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From: "Harald Nordgren via GitGitGadget" <gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
To: git@vger.kernel.org
Cc: Harald Nordgren <haraldnordgren@gmail.com>,
	Harald Nordgren <haraldnordgren@gmail.com>
Subject: [PATCH] checkout: add --fetch to fetch remote before resolving start-point
Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2026 10:03:11 +0000	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <pull.2281.git.git.1777024991531.gitgitgadget@gmail.com> (raw)

From: Harald Nordgren <haraldnordgren@gmail.com>

Add a --fetch option to git checkout and git switch, plus a
checkout.autoFetch config to enable it by default. When set and the
start-point argument names a configured remote (either bare, like
"origin", or prefixed, like "origin/foo"), fetch that remote before
resolving the ref. Aborts the checkout if the fetch fails.

Signed-off-by: Harald Nordgren <haraldnordgren@gmail.com>
---
    checkout: add --fetch to fetch remote before resolving start-point
    
    A workflow I run several times a day looks like:
    
    git fetch origin
    git checkout -b new_branch origin/some-branch
    
    
    The first command exists purely to make the second one see an up-to-date
    view of the remote. If I forget it, origin/some-branch points at a stale
    commit, and I end up creating a local branch from the wrong starting
    point.
    
    This series teaches git checkout (and git switch) a new --fetch flag
    that folds the two steps into one:
    
    git checkout --fetch -b new_branch origin/some-branch
    
    
    When the start-point argument names a configured remote — either bare
    (origin, which resolves to the remote's default branch) or in / form —
    git fetch is run before the start-point is resolved. If the fetch fails,
    the checkout aborts and no local branch is created.
    
    A new checkout.autoFetch config option enables the same behavior by
    default, for users who always want it.

Published-As: https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/releases/tag/pr-git-2281%2FHaraldNordgren%2Fcheckout-fetch-start-point-v1
Fetch-It-Via: git fetch https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git pr-git-2281/HaraldNordgren/checkout-fetch-start-point-v1
Pull-Request: https://github.com/git/git/pull/2281

 builtin/checkout.c    | 48 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++--
 t/t7201-co.sh         | 51 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 t/t9902-completion.sh |  1 +
 3 files changed, 98 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/builtin/checkout.c b/builtin/checkout.c
index e031e61886..c8fbc4923b 100644
--- a/builtin/checkout.c
+++ b/builtin/checkout.c
@@ -30,7 +30,9 @@
 #include "repo-settings.h"
 #include "resolve-undo.h"
 #include "revision.h"
+#include "run-command.h"
 #include "setup.h"
+#include "strvec.h"
 #include "submodule.h"
 #include "symlinks.h"
 #include "trace2.h"
@@ -61,6 +63,7 @@ struct checkout_opts {
 	int count_checkout_paths;
 	int overlay_mode;
 	int dwim_new_local_branch;
+	int auto_fetch;
 	int discard_changes;
 	int accept_ref;
 	int accept_pathspec;
@@ -112,6 +115,34 @@ struct branch_info {
 	char *checkout;
 };
 
+static void fetch_remote_for_start_point(const char *arg)
+{
+	const char *slash;
+	char *remote_name;
+	struct remote *remote;
+	struct child_process cmd = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
+
+	if (!arg || !*arg)
+		return;
+
+	slash = strchr(arg, '/');
+	if (slash == arg)
+		return;
+	remote_name = slash ? xstrndup(arg, slash - arg) : xstrdup(arg);
+
+	remote = remote_get(remote_name);
+	if (!remote || !remote_is_configured(remote, 1)) {
+		free(remote_name);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	strvec_pushl(&cmd.args, "fetch", remote_name, NULL);
+	cmd.git_cmd = 1;
+	free(remote_name);
+	if (run_command(&cmd))
+		die(_("failed to fetch start-point '%s'"), arg);
+}
+
 static void branch_info_release(struct branch_info *info)
 {
 	free(info->name);
@@ -1237,6 +1268,10 @@ static int git_checkout_config(const char *var, const char *value,
 		opts->dwim_new_local_branch = git_config_bool(var, value);
 		return 0;
 	}
+	if (!strcmp(var, "checkout.autofetch")) {
+		opts->auto_fetch = git_config_bool(var, value);
+		return 0;
+	}
 
 	if (starts_with(var, "submodule."))
 		return git_default_submodule_config(var, value, NULL);
@@ -1942,8 +1977,13 @@ static int checkout_main(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 			opts->dwim_new_local_branch &&
 			opts->track == BRANCH_TRACK_UNSPECIFIED &&
 			!opts->new_branch;
-		int n = parse_branchname_arg(argc, argv, dwim_ok, which_command,
-					     &new_branch_info, opts, &rev);
+		int n;
+
+		if (opts->auto_fetch)
+			fetch_remote_for_start_point(argv[0]);
+
+		n = parse_branchname_arg(argc, argv, dwim_ok, which_command,
+					 &new_branch_info, opts, &rev);
 		argv += n;
 		argc -= n;
 	} else if (!opts->accept_ref && opts->from_treeish) {
@@ -2052,6 +2092,8 @@ int cmd_checkout(int argc,
 		OPT_BOOL(0, "overlay", &opts.overlay_mode, N_("use overlay mode (default)")),
 		OPT_BOOL(0, "auto-advance", &opts.auto_advance,
 			 N_("auto advance to the next file when selecting hunks interactively")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "fetch", &opts.auto_fetch,
+			 N_("fetch from the remote first if <start-point> is a remote-tracking ref")),
 		OPT_END()
 	};
 
@@ -2102,6 +2144,8 @@ int cmd_switch(int argc,
 			 N_("second guess 'git switch <no-such-branch>'")),
 		OPT_BOOL(0, "discard-changes", &opts.discard_changes,
 			 N_("throw away local modifications")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "fetch", &opts.auto_fetch,
+			 N_("fetch from the remote first if <start-point> is a remote-tracking ref")),
 		OPT_END()
 	};
 
diff --git a/t/t7201-co.sh b/t/t7201-co.sh
index 9bcf7c0b40..60ddebd9c3 100755
--- a/t/t7201-co.sh
+++ b/t/t7201-co.sh
@@ -801,4 +801,55 @@ test_expect_success 'tracking info copied with autoSetupMerge=inherit' '
 	test_cmp_config "" --default "" branch.main2.merge
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'setup upstream for --fetch tests' '
+	git checkout main &&
+	git init fetch_upstream &&
+	test_commit -C fetch_upstream u_main &&
+	git remote add fetch_upstream fetch_upstream &&
+	git fetch fetch_upstream &&
+	git -C fetch_upstream checkout -b fetch_new &&
+	test_commit -C fetch_upstream u_new
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'checkout --fetch -b picks up branch created upstream after clone' '
+	git checkout main &&
+	test_must_fail git rev-parse --verify refs/remotes/fetch_upstream/fetch_new &&
+	git checkout --fetch -b local_new fetch_upstream/fetch_new &&
+	test_cmp_rev refs/remotes/fetch_upstream/fetch_new HEAD
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'checkout --fetch with bare remote name fetches the remote' '
+	git checkout main &&
+	git -C fetch_upstream checkout -b fetch_new2 &&
+	test_commit -C fetch_upstream u_new2 &&
+	test_must_fail git rev-parse --verify refs/remotes/fetch_upstream/fetch_new2 &&
+	git checkout --fetch -b local_from_remote fetch_upstream &&
+	git rev-parse --verify refs/remotes/fetch_upstream/fetch_new2
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'checkout --fetch aborts and does not create branch on fetch failure' '
+	git checkout main &&
+	test_might_fail git branch -D bogus &&
+	test_must_fail git checkout --fetch -b bogus fetch_upstream/does_not_exist &&
+	test_must_fail git rev-parse --verify refs/heads/bogus
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'checkout.autoFetch=true enables fetching without --fetch' '
+	git checkout main &&
+	git -C fetch_upstream checkout -b fetch_cfg &&
+	test_commit -C fetch_upstream u_cfg &&
+	test_must_fail git rev-parse --verify refs/remotes/fetch_upstream/fetch_cfg &&
+	git -c checkout.autoFetch=true checkout -b local_cfg fetch_upstream/fetch_cfg &&
+	test_cmp_rev refs/remotes/fetch_upstream/fetch_cfg HEAD
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'switch --fetch -c picks up branch created upstream after clone' '
+	git checkout main &&
+	git -C fetch_upstream checkout -b fetch_switch &&
+	test_commit -C fetch_upstream u_switch &&
+	test_must_fail git rev-parse --verify refs/remotes/fetch_upstream/fetch_switch &&
+	git switch --fetch -c local_switch fetch_upstream/fetch_switch &&
+	test_cmp_rev refs/remotes/fetch_upstream/fetch_switch HEAD
+'
+
 test_done
diff --git a/t/t9902-completion.sh b/t/t9902-completion.sh
index 2f9a597ec7..dc1d63669f 100755
--- a/t/t9902-completion.sh
+++ b/t/t9902-completion.sh
@@ -2602,6 +2602,7 @@ test_expect_success 'double dash "git checkout"' '
 	--ignore-other-worktrees Z
 	--recurse-submodules Z
 	--auto-advance Z
+	--fetch Z
 	--progress Z
 	--guess Z
 	--no-guess Z

base-commit: 94f057755b7941b321fd11fec1b2e3ca5313a4e0
-- 
gitgitgadget

             reply	other threads:[~2026-04-24 10:03 UTC|newest]

Thread overview: 35+ messages / expand[flat|nested]  mbox.gz  Atom feed  top
2026-04-24 10:03 Harald Nordgren via GitGitGadget [this message]
2026-04-24 13:48 ` [PATCH] checkout: add --fetch to fetch remote before resolving start-point Ramsay Jones
2026-04-24 17:12 ` D. Ben Knoble
2026-04-25 17:24   ` Comments on Phillip's review Harald Nordgren
2026-04-25 17:44     ` Wrong subject line Harald Nordgren
2026-04-24 17:38 ` [PATCH] checkout: add --fetch to fetch remote before resolving start-point Kristoffer Haugsbakk
2026-04-25 17:41   ` Comments on Phillip's review Harald Nordgren
2026-04-25 17:44     ` Wrong subject line Harald Nordgren
2026-04-26  7:07       ` Kristoffer Haugsbakk
2026-04-26 15:15         ` [PATCH] remote: add --set-head option to 'git remote add' Harald Nordgren
2026-04-24 17:42 ` [PATCH] checkout: add --fetch to fetch remote before resolving start-point Marc Branchaud
2026-04-25 17:48   ` Wrong subject line Harald Nordgren
2026-04-24 22:21 ` [PATCH] checkout: add --fetch to fetch remote before resolving start-point Junio C Hamano
2026-04-25  2:54   ` Junio C Hamano
2026-04-25 17:58     ` Multiple remotes Harald Nordgren
2026-04-25 21:57       ` Ben Knoble
2026-04-25 22:54         ` gh Harald Nordgren
2026-04-25 18:12 ` [PATCH v2] checkout: add --fetch to fetch remote before resolving start-point Harald Nordgren via GitGitGadget
2026-04-26  7:24   ` [PATCH v3] " Harald Nordgren via GitGitGadget
2026-04-26 15:54     ` Ramsay Jones
2026-04-26 18:32     ` [PATCH v4] " Harald Nordgren via GitGitGadget
2026-04-28  1:47       ` Junio C Hamano
2026-04-28  8:44         ` [PATCH] " Harald Nordgren
2026-04-28  9:03       ` [PATCH v5] checkout: extend --track with a "fetch" mode to refresh start-point Harald Nordgren via GitGitGadget
2026-05-03 20:59         ` Junio C Hamano
2026-05-03 22:32           ` [PATCH] checkout: add --autostash option for branch switching Harald Nordgren
2026-05-03 22:31         ` [PATCH v6] checkout: extend --track with a "fetch" mode to refresh start-point Harald Nordgren via GitGitGadget
2026-05-07 20:12           ` Harald Nordgren
2026-05-08 13:15             ` Phillip Wood
2026-05-08 22:40               ` [PATCH] checkout: add --fetch to fetch remote before resolving start-point Harald Nordgren
2026-05-08 22:52           ` [PATCH v7] checkout: extend --track with a "fetch" mode to refresh start-point Harald Nordgren via GitGitGadget
2026-05-11 13:16             ` Phillip Wood
2026-05-11 13:47             ` [PATCH v8] " Harald Nordgren via GitGitGadget
2026-05-12  0:32               ` Junio C Hamano
2026-05-12 10:55               ` [PATCH v9] " Harald Nordgren via GitGitGadget

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