SEforSDL

Branches can be renamed, for example, to fix a mistake in the branch name.

This lesson covers that part.

Local branches can be renamed easily. Renaming a branch simply changes the branch reference (i.e., the name used to identify the branch) — it is just a cosmetic change.

HANDS-ON: Rename local branches

First, create the repo samplerepo-books for this hands-on practical, by running the following commands in your terminal.

mkdir samplerepo-books
cd samplerepo-books
git init
echo "Horror Stories" >> horror.txt
git add .
git commit -m "Add horror.txt"
git switch -c textbooks
echo "Textbooks" >> textbooks.txt
git add .
git commit -m "Add textbooks.txt"
git switch -c fantasy master
echo "Fantasy Books" >> fantasy.txt
git add .
git commit -m "Add fantasy.txt"
git checkout master
git merge --no-ff -m "Merge branch textbooks" textbooks

The above should give you a repo similar to the revision graph given below, on the left.

gitGraph BT:
    %%{init: { 'theme': 'default', 'gitGraph': {'mainBranchName': 'master'}} }%%
    commit id: "m1"
    branch textbooks
    checkout textbooks
    commit id: "[textbooks] t1"
    checkout master
    branch fantasy
    checkout fantasy
    commit id: "[fantasy] f1"
    checkout master
    merge textbooks id: "[HEAD → master] mc1"

→
[rename branches]

gitGraph BT:
    %%{init: { 'theme': 'default', 'gitGraph': {'mainBranchName': 'master'}} }%%
    commit id: "m1"
    branch study-books
    checkout study-books
    commit id: "[study-books] t1"
    checkout master
    branch fantasy-books
    checkout fantasy-books
    commit id: "[fantasy-books] f1"
    checkout master
    merge study-books id: "[HEAD → master] mc1"

Now, rename the fantasy branch to fantasy-books. Similarly, rename textbooks branch to study-books. The outcome should be similar to the revision graph above, on the right.

CLI

To rename a branch, use the git branch -m <current-name> <new-name> command (-m stands for 'move'):

git branch -m fantasy fantasy-books
git branch -m textbooks study-books
git log --one-line --decorate --graph --all  # verify the changes

⤷

*   443132a (HEAD -> master) Merge branch textbooks
|\
| * 4969163 (study-books) Add textbooks.txt
|/
| * 0586ee1 (fantasy-books) Add fantasy.txt
|/
* 7f28f0e Add horror.txt

Note these additional switches to the log command:

--all: Shows all branches, not just the current branch.
--graph: Shows a graph-like visualisation (notice how * is used to indicate a commit, and branches are indicated using vertical lines.

Sourcetree

Right-click on the branch name and choose Rename.... Provide the new branch name in the next dialog.

Software Engineering for Self-Directed Learners »

Renaming Branches