[--column[=<options>] | --no-column]
[(--merged | --no-merged | --contains) [<commit>]] [<pattern>...]
'git branch' [--set-upstream | --track | --no-track] [-l] [-f] <branchname> [<start-point>]
+'git branch' (--set-upstream-to=<upstream> | -u <upstream>) [<branchname>]
+'git branch' --unset-upstream [<branchname>]
'git branch' (-m | -M) [<oldbranch>] <newbranch>
'git branch' (-d | -D) [-r] <branchname>...
'git branch' --edit-description [<branchname>]
DESCRIPTION
-----------
-With no arguments, existing branches are listed and the current branch will
-be highlighted with an asterisk. Option `-r` causes the remote-tracking
-branches to be listed, and option `-a` shows both. This list mode is also
-activated by the `--list` option (see below).
-<pattern> restricts the output to matching branches, the pattern is a shell
-wildcard (i.e., matched using fnmatch(3))
-Multiple patterns may be given; if any of them matches, the tag is shown.
+If `--list` is given, or if there are no non-option arguments, existing
+branches are listed; the current branch will be highlighted with an
+asterisk. Option `-r` causes the remote-tracking branches to be listed,
+and option `-a` shows both local and remote branches. If a `<pattern>`
+is given, it is used as a shell wildcard to restrict the output to
+matching branches. If multiple patterns are given, a branch is shown if
+it matches any of the patterns. Note that when providing a
+`<pattern>`, you must use `--list`; otherwise the command is interpreted
+as branch creation.
With `--contains`, shows only the branches that contain the named commit
(in other words, the branches whose tip commits are descendants of the
working tree to it; use "git checkout <newbranch>" to switch to the
new branch.
-When a local branch is started off a remote-tracking branch, git sets up the
+When a local branch is started off a remote-tracking branch, Git sets up the
branch so that 'git pull' will appropriately merge from
the remote-tracking branch. This behavior may be changed via the global
`branch.autosetupmerge` configuration flag. That setting can be
overridden by using the `--track` and `--no-track` options, and
-changed later using `git branch --set-upstream`.
+changed later using `git branch --set-upstream-to`.
-With a
'-m' or '-M' option, <oldbranch> will be renamed to <newbranch>.
+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
specify more than one branch for deletion. If the branch currently
has a reflog then the reflog will also be deleted.
-Use -r together with -d to delete remote-tracking branches. Note, that it
+Use `-r` together with `-d` to delete remote-tracking branches. Note, that it
only makes sense to delete remote-tracking branches if they no longer exist
in the remote repository or if 'git fetch' was configured not to fetch
them again. See also the 'prune' subcommand of linkgit:git-remote[1] for a
use `git branch --list <pattern>` to list matching branches.
-v::
+-vv::
--verbose::
When in list mode,
show sha1 and commit subject line for each head, along with
relationship to upstream branch (if any). If given twice, print
- the name of the upstream branch, as well.
+ the name of the upstream branch, as well (see also `git remote
+ show <remote>`).
+
+-q::
+--quiet::
+ Be more quiet when creating or deleting a branch, suppressing
+ non-error messages.
--abbrev=<length>::
Alter the sha1's minimum display length in the output listing.
branch.autosetupmerge configuration variable is true.
--set-upstream::
- If specified branch does not exist yet or if '--force' has been
- given, acts exactly like '--track'. Otherwise sets up configuration
- like '--track' would when creating the branch, except that where
+ If specified branch does not exist yet or if `--force` has been
+ given, acts exactly like `--track`. Otherwise sets up configuration
+ like `--track` would when creating the branch, except that where
branch points to is not changed.
+-u <upstream>::
+--set-upstream-to=<upstream>::
+ Set up <branchname>'s tracking information so <upstream> is
+ considered <branchname>'s upstream branch. If no <branchname>
+ is specified, then it defaults to the current branch.
+
+--unset-upstream::
+ Remove the upstream information for <branchname>. If no branch
+ is specified it defaults to the current branch.
+
--edit-description::
Open an editor and edit the text to explain what the branch is
for, to be used by various other commands (e.g. `request-pull`).
---contains <commit>::
- Only list branches which contain the specified commit.
+--contains [<commit>]::
+ Only list branches which contain the specified commit (HEAD
+ if not specified). Implies `--list`.
--merged [<commit>]::
Only list branches whose tips are reachable from the
- specified commit (HEAD if not specified).
+ specified commit (HEAD if not specified). Implies `--list`.
--no-merged [<commit>]::
Only list branches whose tips are not reachable from the
- specified commit (HEAD if not specified).
+ specified commit (HEAD if not specified). Implies `--list`.
<branchname>::
The name of the branch to create or delete.