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Branch

The branch git command allows for you to manipulate and view information about existing git branches in the local repository

Get names of branches and see which is active​

To get the names of all branches in the local repository simply use the git branch command as seen below:

$ git branch
  01-github-guidelines
* 02-git-commands
  main

As can be seen it names the three branches of the local repository and also places an asterisk next to the branch that is currently active.

Rename a local branch​

There may be a situation where the name of a branch needs to be changed; in this situation you can include the -m flag in order to change the name of the current branch:

git branch -m <new-branch-name>

An example is shown below where the branch previously named rename-me is changed to new-name

$ git branch
  01-github-guidelines
  02-git-commands
  main
* rename-me

$ git branch -m new-name

$ git branch
  01-github-guidelines
  02-git-commands
  main
* new-name

Delete a local branch​

To delete a no longer needed local branch from your local repository use the -d flag followed by the name of the branch to delete:

$ git branch
  01-github-guidelines
* 02-git-commands
  main
  new-name

$ git branch -d new-name
Deleted branch new-name (was 68561b7).

$ git branch
  01-github-guidelines
* 02-git-commands
  main

NOTE: You may want to retain old branches for some time after they seem to no longer be needed to make sure that deleting them is ok to do.