Git – How to create a remote Git branch

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I created a local branch which I want to 'push' upstream. There is a similar question here on Stack Overflow on how to track a newly created remote branch.

However, my workflow is slightly different. First I want to create a local branch, and I will only push it upstream when I'm satisfied and want to share my branch.

  • How would I do that? (my google searches did not seem to come up with anything).
  • How would I tell my colleagues to pull it from the upstream repository?

UPDATE With Git 2.0 there is a simpler answer I have written below: https://stackoverflow.com/a/27185855/109305

Best Answer

First, you create your branch locally:

git checkout -b <branch-name> # Create a new branch and check it out

The remote branch is automatically created when you push it to the remote server. So when you feel ready for it, you can do:

git push <remote-name> <branch-name>

Where <remote-name> is typically origin, the name which git gives to the remote you cloned from. Your colleagues would then just pull that branch, and it's automatically created locally.

Note however that formally, the format is:

git push <remote-name> <local-branch-name>:<remote-branch-name>

But when you omit one, it assumes both branch names are the same. Having said this, as a word of caution, do not make the critical mistake of specifying only :<remote-branch-name> (with the colon), or the remote branch will be deleted!

So that a subsequent git pull will know what to do, you might instead want to use:

git push --set-upstream <remote-name> <local-branch-name>

As described below, the --set-upstream option sets up an upstream branch:

For every branch that is up to date or successfully pushed, add upstream (tracking) reference, used by argument-less git-pull(1) and other commands.

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