6 git-branch - List, create, or delete branches
11 'git branch' [--color[=<when>] | --no-color] [-r | -a]
12 [--list] [-v [--abbrev=<length> | --no-abbrev]]
13 [--column[=<options>] | --no-column]
14 [(--merged | --no-merged) [<commit>]]
15 [--contains [<commit]] [--no-contains [<commit>]] [--sort=<key>]
16 [--points-at <object>] [--format=<format>] [<pattern>...]
17 'git branch' [--set-upstream | --track | --no-track] [-l] [-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' (-d | -D) [-r] <branchname>...
22 'git branch' --edit-description [<branchname>]
27 If `--list` is given, or if there are no non-option arguments, existing
28 branches are listed; the current branch will be highlighted with an
29 asterisk. Option `-r` causes the remote-tracking branches to be listed,
30 and option `-a` shows both local and remote branches. If a `<pattern>`
31 is given, it is used as a shell wildcard to restrict the output to
32 matching branches. If multiple patterns are given, a branch is shown if
33 it matches any of the patterns. Note that when providing a
34 `<pattern>`, you must use `--list`; otherwise the command is interpreted
37 With `--contains`, shows only the branches that contain the named commit
38 (in other words, the branches whose tip commits are descendants of the
39 named commit), `--no-contains` inverts it. With `--merged`, only branches merged into the named
40 commit (i.e. the branches whose tip commits are reachable from the named
41 commit) will be listed. With `--no-merged` only branches not merged into
42 the named commit will be listed. If the <commit> argument is missing it
43 defaults to `HEAD` (i.e. the tip of the current branch).
45 The command's second form creates a new branch head named <branchname>
46 which points to the current `HEAD`, or <start-point> if given.
48 Note that this will create the new branch, but it will not switch the
49 working tree to it; use "git checkout <newbranch>" to switch to the
52 When a local branch is started off a remote-tracking branch, Git sets up the
53 branch (specifically the `branch.<name>.remote` and `branch.<name>.merge`
54 configuration entries) so that 'git pull' will appropriately merge from
55 the remote-tracking branch. This behavior may be changed via the global
56 `branch.autoSetupMerge` configuration flag. That setting can be
57 overridden by using the `--track` and `--no-track` options, and
58 changed later using `git branch --set-upstream-to`.
60 With a `-m` or `-M` option, <oldbranch> will be renamed to <newbranch>.
61 If <oldbranch> had a corresponding reflog, it is renamed to match
62 <newbranch>, and a reflog entry is created to remember the branch
63 renaming. If <newbranch> exists, -M must be used to force the rename
66 With a `-d` or `-D` option, `<branchname>` will be deleted. You may
67 specify more than one branch for deletion. If the branch currently
68 has a reflog then the reflog will also be deleted.
70 Use `-r` together with `-d` to delete remote-tracking branches. Note, that it
71 only makes sense to delete remote-tracking branches if they no longer exist
72 in the remote repository or if 'git fetch' was configured not to fetch
73 them again. See also the 'prune' subcommand of linkgit:git-remote[1] for a
74 way to clean up all obsolete remote-tracking branches.
81 Delete a branch. The branch must be fully merged in its
82 upstream branch, or in `HEAD` if no upstream was set with
83 `--track` or `--set-upstream`.
86 Shortcut for `--delete --force`.
90 Create the branch's reflog. This activates recording of
91 all changes made to the branch ref, enabling use of date
92 based sha1 expressions such as "<branchname>@\{yesterday}".
93 Note that in non-bare repositories, reflogs are usually
94 enabled by default by the `core.logallrefupdates` config option.
95 The negated form `--no-create-reflog` only overrides an earlier
96 `--create-reflog`, but currently does not negate the setting of
97 `core.logallrefupdates`.
101 Reset <branchname> to <startpoint> if <branchname> exists
102 already. Without `-f` 'git branch' refuses to change an existing branch.
103 In combination with `-d` (or `--delete`), allow deleting the
104 branch irrespective of its merged status. In combination with
105 `-m` (or `--move`), allow renaming the branch even if the new
106 branch name already exists.
110 Move/rename a branch and the corresponding reflog.
113 Shortcut for `--move --force`.
116 Color branches to highlight current, local, and
117 remote-tracking branches.
118 The value must be always (the default), never, or auto.
121 Turn off branch colors, even when the configuration file gives the
122 default to color output.
123 Same as `--color=never`.
127 Sorting and filtering branches are case insensitive.
129 --column[=<options>]::
131 Display branch listing in columns. See configuration variable
132 column.branch for option syntax.`--column` and `--no-column`
133 without options are equivalent to 'always' and 'never' respectively.
135 This option is only applicable in non-verbose mode.
139 List or delete (if used with -d) the remote-tracking branches.
143 List both remote-tracking branches and local branches.
146 Activate the list mode. `git branch <pattern>` would try to create a branch,
147 use `git branch --list <pattern>` to list matching branches.
153 show sha1 and commit subject line for each head, along with
154 relationship to upstream branch (if any). If given twice, print
155 the name of the upstream branch, as well (see also `git remote
160 Be more quiet when creating or deleting a branch, suppressing
164 Alter the sha1's minimum display length in the output listing.
165 The default value is 7 and can be overridden by the `core.abbrev`
169 Display the full sha1s in the output listing rather than abbreviating them.
173 When creating a new branch, set up `branch.<name>.remote` and
174 `branch.<name>.merge` configuration entries to mark the
175 start-point branch as "upstream" from the new branch. This
176 configuration will tell git to show the relationship between the
177 two branches in `git status` and `git branch -v`. Furthermore,
178 it directs `git pull` without arguments to pull from the
179 upstream when the new branch is checked out.
181 This behavior is the default when the start point is a remote-tracking branch.
182 Set the branch.autoSetupMerge configuration variable to `false` if you
183 want `git checkout` and `git branch` to always behave as if `--no-track`
184 were given. Set it to `always` if you want this behavior when the
185 start-point is either a local or remote-tracking branch.
188 Do not set up "upstream" configuration, even if the
189 branch.autoSetupMerge configuration variable is true.
192 If specified branch does not exist yet or if `--force` has been
193 given, acts exactly like `--track`. Otherwise sets up configuration
194 like `--track` would when creating the branch, except that where
195 branch points to is not changed.
198 --set-upstream-to=<upstream>::
199 Set up <branchname>'s tracking information so <upstream> is
200 considered <branchname>'s upstream branch. If no <branchname>
201 is specified, then it defaults to the current branch.
204 Remove the upstream information for <branchname>. If no branch
205 is specified it defaults to the current branch.
208 Open an editor and edit the text to explain what the branch is
209 for, to be used by various other commands (e.g. `format-patch`,
210 `request-pull`, and `merge` (if enabled)). Multi-line explanations
213 --contains [<commit>]::
214 Only list branches which contain the specified commit (HEAD
215 if not specified). Implies `--list`.
217 --no-contains [<commit>]::
218 Only list branches which don't contain the specified commit
219 (HEAD if not specified). Implies `--list`.
221 --merged [<commit>]::
222 Only list branches whose tips are reachable from the
223 specified commit (HEAD if not specified). Implies `--list`,
224 incompatible with `--no-merged`.
226 --no-merged [<commit>]::
227 Only list branches whose tips are not reachable from the
228 specified commit (HEAD if not specified). Implies `--list`,
229 incompatible with `--merged`.
232 The name of the branch to create or delete.
233 The new branch name must pass all checks defined by
234 linkgit:git-check-ref-format[1]. Some of these checks
235 may restrict the characters allowed in a branch name.
238 The new branch head will point to this commit. It may be
239 given as a branch name, a commit-id, or a tag. If this
240 option is omitted, the current HEAD will be used instead.
243 The name of an existing branch to rename.
246 The new name for an existing branch. The same restrictions as for
250 Sort based on the key given. Prefix `-` to sort in descending
251 order of the value. You may use the --sort=<key> option
252 multiple times, in which case the last key becomes the primary
253 key. The keys supported are the same as those in `git
254 for-each-ref`. Sort order defaults to sorting based on the
255 full refname (including `refs/...` prefix). This lists
256 detached HEAD (if present) first, then local branches and
257 finally remote-tracking branches.
260 --points-at <object>::
261 Only list branches of the given object.
264 A string that interpolates `%(fieldname)` from the object
265 pointed at by a ref being shown. The format is the same as
266 that of linkgit:git-for-each-ref[1].
271 Start development from a known tag::
274 $ git clone git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/.../linux-2.6 my2.6
276 $ git branch my2.6.14 v2.6.14 <1>
277 $ git checkout my2.6.14
280 <1> This step and the next one could be combined into a single step with
281 "checkout -b my2.6.14 v2.6.14".
283 Delete an unneeded branch::
286 $ git clone git://git.kernel.org/.../git.git my.git
288 $ git branch -d -r origin/todo origin/html origin/man <1>
289 $ git branch -D test <2>
292 <1> Delete the remote-tracking branches "todo", "html" and "man". The next
293 'fetch' or 'pull' will create them again unless you configure them not to.
294 See linkgit:git-fetch[1].
295 <2> Delete the "test" branch even if the "master" branch (or whichever branch
296 is currently checked out) does not have all commits from the test branch.
302 If you are creating a branch that you want to checkout immediately, it is
303 easier to use the git checkout command with its `-b` option to create
304 a branch and check it out with a single command.
306 The options `--contains`, `--no-contains`, `--merged` and `--no-merged`
307 serve four related but different purposes:
309 - `--contains <commit>` is used to find all branches which will need
310 special attention if <commit> were to be rebased or amended, since those
311 branches contain the specified <commit>.
313 - `--no-contains <commit>` is the inverse of that, i.e. branches that don't
314 contain the specified <commit>.
316 - `--merged` is used to find all branches which can be safely deleted,
317 since those branches are fully contained by HEAD.
319 - `--no-merged` is used to find branches which are candidates for merging
320 into HEAD, since those branches are not fully contained by HEAD.
324 linkgit:git-check-ref-format[1],
325 linkgit:git-fetch[1],
326 linkgit:git-remote[1],
327 link:user-manual.html#what-is-a-branch[``Understanding history: What is
328 a branch?''] in the Git User's Manual.
332 Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite