha1's minimum display length in the output listing. The default value is 7. --no-abbrev:: Display the full sha1s in the output listing rather than abbreviating them. -t:: --track:: When creating a new branch, set up configuration 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 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:: If specified branch does not exist yet or if '--force' has been given, acts exactly like '--track'. Otherwise sets up configuration like '--track' would when creating the branch, except that where branch points to is not changed. --contains <commit>:: Only list branches which contain the specified commit. --merged [<commit>]:: Only list branches whose tips are reachable from the specified commit (HEAD if not specified). --no-merged [<commit>]:: Only list branches whose tips are not reachable from the specified commit (HEAD if not specified). <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. 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 checkout 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. Notes ----- If you are creating a branch that you want to checkout immediately, it is easier to use the git checkout command with its `-b` option to create a branch and check it out with a single command. The options `--contains`, `--merged` and `--no-merged` serve three 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>. - `--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. 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. Author ------ Written by Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org> and Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> Documentation -------------- Documentation by Junio C Hamano and the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>. GIT --- Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite