be named. If `:`<dst> is omitted, the same ref as <src> will be
updated.
+
-The object referenced by <src> is used to fast forward the ref <dst>
-on the remote side. If the optional leading plus `{plus}` is used, the
-remote ref is updated even if it does not result in a fast forward
-update.
+The object referenced by <src> is used to update the <dst> reference
+on the remote side, but by default this is only allowed if the
+update can fast forward <dst>. By having the optional leading `{plus}`,
+you can tell git to update the <dst> ref even when the update is not a
+fast forward. This does *not* attempt to merge <src> into <dst>. See
+EXAMPLES below for details.
+
`tag <tag>` means the same as `refs/tags/<tag>:refs/tags/<tag>`.
+
Pushing an empty <src> allows you to delete the <dst> ref from
the remote repository.
+
-The special refspec `:` (or `+:` to allow non-fast forward updates)
+The special refspec `:` (or `{plus}:` to allow non-fast forward updates)
directs git to push "matching" branches: for every branch that exists on
the local side, the remote side is updated if a branch of the same name
already exists on the remote side. This is the default operation mode
Find a ref that matches `experimental` in the `origin` repository
(e.g. `refs/heads/experimental`), and delete it.
+git push origin {plus}dev:master::
+ Update the origin repository's master branch with the dev branch,
+ allowing non-fast forward updates. *This can leave unreferenced
+ commits dangling in the origin repository.* Consider the
+ following situation, where a fast forward is not possible:
++
+----
+ o---o---o---A---B origin/master
+ \
+ X---Y---Z dev
+----
++
+The above command would change the origin repository to
++
+----
+ A---B (unnamed branch)
+ /
+ o---o---o---X---Y---Z master
+----
++
+Commits A and B would no longer belong to a branch with a symbolic name,
+and so would be unreachable. As such, these commits would be removed by
+a `git gc` command on the origin repository.
+
Author
------