NAME
----
-git-branch - Create a new branch, or remove an old one
+git-branch - List, create, or delete branches.
SYNOPSIS
--------
-'git-branch' [(-d | -D) <branchname>] | [[-f] <branchname> [<start-point>]]
+[verse]
+'git-branch' [-r]
+'git-branch' [-l] [-f] <branchname> [<start-point>]
+'git-branch' (-d | -D) <branchname>...
DESCRIPTION
-----------
-If no argument is provided, show available branches and mark current
-branch with star. Otherwise, create a new branch of name <branchname>.
+With no arguments given (or just `-r`) a list of available branches
+will be shown, the current branch will be highlighted with an asterisk.
+
+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.
+
+With a `-d` or `-D` option, `<branchname>` will be deleted. You may
+specify more than one branch for deletion. If the branch currently
+has a ref log then the ref log will also be deleted.
-If a starting point is also specified, that will be where the branch is
-created, otherwise it will be created at the current HEAD.
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 a reset of <branchname> to <start-point> (or current head).
+ Force the creation of a new branch even if it means deleting
+ a branch that already exists with the same name.
+
+-r::
+ List only the "remote" branches.
<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>::
- Where to create the branch; defaults to HEAD. This
- option has no meaning with -d and -D.
+ 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.
+
Examples
-~~~~~~~~
+--------
-Start development off of a know tag::
+Start development off of 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 branch my2.6.14 v2.6.14 <1>
$ git checkout my2.6.14
-
-<1> These two steps are the same as "checkout -b my2.6.14 v2.6.14".
------------
++
+<1> This step and the next one could be combined into a single step with
+"checkout -b my2.6.14 v2.6.14".
Delete unneeded branch::
+
------------
$ git clone git://git.kernel.org/.../git.git my.git
$ cd my.git
-$ git branch -D todo <1>
-
+$ git branch -D todo <1>
+------------
++
<1> delete todo branch even if the "master" branch does not have all
commits from todo branch.
-------------
+
+
+Notes
+-----
+
+If you are creating a branch that you want to immediately checkout, it's
+easier to use the git checkout command with its `-b` option to create
+a branch and check it out with a single command.
+
Author
------