NAME
----
-git-branch - List, create, or delete branches.
+git-branch - List, create, or delete branches
SYNOPSIS
--------
[verse]
-'git-branch' [-r]
-'git-branch' [-f] <branchname> [<start-point>]
-'git-branch' (-d | -D) <branchname>...
+'git-branch' [--color | --no-color] [-r | -a]
+ [-v [--abbrev=<length> | --no-abbrev]]
+'git-branch' [--track | --no-track] [-l] [-f] <branchname> [<start-point>]
+'git-branch' (-m | -M) [<oldbranch>] <newbranch>
+'git-branch' (-d | -D) [-r] <branchname>...
DESCRIPTION
-----------
-With no arguments given (or just `-r`) a list of available branches
+With no arguments given a list of existing branches
will be shown, the current branch will be highlighted with an asterisk.
+Option `-r` causes the remote-tracking branches to be listed,
+and option `-a` shows both.
In its second form, a new branch named <branchname> will be created.
It will start out with a head equal to the one given as <start-point>.
If no <start-point> is given, the branch will be created with a head
equal to that of the currently checked out branch.
+When a local branch is started off a remote branch, git can setup the
+branch so that gitlink:git-pull[1] will appropriately merge from that
+remote branch. If this behavior is desired, it is possible to make it
+the default using the global `branch.autosetupmerge` configuration
+flag. Otherwise, it can be chosen per-branch using the `--track`
+and `--no-track` options.
+
+With a '-m' or '-M' option, <oldbranch> will be renamed to <newbranch>.
+If <oldbranch> had a corresponding reflog, it is renamed to match
+<newbranch>, and a reflog entry is created to remember the branch
+renaming. If <newbranch> exists, -M must be used to force the rename
+to happen.
+
With a `-d` or `-D` option, `<branchname>` will be deleted. You may
-specify more than one branch for deletion.
+specify more than one branch for deletion. If the branch currently
+has a ref log then the ref log will also be deleted. Use -r together with -d
+to delete remote-tracking branches.
OPTIONS
-D::
Delete a branch irrespective of its index status.
+-l::
+ Create the branch's ref log. This activates recording of
+ all changes to made the branch ref, enabling use of date
+ based sha1 expressions such as "<branchname>@{yesterday}".
+
-f::
Force the creation of a new branch even if it means deleting
a branch that already exists with the same name.
+-m::
+ Move/rename a branch and the corresponding reflog.
+
+-M::
+ Move/rename a branch even if the new branchname already exists.
+
+--color::
+ Color branches to highlight current, local, and remote branches.
+
+--no-color::
+ Turn off branch colors, even when the configuration file gives the
+ default to color output.
+
-r::
- List only the "remote" branches.
+ List or delete (if used with -d) the remote-tracking branches.
+
+-a::
+ List both remote-tracking branches and local branches.
+
+-v::
+ Show sha1 and commit subject line for each head.
+
+--abbrev=<length>::
+ Alter minimum display length for sha1 in output listing,
+ default value is 7.
+
+--no-abbrev::
+ Display the full sha1s in output listing rather than abbreviating them.
<branchname>::
The name of the branch to create or delete.
+ The new branch name must pass all checks defined by
+ gitlink:git-check-ref-format[1]. Some of these checks
+ may restrict the characters allowed in a branch name.
<start-point>::
The new branch will be created with a HEAD equal to this. It may
be given as a branch name, a commit-id, or a tag. If this option
is omitted, the current branch is assumed.
+<oldbranch>::
+ The name of an existing branch to rename.
+
+<newbranch>::
+ The new name for an existing branch. The same restrictions as for
+ <branchname> applies.
Examples
------------
$ git clone git://git.kernel.org/.../git.git my.git
$ cd my.git
-$ git branch -D todo <1>
+$ git branch -d -r todo html man <1>
+$ git branch -D test <2>
------------
+
-<1> delete todo branch even if the "master" branch does not have all
+<1> delete remote-tracking branches "todo", "html", "man"
+<2> delete "test" branch even if the "master" branch does not have all
commits from todo branch.