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 (specifically the `branch.<name>.remote` and `branch.<name>.merge`
52 configuration entries) so that 'git pull' will appropriately merge from
53 the remote-tracking branch. This behavior may be changed via the global
54 `branch.autosetupmerge` configuration flag. That setting can be
55 overridden by using the `--track` and `--no-track` options, and
56 changed later using `git branch --set-upstream-to`.
58 With a `-m` or `-M` option, <oldbranch> will be renamed to <newbranch>.
59 If <oldbranch> had a corresponding reflog, it is renamed to match
60 <newbranch>, and a reflog entry is created to remember the branch
61 renaming. If <newbranch> exists, -M must be used to force the rename
64 With a `-d` or `-D` option, `<branchname>` will be deleted. You may
65 specify more than one branch for deletion. If the branch currently
66 has a reflog then the reflog will also be deleted.
68 Use `-r` together with `-d` to delete remote-tracking branches. Note, that it
69 only makes sense to delete remote-tracking branches if they no longer exist
70 in the remote repository or if 'git fetch' was configured not to fetch
71 them again. See also the 'prune' subcommand of linkgit:git-remote[1] for a
72 way to clean up all obsolete remote-tracking branches.
79 Delete a branch. The branch must be fully merged in its
80 upstream branch, or in `HEAD` if no upstream was set with
81 `--track` or `--set-upstream`.
84 Delete a branch irrespective of its merged status.
88 Create the branch's reflog. This activates recording of
89 all changes made to the branch ref, enabling use of date
90 based sha1 expressions such as "<branchname>@\{yesterday}".
91 Note that in non-bare repositories, reflogs are usually
92 enabled by default by the `core.logallrefupdates` config option.
96 Reset <branchname> to <startpoint> if <branchname> exists
97 already. Without `-f` 'git branch' refuses to change an existing branch.
101 Move/rename a branch and the corresponding reflog.
104 Move/rename a branch even if the new branch name already exists.
107 Color branches to highlight current, local, and
108 remote-tracking branches.
109 The value must be always (the default), never, or auto.
112 Turn off branch colors, even when the configuration file gives the
113 default to color output.
114 Same as `--color=never`.
116 --column[=<options>]::
118 Display branch listing in columns. See configuration variable
119 column.branch for option syntax.`--column` and `--no-column`
120 without options are equivalent to 'always' and 'never' respectively.
122 This option is only applicable in non-verbose mode.
126 List or delete (if used with -d) the remote-tracking branches.
130 List both remote-tracking branches and local branches.
133 Activate the list mode. `git branch <pattern>` would try to create a branch,
134 use `git branch --list <pattern>` to list matching branches.
140 show sha1 and commit subject line for each head, along with
141 relationship to upstream branch (if any). If given twice, print
142 the name of the upstream branch, as well (see also `git remote
147 Be more quiet when creating or deleting a branch, suppressing
151 Alter the sha1's minimum display length in the output listing.
152 The default value is 7 and can be overridden by the `core.abbrev`
156 Display the full sha1s in the output listing rather than abbreviating them.
160 When creating a new branch, set up `branch.<name>.remote` and
161 `branch.<name>.merge` configuration entries to mark the
162 start-point branch as "upstream" from the new branch. This
163 configuration will tell git to show the relationship between the
164 two branches in `git status` and `git branch -v`. Furthermore,
165 it directs `git pull` without arguments to pull from the
166 upstream when the new branch is checked out.
168 This behavior is the default when the start point is a remote-tracking branch.
169 Set the branch.autosetupmerge configuration variable to `false` if you
170 want `git checkout` and `git branch` to always behave as if '--no-track'
171 were given. Set it to `always` if you want this behavior when the
172 start-point is either a local or remote-tracking branch.
175 Do not set up "upstream" configuration, even if the
176 branch.autosetupmerge configuration variable is true.
179 If specified branch does not exist yet or if `--force` has been
180 given, acts exactly like `--track`. Otherwise sets up configuration
181 like `--track` would when creating the branch, except that where
182 branch points to is not changed.
185 --set-upstream-to=<upstream>::
186 Set up <branchname>'s tracking information so <upstream> is
187 considered <branchname>'s upstream branch. If no <branchname>
188 is specified, then it defaults to the current branch.
191 Remove the upstream information for <branchname>. If no branch
192 is specified it defaults to the current branch.
195 Open an editor and edit the text to explain what the branch is
196 for, to be used by various other commands (e.g. `format-patch`,
197 `request-pull`, and `merge` (if enabled)). Multi-line explanations
200 --contains [<commit>]::
201 Only list branches which contain the specified commit (HEAD
202 if not specified). Implies `--list`.
204 --merged [<commit>]::
205 Only list branches whose tips are reachable from the
206 specified commit (HEAD if not specified). Implies `--list`.
208 --no-merged [<commit>]::
209 Only list branches whose tips are not reachable from the
210 specified commit (HEAD if not specified). Implies `--list`.
213 The name of the branch to create or delete.
214 The new branch name must pass all checks defined by
215 linkgit:git-check-ref-format[1]. Some of these checks
216 may restrict the characters allowed in a branch name.
219 The new branch head will point to this commit. It may be
220 given as a branch name, a commit-id, or a tag. If this
221 option is omitted, the current HEAD will be used instead.
224 The name of an existing branch to rename.
227 The new name for an existing branch. The same restrictions as for
234 Start development from a known tag::
237 $ git clone git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/.../linux-2.6 my2.6
239 $ git branch my2.6.14 v2.6.14 <1>
240 $ git checkout my2.6.14
243 <1> This step and the next one could be combined into a single step with
244 "checkout -b my2.6.14 v2.6.14".
246 Delete an unneeded branch::
249 $ git clone git://git.kernel.org/.../git.git my.git
251 $ git branch -d -r origin/todo origin/html origin/man <1>
252 $ git branch -D test <2>
255 <1> Delete the remote-tracking branches "todo", "html" and "man". The next
256 'fetch' or 'pull' will create them again unless you configure them not to.
257 See linkgit:git-fetch[1].
258 <2> Delete the "test" branch even if the "master" branch (or whichever branch
259 is currently checked out) does not have all commits from the test branch.
265 If you are creating a branch that you want to checkout immediately, it is
266 easier to use the git checkout command with its `-b` option to create
267 a branch and check it out with a single command.
269 The options `--contains`, `--merged` and `--no-merged` serve three related
270 but different purposes:
272 - `--contains <commit>` is used to find all branches which will need
273 special attention if <commit> were to be rebased or amended, since those
274 branches contain the specified <commit>.
276 - `--merged` is used to find all branches which can be safely deleted,
277 since those branches are fully contained by HEAD.
279 - `--no-merged` is used to find branches which are candidates for merging
280 into HEAD, since those branches are not fully contained by HEAD.
284 linkgit:git-check-ref-format[1],
285 linkgit:git-fetch[1],
286 linkgit:git-remote[1],
287 link:user-manual.html#what-is-a-branch[``Understanding history: What is
288 a branch?''] in the Git User's Manual.
292 Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite
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