'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
"--track" in linkgit:git-branch[1] for details.
+
If no '-b' option is given, the name of the new branch will be
-derived from the remote branch. If "remotes/" or "refs/remotes/"
+derived from the remote-tracking branch. If "remotes/" or "refs/remotes/"
is prefixed it is stripped away, and then the part up to the
next slash (which would be the nickname of the remote) is removed.
This would tell us to use "hack" as the local branch when branching
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`.