If you have just one remote, the easiest way to check out a new branch from the remote is:
# Download a new remote branch named topic and switch to that branch
$ git checkout topic
What above command does includes :
- Fetch “topic” branch from remote
- Set up its upstream branch :
Here the branch “topic” is tracking
/topic
. Thus when you executegit pull
, Git will know where to get update. - Switch to “topic” “branch
Note:
$ git checkout --track origin/topic
does the same thing with$ git checkout topic
if you just have one remote like it is named origin.
--track
sets up which remote branch the new branch is tracking.Here
-b
is ignored, meaning the new branch is derived from the remote branch.
git chekcout
a shortcut. If you have multiple remotes or you want to give a different branch name with the remote one, use the full format which specifies the remote:
# Create a new branch from a remote branch and switch to it.
$ git checkout -b <branch> <remote>/<branch>;
# Examples:
# Create a new branch setupfix from origin/issue13 and switch to setupfix.
$ git checkout -b setupfix origin/issue13