'git checkout' [--patch] [<tree-ish>] [--] <pathspec>...::
- When <paths> or `--patch` are given, 'git checkout' *not* switch
- branches. It updates the named paths in the working tree from
- the index file or from a named <tree-ish> (most often a commit). In
- this case, the `-b` and `--track` options are meaningless and giving
- either of them results in an error. The <tree-ish> argument can be
- used to specify a specific tree-ish (i.e. commit, tag or tree)
- to update the index for the given paths before updating the
- working tree.
+ When <paths> or `--patch` are given, 'git checkout' does *not*
+ switch branches. It updates the named paths in the working tree
+ from the index file or from a named <tree-ish> (most often a
+ commit). In this case, the `-b` and `--track` options are
+ meaningless and giving either of them results in an error. The
+ <tree-ish> argument can be used to specify a specific tree-ish
+ (i.e. commit, tag or tree) to update the index for the given
+ paths before updating the working tree.
+
The index may contain unmerged entries because of a previous failed merge.
By default, if you try to check out such an entry from the index, the
checks out the branch (instead of detaching). You may also specify
`-` which is synonymous with `"@\{-1\}"`.
+
-As a further special case, you may use `"A...B"` as a shortcut for the
+As a further special case, you may use `"A\...B"` as a shortcut for the
merge base of `A` and `B` if there is exactly one merge base. You can
leave out at most one of `A` and `B`, in which case it defaults to `HEAD`.