git-branch(1) Git Manual git-branch(1)
NAME
git-branch - List, create, or delete branches
SYNOPSIS
git branch [--color[=<when>] | --no-color] [--show-current]
[-v [--abbrev=<n> | --no-abbrev]]
[--column[=<options>] | --no-column] [--sort=<key>]
[--merged [<commit>]] [--no-merged [<commit>]]
[--contains [<commit>]] [--no-contains [<commit>]]
[(--forked <branch>)...]
[--points-at <object>] [--format=<format>]
[(-r|--remotes) | (-a|--all)]
[--list] [<pattern>...]
git branch [--track[=(direct|inherit)] | --no-track] [-f]
[--recurse-submodules] <branch-name> [<start-point>]
git branch (--set-upstream-to=<upstream>|-u <upstream>) [<branch-name>]
git branch --unset-upstream [<branch-name>]
git branch (-m|-M) [<old-branch>] <new-branch>
git branch (-c|-C) [<old-branch>] <new-branch>
git branch (-d|-D) [-r] <branch-name>...
git branch --edit-description [<branch-name>]
git branch [--dry-run] (--delete-merged <pattern>)... [<branch-pattern>...]
DESCRIPTION
If --list is given, or if there are no non-option arguments, existing
branches are listed; the current branch will be highlighted in green and
marked with an asterisk. Any branches checked out in linked worktrees
will be highlighted in cyan and marked with a plus sign. Option -r causes
the remote-tracking branches to be listed, and option -a shows both local
and remote branches.
If a <pattern> is given, it is used as a shell wildcard to restrict the
output to matching branches. If multiple patterns are given, a branch is
shown if it matches any of the patterns.
Note that when providing a <pattern>, you must use --list; otherwise the
command may be interpreted as branch creation.
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), --no-contains inverts it. 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). With --forked, only branches whose configured upstream matches
the given branch or pattern will be listed.
The command's second form creates a new branch head named <branch-name>
which points to the current HEAD, or <start-point> if given. As a special
case, for <start-point>, you may use <rev-A>...<rev-B> as a shortcut for
the merge base of <rev-A> and <rev-B> if there is exactly one merge base.
You can leave out at most one of <rev-A> and <rev-B>, in which case it
defaults to HEAD.
Note that this will create the new branch, but it will not switch the
working tree to it; use git switch <new-branch> to switch to the new
branch.
When a local branch is started off a remote-tracking branch, Git sets up
the branch (specifically the branch.<name>.remote and branch.<name>.merge
configuration entries) 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-to.
With a -m or -M option, <old-branch> will be renamed to <new-branch>. If
<old-branch> had a corresponding reflog, it is renamed to match
<new-branch>, and a reflog entry is created to remember the branch
renaming. If <new-branch> exists, -M must be used to force the rename to
happen.
The -c and -C options have the exact same semantics as -m and -M, except
instead of the branch being renamed, it will be copied to a new name,
along with its config and reflog.
With a -d or -D option, <branch-name> 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 git-remote(1) for a
way to clean up all obsolete remote-tracking branches.
OPTIONS
-d, --delete
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-to.
-D
Shortcut for --delete --force.
--create-reflog
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 <branch-name>@{yesterday}. Note that in non-bare
repositories, reflogs are usually enabled by default by the
core.logAllRefUpdates config option. The negated form
--no-create-reflog only overrides an earlier --create-reflog, but
currently does not negate the setting of core.logAllRefUpdates.
-f, --force
Reset <branch-name> to <start-point>, even if <branch-name> exists
already. Without -f, git branch refuses to change an existing branch.
In combination with -d (or --delete), allow deleting the branch
irrespective of its merged status, or whether it even points to a
valid commit. In combination with -m (or --move), allow renaming the
branch even if the new branch name already exists, the same applies
for -c (or --copy).
Note that git branch -f <branch-name> [<start-point>], even with -f,
refuses to change an existing branch <branch-name> that is checked
out in another worktree linked to the same repository.
-m, --move
Move/rename a branch, together with its config and reflog.
-M
Shortcut for --move --force.
-c, --copy
Copy a branch, together with its config and reflog.
-C
Shortcut for --copy --force.
--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.
-i, --ignore-case
Sorting and filtering branches are case insensitive.
--omit-empty
Do not print a newline after formatted refs where the format expands
to the empty string.
--column[=<options>], --no-column
Display branch listing in columns. See configuration variable
column.branch for option syntax. --column and --no-column without
options are equivalent to always and never respectively.
This option is only applicable in non-verbose mode.
--sort=<key>
Sort based on <key>. Prefix - to sort in descending order of the
value. You may use the --sort=<key> option multiple times, in which
case the last key becomes the primary key. The keys supported are the
same as those in git-for-each-ref(1). Sort order defaults to the
value configured for the branch.sort variable if it exists, or to
sorting based on the full refname (including refs/... prefix). This
lists detached HEAD (if present) first, then local branches and
finally remote-tracking branches. See git-config(1).
-r, --remotes
List or delete (if used with -d) the remote-tracking branches.
Combine with --list to match the optional pattern(s).
-a, --all
List both remote-tracking branches and local branches. Combine with
--list to match optional pattern(s).
-l, --list
List branches. With optional <pattern>..., e.g. git branch --list
'maint-*', list only the branches that match the pattern(s).
--show-current
Print the name of the current branch. In detached HEAD state, nothing
is printed.
--delete-merged <pattern>
Delete local branches whose configured upstream matches <pattern>,
but only when their tip is reachable from that upstream. In other
words, the work on the branch has already landed on the upstream it
tracks, so the local copy is no longer needed. <pattern> may name a
ref, a remote (using the branch its HEAD points at), or a shell-style
glob. The option can be repeated to widen the upstream match.
Optional <branch-pattern> arguments limit which local branches are
considered, e.g. git branch --delete-merged 'origin/*' 'topic-*'.
A branch is not deleted when:
o its configured upstream ref no longer exists,
o it is checked out in any worktree,
o pushing it to the remote configured by branch.<name>.remote would
update its upstream, so it cannot be distinguished from a branch
that just looks fully merged right after a pull; this is
determined by the remote's configured push and fetch refspecs,
o it is the local upstream of a branch that is not being deleted,
or
o branch.<name>.deleteMerged is set to false.
When such a local upstream branch has its own upstream deleted by the
same operation, its upstream configuration is cleared.
A branch whose work has not yet been merged into its upstream is
silently skipped. Delete it with git branch -D if you want to remove
it anyway.
--dry-run
With --delete-merged, print which branches would be deleted and exit
without touching any ref. Useful for sanity-checking a wide pattern
like 'origin/*' before committing to the deletion.
-v, -vv, --verbose
When in list mode, show sha1 and commit subject line for each head,
along with relationship to upstream branch (if any). If given twice,
print the path of the linked worktree (if any) and the name of the
upstream branch, as well (see also git remote show <remote>). Note
that the current worktree's HEAD will not have its path printed (it
will always be your current directory).
-q, --quiet
Be more quiet when creating or deleting a branch, suppressing
non-error messages.
--abbrev=<n>
In the verbose listing that show the commit object name, show the
shortest prefix that is at least <n> hexdigits long that uniquely
refers the object. The default value is 7 and can be overridden by
the core.abbrev config option.
--no-abbrev
Display the full sha1s in the output listing rather than abbreviating
them.
-t, --track[=(direct|inherit)]
When creating a new branch, set up branch.<name>.remote and
branch.<name>.merge configuration entries to set "upstream" tracking
configuration for 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.
The exact upstream branch is chosen depending on the optional
argument: -t, --track, or --track=direct means to use the start-point
branch itself as the upstream; --track=inherit means to copy the
upstream configuration of the start-point branch.
The branch.autoSetupMerge configuration variable specifies how git
switch, git checkout and git branch should behave when neither
--track nor --no-track are specified:
The default option, true, behaves as though --track=direct were given
whenever the start-point is a remote-tracking branch. false behaves
as if --no-track were given. always behaves as though --track=direct
were given. inherit behaves as though --track=inherit were given.
simple behaves as though --track=direct were given only when the
<start-point> is a remote-tracking branch and the new branch has the
same name as the remote branch.
See git-pull(1) and git-config(1) for additional discussion on how
the branch.<name>.remote and branch.<name>.merge options are used.
--no-track
Do not set up "upstream" configuration, even if the
branch.autoSetupMerge configuration variable is set.
--recurse-submodules
THIS OPTION IS EXPERIMENTAL! Cause the current command to recurse
into submodules if submodule.propagateBranches is enabled. See
submodule.propagateBranches in git-config(1). Currently, only branch
creation is supported.
When used in branch creation, a new branch <branch-name> will be
created in the superproject and all of the submodules in the
superproject's <start-point>. In submodules, the branch will point to
the submodule commit in the superproject's <start-point> but the
branch's tracking information will be set up based on the submodule's
branches and remotes e.g. git branch --recurse-submodules topic
origin/main will create the submodule branch "topic" that points to
the submodule commit in the superproject's "origin/main", but tracks
the submodule's "origin/main".
--set-upstream
As this option had confusing syntax, it is no longer supported.
Please use --track or --set-upstream-to instead.
-u <upstream>, --set-upstream-to=<upstream>
Set up <branch-name>'s tracking information so <upstream> is
considered <branch-name>'s upstream branch. If no <branch-name> is
specified, then it defaults to the current branch.
--unset-upstream
Remove the upstream information for <branch-name>. If no branch is
specified it defaults to the current branch.
--edit-description
Open an editor and edit the text to explain what the branch is for,
to be used by various other commands (e.g. format-patch,
request-pull, and merge (if enabled)). Multi-line explanations may be
used.
--contains [<commit>]
Only list branches which contain <commit> (HEAD if not specified).
Implies --list.
--no-contains [<commit>]
Only list branches which don't contain <commit> (HEAD if not
specified). Implies --list.
--merged [<commit>]
Only list branches whose tips are reachable from <commit> (HEAD if
not specified). Implies --list.
--no-merged [<commit>]
Only list branches whose tips are not reachable from <commit> (HEAD
if not specified). Implies --list.
--forked <branch>
Only list branches whose configured upstream matches <branch>. The
argument can be a ref (e.g. origin/main, master), a remote name like
origin for the branch its origin/HEAD points at, or a shell-style
glob (e.g. 'origin/*'). The option can be repeated to widen the
filter. Implies --list.
--points-at <object>
Only list branches of <object>.
--format <format>
A string that interpolates %(fieldname) from a branch ref being shown
and the object it points at. <format> is the same as that of git-
for-each-ref(1).
<branch-name>
The name of the branch to create or delete. The new branch name must
pass all checks defined by 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.
<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 git-config(1).
Everything above this line in this section isn't included from the git-
config(1) documentation. The content that follows is the same as what's
found there:
branch.autoSetupMerge
Tells git branch, git switch and git checkout to set up new branches
so that git-pull(1) will appropriately merge from the starting point
branch. Note that even if this option is not set, this behavior can
be chosen per-branch using the --track and --no-track options. This
option defaults to true. The valid settings are:
false
no automatic setup is done
true
automatic setup is done when the starting point is a
remote-tracking branch
always
automatic setup is done when the starting point is either a local
branch or remote-tracking branch
inherit
if the starting point has a tracking configuration, it is copied
to the new branch
simple
automatic setup is done only when the starting point is a
remote-tracking branch and the new branch has the same name as
the remote branch.
branch.autoSetupRebase
When a new branch is created with git branch, git switch or git
checkout that tracks another branch, this variable tells Git to set
up pull to rebase instead of merge (see branch.<name>.rebase). The
valid settings are:
never
rebase is never automatically set to true.
local
rebase is set to true for tracked branches of other local
branches.
remote
rebase is set to true for tracked branches of remote-tracking
branches.
always
rebase will be set to true for all tracking branches.
See branch.autoSetupMerge for details on how to set up a branch to
track another branch. This option defaults to never.
branch.sort
This variable controls the sort ordering of branches when displayed
by git-branch(1). Without the --sort=<value> option provided, the
value of this variable will be used as the default. See git-for-each-
ref(1) field names for valid values.
branch.<name>.remote
When on branch <name>, it tells git fetch and git push which remote
to fetch from or push to. The remote to push to may be overridden
with remote.pushDefault (for all branches). The remote to push to,
for the current branch, may be further overridden by
branch.<name>.pushRemote. If no remote is configured, or if you are
not on any branch and there is more than one remote defined in the
repository, it defaults to origin for fetching and remote.pushDefault
for pushing. Additionally, . (a period) is the current local
repository (a dot-repository), see branch.<name>.merge's final note
below.
branch.<name>.pushRemote
When on branch <name>, it overrides branch.<name>.remote for pushing.
It also overrides remote.pushDefault for pushing from branch <name>.
When you pull from one place (e.g. your upstream) and push to another
place (e.g. your own publishing repository), you would want to set
remote.pushDefault to specify the remote to push to for all branches,
and use this option to override it for a specific branch. The value
may be the name of a configured remote or a repository URL.
branch.<name>.merge
Defines, together with branch.<name>.remote, the upstream branch for
the given branch. It tells git fetch/git pull/git rebase which branch
to merge and can also affect git push (see push.default). When in
branch <name>, it tells git fetch the default refspec to be marked
for merging in FETCH_HEAD. The value is handled like the remote part
of a refspec, and must match a ref which is fetched from the remote
given by branch.<name>.remote. The merge information is used by git
pull (which first calls git fetch) to lookup the default branch for
merging. Without this option, git pull defaults to merge the first
refspec fetched. Specify multiple values to get an octopus merge. If
you wish to setup git pull so that it merges into <name> from another
branch in the local repository, you can point branch.<name>.merge to
the desired branch, and use the relative path setting . (a period)
for branch.<name>.remote.
branch.<name>.mergeOptions
Sets default options for merging into branch <name>. The syntax and
supported options are the same as those of git-merge(1), but option
values containing whitespace characters are currently not supported.
branch.<name>.rebase
When true, rebase the branch <name> on top of the fetched branch,
instead of merging the default branch from the default remote when
git pull is run. See pull.rebase for doing this in a non
branch-specific manner.
When merges (or just m), pass the --rebase-merges option to git
rebase so that the local merge commits are included in the rebase
(see git-rebase(1) for details).
When the value is interactive (or just i), the rebase is run in
interactive mode.
NOTE: this is a possibly dangerous operation; do not use it unless
you understand the implications (see git-rebase(1) for details).
branch.<name>.description
Branch description, can be edited with git branch --edit-description.
Branch description is automatically added to the format-patch cover
letter or request-pull summary.
branch.<name>.deleteMerged
If set to false, branch <name> is exempt from git branch
--delete-merged. Useful for a topic branch you intend to develop
further after an initial round has been merged upstream. Defaults to
true. Explicit deletion via git branch -d is unaffected.
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 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
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:
o --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>.
o --no-contains <commit> is the inverse of that, i.e. branches that
don't contain the specified <commit>.
o --merged is used to find all branches which can be safely deleted,
since those branches are fully contained by HEAD.
o --no-merged is used to find branches which are candidates for merging
into HEAD, since those branches are not fully contained by HEAD.
When combining multiple --contains and --no-contains filters, only
references that contain at least one of the --contains commits and
contain none of the --no-contains commits are shown.
When combining multiple --merged and --no-merged filters, only references
that are reachable from at least one of the --merged commits and from
none of the --no-merged commits are shown.
SEE ALSO
git-check-ref-format(1), git-fetch(1), git-remote(1), "Understanding
history: What is a branch?"[1] in the Git User's Manual.
GIT
Part of the git(1) suite
NOTES
1. "Understanding history: What is a branch?"
git-htmldocs/user-manual.html#what-is-a-branch
Git 2.56.0 2026-09-27 git-branch(1)
git 2.56.0 - Generated Thu Oct 1 11:04:59 CDT 2026