71417feba8f4987bb9d7565ec58f82044d343283
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] [-v [--abbrev=<length>]]
12 'git-branch' [-l] [-f] <branchname> [<start-point>]
13 'git-branch' (-m | -M) [<oldbranch>] <newbranch>
14 'git-branch' (-d | -D) <branchname>...
16 DESCRIPTION
17 -----------
18 With no arguments given a list of existing branches
19 will be shown, the current branch will be highlighted with an asterisk.
20 Option `-r` causes the remote-tracking branches to be listed,
21 and option `-a` shows both.
23 In its second form, a new branch named <branchname> will be created.
24 It will start out with a head equal to the one given as <start-point>.
25 If no <start-point> is given, the branch will be created with a head
26 equal to that of the currently checked out branch.
28 With a '-m' or '-M' option, <oldbranch> will be renamed to <newbranch>.
29 If <oldbranch> had a corresponding reflog, it is renamed to match
30 <newbranch>, and a reflog entry is created to remember the branch
31 renaming. If <newbranch> exists, -M must be used to force the rename
32 to happen.
34 With a `-d` or `-D` option, `<branchname>` will be deleted. You may
35 specify more than one branch for deletion. If the branch currently
36 has a ref log then the ref log will also be deleted.
39 OPTIONS
40 -------
41 -d::
42 Delete a branch. The branch must be fully merged.
44 -D::
45 Delete a branch irrespective of its index status.
47 -l::
48 Create the branch's ref log. This activates recording of
49 all changes to made the branch ref, enabling use of date
50 based sha1 expressions such as "<branchname>@{yesterday}".
52 -f::
53 Force the creation of a new branch even if it means deleting
54 a branch that already exists with the same name.
56 -m::
57 Move/rename a branch and the corresponding reflog.
59 -M::
60 Move/rename a branch even if the new branchname already exists.
62 -r::
63 List the remote-tracking branches.
65 -a::
66 List both remote-tracking branches and local branches.
68 -v::
69 Show sha1 and commit subjectline for each head.
71 --abbrev=<length>::
72 Alter minimum display length for sha1 in output listing,
73 default value is 7.
75 <branchname>::
76 The name of the branch to create or delete.
77 The new branch name must pass all checks defined by
78 gitlink:git-check-ref-format[1]. Some of these checks
79 may restrict the characters allowed in a branch name.
81 <start-point>::
82 The new branch will be created with a HEAD equal to this. It may
83 be given as a branch name, a commit-id, or a tag. If this option
84 is omitted, the current branch is assumed.
86 <oldbranch>::
87 The name of an existing branch to rename.
89 <newbranch>::
90 The new name for an existing branch. The same restrictions as for
91 <branchname> applies.
94 Examples
95 --------
97 Start development off of a known tag::
98 +
99 ------------
100 $ git clone git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/.../linux-2.6 my2.6
101 $ cd my2.6
102 $ git branch my2.6.14 v2.6.14 <1>
103 $ git checkout my2.6.14
104 ------------
105 +
106 <1> This step and the next one could be combined into a single step with
107 "checkout -b my2.6.14 v2.6.14".
109 Delete unneeded branch::
110 +
111 ------------
112 $ git clone git://git.kernel.org/.../git.git my.git
113 $ cd my.git
114 $ git branch -D todo <1>
115 ------------
116 +
117 <1> delete todo branch even if the "master" branch does not have all
118 commits from todo branch.
121 Notes
122 -----
124 If you are creating a branch that you want to immediately checkout, it's
125 easier to use the git checkout command with its `-b` option to create
126 a branch and check it out with a single command.
129 Author
130 ------
131 Written by Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org> and Junio C Hamano <junkio@cox.net>
133 Documentation
134 --------------
135 Documentation by Junio C Hamano and the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
137 GIT
138 ---
139 Part of the gitlink:git[7] suite