git change branch name code example

Example 1: git rename branch

git branch -m   # Any Branch
git branch -m  # Current Branch

# For windows if you get "Branch already exists" error
git branch -M 

Example 2: how to rename git branch fro master to main

# Step 1 
# create main branch locally, taking the history from master
git branch -m master main

# Step 2 
# push the new local main branch to the remote repo (GitHub) 
git push -u origin main

# Step 3
# switch the current HEAD to the main branch
git symbolic-ref refs/remotes/origin/HEAD refs/remotes/origin/main

# Step 4
# change the default branch on GitHub to main
# https://docs.github.com/en/github/administering-a-repository/setting-the-default-branch

# Step 5
# delete the master branch on the remote
git push origin --delete master

Example 3: git rename remote branch

# Rename the local branch to the new name
git branch -m  

# Delete the old branch on remote - where  is, for example, origin
git push  --delete 

# Or shorter way to delete remote branch [:]
git push  :

# Push the new branch to remote
git push  

# Reset the upstream branch for the new_name local branch
git push  -u 

Example 4: rename branch git

git branch -m 

Example 5: git rename local branch

git branch -m  

Example 6: git change branch name

git branch –m old-name new-name