SYNOPSIS
--------
[verse]
-'git-checkout' [-q] [-f] [[--track | --no-track] -b <new_branch> [-l]] [-m] [<branch>]
-'git-checkout' [<tree-ish>] <paths>...
+'git checkout' [-q] [-f] [[--track | --no-track] -b <new_branch> [-l]] [-m] [<branch>]
+'git checkout' [<tree-ish>] [--] <paths>...
DESCRIPTION
-----------
When <paths> are given, this command does *not* switch
branches. It updates the named paths in the working tree from
-the index file (i.e. it runs `git-checkout-index -f -u`), or
+the index file (i.e. it runs `git checkout-index -f -u`), or
from a named commit. In
this case, the `-f` and `-b` options are meaningless and giving
either of them results in an error. <tree-ish> argument can be
-t::
--track::
- When creating a new branch, set up configuration so that git-pull
+ When creating a new branch, set up configuration so that 'git-pull'
will automatically retrieve data from the start point, which must be
a branch. Use this if you always pull from the same upstream branch
into the new branch, and if you don't want to use "git pull
<repository> <refspec>" explicitly. This behavior is the default
when the start point is a remote branch. Set the
branch.autosetupmerge configuration variable to `false` if you want
- git-checkout and git-branch to always behave as if '--no-track' were
+ 'git-checkout' and 'git-branch' to always behave as if '--no-track' were
given. Set it to `always` if you want this behavior when the
start-point is either a local or remote branch.
<new_branch>::
Name for the new branch.
+<tree-ish>::
+ Tree to checkout from (when paths are given). If not specified,
+ the index will be used.
+
<branch>::
- Branch to checkout; may be any object ID that resolves to a
- commit. Defaults to HEAD.
+ Branch to checkout (when no paths are given); may be any object
+ ID that resolves to a commit. Defaults to HEAD.
+
When this parameter names a non-branch (but still a valid commit object),
your HEAD becomes 'detached'.
(`v2.6.18` in the above example).
You can use usual git commands while in this state. You can use
-`git-reset --hard $othercommit` to further move around, for
+`git reset --hard $othercommit` to further move around, for
example. You can make changes and create a new commit on top of
a detached HEAD. You can even create a merge by using `git
merge $othercommit`.
------------
+
<1> switch branch
-<2> take out a file out of other commit
-<3> restore hello.c from HEAD of current branch
+<2> take a file out of another commit
+<3> restore hello.c from the index
+
If you have an unfortunate branch that is named `hello.c`, this
step would be confused as an instruction to switch to that branch.