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.
GIT
---
Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite