Git Branch Command Usage and Options

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. _<old-branch>_:: The name of an existing branch. If this option is omitted, the name of the current branch will be used instead. _<new-branch>_:: The new name for an existing branch. The same restrictions as for _<branch-name>_ apply. CONFIGURATION ------------- `pager.branch` is only respected when listing branches, i.e., when `--list` is used or implied. The default is to use a pager. See linkgit:git-config[1]. include::includes/cmd-config-section-rest.adoc[] include::config/branch.adoc[] 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 switch 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 `git fetch` or `git 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. Listing branches from a specific remote:: + ------------ $ git branch -r -l '<remote>/<pattern>' <1> $ git for-each-ref 'refs/remotes/<remote>/<pattern>' <2> ------------ + <1> Using `-a` would conflate _<remote>_ with any local branches you happen to have been prefixed with the same _<remote>_ pattern. <2> `for-each-ref` can take a wide range of options. See linkgit:git-for-each-ref[1] Patterns will normally need quoting. NOTES ----- If you are creating a branch that you want to switch to immediately, it is easier to use the `git switch` command with its `-c` option to do the same thing with a single command. The options `--contains`, `--no-contains`, `--merged` and `--no-merged` serve four 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>_. - `--no-contains <commit>` is the inverse of that, i.e. branches that don't 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`. include::ref-reachability-filters.adoc[] 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

The git branch command is used to create, delete, and manage branches, with various options for filtering and listing branches, such as --contains and --merged, and configuration settings like pager.branch, along with examples of common use cases and explanations of related concepts like ref reachability filters.