Branching

Syntax

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>]
git branch [--color[=<when>] | --no-color] [-r | -a] [--list] [-v [--abbrev=<length> | --no-abbrev]] [--column[=<options>] | --no-column] [(--merged | --no-merged | --contains) [<commit>]] [--sort=<key>] [--points-at <object>] [<pattern>…]

Parameter	Details
-d, --delete	Delete a branch. The branch must be fully merged in its upstream branch, or in HEAD if no upstream was set with --track or --set-upstream
-D	Shortcut for --delete --force
-m, --move	Move/rename a branch and the corresponding reflog
-M	Shortcut for --move --force
-r, --remotes	List or delete (if used with -d) the remote-tracking branches
-a, --all	List both remote-tracking branches and local branches
–list	Activate the list mode. git branch <pattern> would try to create a branch, use git branch --list <pattern> to list matching branches
–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 branch points to is not changed

Every git repository has one or more branches. A branch is a named reference to the HEAD of a sequence of commits.

A git repo has a current branch (indicated by a \* in the list of branch names printed by the git branch command), Whenever you create a new commit with the git commit command, your new commit becomes the HEAD of the current branch, and the previous HEAD becomes the parent of the new commit.

A new branch will have the same HEAD as the branch from which it was created until something is committed to the new branch.

Found a mistake? Have a question or improvement idea? Let me know.

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