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 | --contains) [<commit>]] [<pattern>...]
15 'git branch' [--set-upstream | --track | --no-track] [-l] [-f] <branchname> [<start-point>]
16 'git branch' (--set-upstream-to=<upstream> | -u <upstream>) [<branchname>]
17 'git branch' --unset-upstream [<branchname>]
18 'git branch' (-m | -M) [<oldbranch>] <newbranch>
19 'git branch' (-d | -D) [-r] <branchname>...
20 'git branch' --edit-description [<branchname>]
25 If `--list` is given, or if there are no non-option arguments, existing
26 branches are listed; the current branch will be highlighted with an
27 asterisk. Option `-r` causes the remote-tracking branches to be listed,
28 and option `-a` shows both local and remote branches. If a `<pattern>`
29 is given, it is used as a shell wildcard to restrict the output to
30 matching branches. If multiple patterns are given, a branch is shown if
31 it matches any of the patterns. Note that when providing a
32 `<pattern>`, you must use `--list`; otherwise the command is interpreted
35 With `--contains`, shows only the branches that contain the named commit
36 (in other words, the branches whose tip commits are descendants of the
37 named commit). With `--merged`, only branches merged into the named
38 commit (i.e. the branches whose tip commits are reachable from the named
39 commit) will be listed. With `--no-merged` only branches not merged into
40 the named commit will be listed. If the <commit> argument is missing it
41 defaults to 'HEAD' (i.e. the tip of the current branch).
43 The command's second form creates a new branch head named <branchname>
44 which points to the current 'HEAD', or <start-point> if given.
46 Note that this will create the new branch, but it will not switch the
47 working tree to it; use "git checkout <newbranch>" to switch to the
50 When a local branch is started off a remote-tracking branch, Git sets up the
51 branch so that 'git pull' will appropriately merge from
52 the remote-tracking branch. This behavior may be changed via the global
53 `branch.autosetupmerge` configuration flag. That setting can be
54 overridden by using the `--track` and `--no-track` options, and
55 changed later using `git branch --set-upstream-to`.
57 With a `-m` or `-M` option, <oldbranch> will be renamed to <newbranch>.
58 If <oldbranch> had a corresponding reflog, it is renamed to match
59 <newbranch>, and a reflog entry is created to remember the branch
60 renaming. If <newbranch> exists, -M must be used to force the rename
63 With a `-d` or `-D` option, `<branchname>` will be deleted. You may
64 specify more than one branch for deletion. If the branch currently
65 has a reflog then the reflog will also be deleted.
67 Use `-r` together with `-d` to delete remote-tracking branches. Note, that it
68 only makes sense to delete remote-tracking branches if they no longer exist
69 in the remote repository or if 'git fetch' was configured not to fetch
70 them again. See also the 'prune' subcommand of linkgit:git-remote[1] for a
71 way to clean up all obsolete remote-tracking branches.
78 Delete a branch. The branch must be fully merged in its
79 upstream branch, or in `HEAD` if no upstream was set with
80 `--track` or `--set-upstream`.
83 Delete a branch irrespective of its merged status.
87 Create the branch's reflog. This activates recording of
88 all changes made to the branch ref, enabling use of date
89 based sha1 expressions such as "<branchname>@\{yesterday}".
90 Note that in non-bare repositories, reflogs are usually
91 enabled by default by the `core.logallrefupdates` config option.
95 Reset <branchname> to <startpoint> if <branchname> exists
96 already. Without `-f` 'git branch' refuses to change an existing branch.
100 Move/rename a branch and the corresponding reflog.
103 Move/rename a branch even if the new branch name already exists.
106 Color branches to highlight current, local, and
107 remote-tracking branches.
108 The value must be always (the default), never, or auto.
111 Turn off branch colors, even when the configuration file gives the
112 default to color output.
113 Same as `--color=never`.
115 --column[=<options>]::
117 Display branch listing in columns. See configuration variable
118 column.branch for option syntax.`--column` and `--no-column`
119 without options are equivalent to 'always' and 'never' respectively.
121 This option is only applicable in non-verbose mode.
125 List or delete (if used with -d) the remote-tracking branches.
129 List both remote-tracking branches and local branches.
132 Activate the list mode. `git branch <pattern>` would try to create a branch,
133 use `git branch --list <pattern>` to list matching branches.
139 show sha1 and commit subject line for each head, along with
140 relationship to upstream branch (if any). If given twice, print
141 the name of the upstream branch, as well (see also `git remote
146 Be more quiet when creating or deleting a branch, suppressing
150 Alter the sha1's minimum display length in the output listing.
151 The default value is 7 and can be overridden by the `core.abbrev`
155 Display the full sha1s in the output listing rather than abbreviating them.
159 When creating a new branch, set up configuration to mark the
160 start-point branch as "upstream" from the new branch. This
161 configuration will tell git to show the relationship between the
162 two branches in `git status` and `git branch -v`. Furthermore,
163 it directs `git pull` without arguments to pull from the
164 upstream when the new branch is checked out.
166 This behavior is the default when the start point is a remote-tracking branch.
167 Set the branch.autosetupmerge configuration variable to `false` if you
168 want `git checkout` and `git branch` to always behave as if '--no-track'
169 were given. Set it to `always` if you want this behavior when the
170 start-point is either a local or remote-tracking branch.
173 Do not set up "upstream" configuration, even if the
174 branch.autosetupmerge configuration variable is true.
177 If specified branch does not exist yet or if `--force` has been
178 given, acts exactly like `--track`. Otherwise sets up configuration
179 like `--track` would when creating the branch, except that where
180 branch points to is not changed.
183 --set-upstream-to=<upstream>::
184 Set up <branchname>'s tracking information so <upstream> is
185 considered <branchname>'s upstream branch. If no <branchname>
186 is specified, then it defaults to the current branch.
189 Remove the upstream information for <branchname>. If no branch
190 is specified it defaults to the current branch.
193 Open an editor and edit the text to explain what the branch is
194 for, to be used by various other commands (e.g. `request-pull`).
196 --contains [<commit>]::
197 Only list branches which contain the specified commit (HEAD
198 if not specified). Implies `--list`.
200 --merged [<commit>]::
201 Only list branches whose tips are reachable from the
202 specified commit (HEAD if not specified). Implies `--list`.
204 --no-merged [<commit>]::
205 Only list branches whose tips are not reachable from the
206 specified commit (HEAD if not specified). Implies `--list`.
209 The name of the branch to create or delete.
210 The new branch name must pass all checks defined by
211 linkgit:git-check-ref-format[1]. Some of these checks
212 may restrict the characters allowed in a branch name.
215 The new branch head will point to this commit. It may be
216 given as a branch name, a commit-id, or a tag. If this
217 option is omitted, the current HEAD will be used instead.
220 The name of an existing branch to rename.
223 The new name for an existing branch. The same restrictions as for
230 Start development from a known tag::
233 $ git clone git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/.../linux-2.6 my2.6
235 $ git branch my2.6.14 v2.6.14 <1>
236 $ git checkout my2.6.14
239 <1> This step and the next one could be combined into a single step with
240 "checkout -b my2.6.14 v2.6.14".
242 Delete an unneeded branch::
245 $ git clone git://git.kernel.org/.../git.git my.git
247 $ git branch -d -r origin/todo origin/html origin/man <1>
248 $ git branch -D test <2>
251 <1> Delete the remote-tracking branches "todo", "html" and "man". The next
252 'fetch' or 'pull' will create them again unless you configure them not to.
253 See linkgit:git-fetch[1].
254 <2> Delete the "test" branch even if the "master" branch (or whichever branch
255 is currently checked out) does not have all commits from the test branch.
261 If you are creating a branch that you want to checkout immediately, it is
262 easier to use the git checkout command with its `-b` option to create
263 a branch and check it out with a single command.
265 The options `--contains`, `--merged` and `--no-merged` serve three related
266 but different purposes:
268 - `--contains <commit>` is used to find all branches which will need
269 special attention if <commit> were to be rebased or amended, since those
270 branches contain the specified <commit>.
272 - `--merged` is used to find all branches which can be safely deleted,
273 since those branches are fully contained by HEAD.
275 - `--no-merged` is used to find branches which are candidates for merging
276 into HEAD, since those branches are not fully contained by HEAD.
280 linkgit:git-check-ref-format[1],
281 linkgit:git-fetch[1],
282 linkgit:git-remote[1],
283 link:user-manual.html#what-is-a-branch[``Understanding history: What is
284 a branch?''] in the Git User's Manual.
288 Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite
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