Make an existing Git branch track a remote branch?

Question

I know how to make a new branch that tracks remote branches, but how do I make an existing branch track a remote branch?

I know I can just edit the

Answer 1

For anyone who, like me, just wants to sync up your local branch name with the remote branch name, here's a handy command:

git branch -u origin/$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)

Answer 2

I use the following command (Suppose your local branch name is "branch-name-local" and remote branch name is "branch-name-remote"):

$ git branch --set-upstream-to=origin/branch-name-remote branch-name-local

If both local and remote branches have the same name, then just do the following:

$ git branch --set-upstream-to=origin/branch-name branch-name

Answer 3

Make sure you run :

git config push.default tracking

to be able to push trouble free

Answer 4

1- update your local meta-data using : git fetch --all

2- show your remote and local branches using : git branch -a , see the following Screenshot

3- switch to target branch , that you want to linked with the remote: using

git checkout branchName

example :

4- Link your local branch to a remote branch using:

git branch --set-upstream-to nameOfRemoteBranch

N.B : nameOfRemoteBranch : to copy from the output of step 2 " git branch -r "

Example of use:

Answer 5

I believe that in as early as Git 1.5.x you could make a local branch $BRANCH track a remote branch origin/$BRANCH, like this.

Given that $BRANCH and origin/$BRANCH exist, and you've not currently checked out $BRANCH (switch away if you have), do:

git branch -f --track $BRANCH origin/$BRANCH

This recreates $BRANCH as a tracking branch. The -f forces the creation despite $BRANCH existing already. --track is optional if the usual defaults are in place (that is, the git-config parameter branch.autosetupmerge is true).

Note, if origin/$BRANCH doesn't exist yet, you can create it by pushing your local $BRANCH into the remote repository with:

git push origin $BRANCH

Followed by the previous command to promote the local branch into a tracking branch.

Answer 6

For 1.6.x, it can be done using the git_remote_branch tool:

grb track foo upstream

That will cause Git to make foo track upstream/foo.