1 git-branch(1)
2 =============
4 NAME
5 ----
6 git-branch - List, create, or delete branches.
8 SYNOPSIS
9 --------
10 [verse]
11 'git-branch' [-r] [-a]
12 'git-branch' [-l] [-f] <branchname> [<start-point>]
13 'git-branch' (-d | -D) <branchname>...
15 DESCRIPTION
16 -----------
17 With no arguments given a list of existing branches
18 will be shown, the current branch will be highlighted with an asterisk.
19 Option `-r` causes the remote-tracking branches to be listed,
20 and option `-a` shows both.
22 In its second form, a new branch named <branchname> will be created.
23 It will start out with a head equal to the one given as <start-point>.
24 If no <start-point> is given, the branch will be created with a head
25 equal to that of the currently checked out branch.
27 With a `-d` or `-D` option, `<branchname>` will be deleted. You may
28 specify more than one branch for deletion. If the branch currently
29 has a ref log then the ref log will also be deleted.
32 OPTIONS
33 -------
34 -d::
35 Delete a branch. The branch must be fully merged.
37 -D::
38 Delete a branch irrespective of its index status.
40 -l::
41 Create the branch's ref log. This activates recording of
42 all changes to made the branch ref, enabling use of date
43 based sha1 expressions such as "<branchname>@{yesterday}".
45 -f::
46 Force the creation of a new branch even if it means deleting
47 a branch that already exists with the same name.
49 -r::
50 List the remote-tracking branches.
52 -a::
53 List both remote-tracking branches and local branches.
55 <branchname>::
56 The name of the branch to create or delete.
57 The new branch name must pass all checks defined by
58 gitlink:git-check-ref-format[1]. Some of these checks
59 may restrict the characters allowed in a branch name.
61 <start-point>::
62 The new branch will be created with a HEAD equal to this. It may
63 be given as a branch name, a commit-id, or a tag. If this option
64 is omitted, the current branch is assumed.
68 Examples
69 --------
71 Start development off of a known tag::
72 +
73 ------------
74 $ git clone git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/.../linux-2.6 my2.6
75 $ cd my2.6
76 $ git branch my2.6.14 v2.6.14 <1>
77 $ git checkout my2.6.14
78 ------------
79 +
80 <1> This step and the next one could be combined into a single step with
81 "checkout -b my2.6.14 v2.6.14".
83 Delete unneeded branch::
84 +
85 ------------
86 $ git clone git://git.kernel.org/.../git.git my.git
87 $ cd my.git
88 $ git branch -D todo <1>
89 ------------
90 +
91 <1> delete todo branch even if the "master" branch does not have all
92 commits from todo branch.
95 Notes
96 -----
98 If you are creating a branch that you want to immediately checkout, it's
99 easier to use the git checkout command with its `-b` option to create
100 a branch and check it out with a single command.
103 Author
104 ------
105 Written by Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org> and Junio C Hamano <junkio@cox.net>
107 Documentation
108 --------------
109 Documentation by Junio C Hamano and the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
111 GIT
112 ---
113 Part of the gitlink:git[7] suite