Git Branch

List Branches

List Local Branches (-l/--list) (default)

$ git branch
* main
  develop

The current branch will be highlighted in green and marked with an asterisk (*)

List Remote-Tracking Branches (-r/--remotes)

$ git branch -r
origin/HEAD -> origin/main
origin/main
upstream/main

List Both Local and Remote Branches (-a/--all)

$ git branch -a
* main
  develop
  remotes/origin/HEAD -> origin/main
  remotes/origin/main
  remotes/upstream/main

List Branches Verbosely (-v/--verbose)

Show sha1 and commit subject line for each head, along with relationship to upstream branch (if any):

$ git branch -v
  iss53   93b412c Fix javascript issue
* master  7a98805 Merge branch 'iss53'
  testing 782fd34 Add scott to the author list in the readme

List Merged Branches (--merged)

Only list branches whose tips are reachable from the specified commit (HEAD if not specified):

git branch --merged [<commit>]

List Un-Merged Branches (--no-merged)

Only list branches whose tips are not reachable from the specified commit (HEAD if not specified):

git branch --no-merged [<commit>]

Create a New Branch

# `start-point` can be the *branch name*, *commit id*, *tag name*.
git branch [-f|--force] <new-branch> [<start-point>]

# track remote upstream
git branch -t|--track <branch> <remote-branch>

git branch --orphan <orphan-branch>

Error

# already exists
$ git branch existed-branch
fatal: A branch named 'existed-branch' already exists.

Switch Branches

git switch <another-branch>

# back to previous
git switch -

# create and switch
#   `start-point` can be the *branch name*,
#                            *commit id*,
#                            *tag name*.
git switch -c|--create <new-branch> [<start-point>]
git switch -C|--force-create <new-branch> <start-point>

# track remote upstream
git switch -c|--create -t|--track [direct|inherit] <new-branch>

git switch --orphan <new-branch>

Error

# not exists
$ git switch a-branch
fatal: invalid reference: a-branch

# already exists
$ git switch -c existed-branch
fatal: A branch named 'existed-branch' already exists.

Switch Branches (git checkout, Git 2.23-)

git checkout <another-branch>

# create and switch
git checkout -b <new-branch> [<start-point>]
git checkout -B <new-branch> <start-point>

# track remote upstream
git checkout -b -t|--track=[direct|inherit] <new-branch>

git checkout --orphan <new-branch>

Rename Branches

# If branch existed: `fatal: A branch named 'new-branch' already exists.`
git branch -m|--move <old-branch> <new-branch>


# force to rename:
# `-M` = `--move --force`
git branch -M <old-branch> <existed-branch>

Copy Branches

# If branch existed: `fatal: A branch named 'b-branch' already exists.`
git branch -c|--copy <old-branch> <new-branch>


# force to copy
# `-C` = `--copy, --force`
git branch -C <old-branch> <new-branch>

Delete Branches

git branch -d|--delete <branch>    # fully merged branch

# force to delete
# `-D` = `--delete, --force``
git branch -D <branch>    # NOT merged branch

Upstream Tracking

Set Up Upstream Tracking

# `--set-upstream`* deprecated
git branch -u|--set-upstream-to=<remote-branch> <branch>

Remove Upstream Tracking

git branch --unset-upstream <branch>

Merge Branches

git merge <branch>

Merge a specific commit into branch:

git cherry-pick <commit>

References