From: "Harald Nordgren via GitGitGadget" <gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
To: git@vger.kernel.org
Cc: Ramsay Jones <ramsay@ramsayjones.plus.com>,
"D. Ben Knoble" <ben.knoble@gmail.com>,
Kristoffer Haugsbakk <kristofferhaugsbakk@fastmail.com>,
Marc Branchaud <marcnarc@gmail.com>,
Harald Nordgren <haraldnordgren@gmail.com>,
Harald Nordgren <haraldnordgren@gmail.com>
Subject: [PATCH v3] checkout: add --fetch to fetch remote before resolving start-point
Date: Sun, 26 Apr 2026 07:24:54 +0000 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <pull.2281.v3.git.git.1777188295021.gitgitgadget@gmail.com> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <pull.2281.v2.git.git.1777140755373.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
From: Harald Nordgren <haraldnordgren@gmail.com>
A common workflow is:
git fetch origin
git checkout -b new_branch origin/some-branch
The first command exists purely so the second sees an up-to-date view
of the remote. If it is forgotten, origin/some-branch points at a stale
commit and the new local branch is created from the wrong start point.
Teach checkout (and switch) a --fetch flag that folds the two steps
into one:
git checkout --fetch -b new_branch origin/some-branch
When --fetch is given and <start-point> is in <remote>/<branch> form,
run "git fetch <remote> <branch>" before resolving the ref. This
narrows the fetch to the requested branch so that other
remote-tracking branches are left untouched -- many tools rely on the
stability of remote-tracking refs between explicit fetches. If
<start-point> is a bare remote name like "origin" (which resolves to
that remote's default branch), "git fetch <remote>" is run instead,
since the target branch is not known up front. Abort the checkout if
the fetch fails.
Also add a checkout.fetch config to enable this by default.
Signed-off-by: Harald Nordgren <haraldnordgren@gmail.com>
---
checkout: add --fetch to fetch remote before resolving start-point
When <start-point> is in <remote>/<branch> form, only fetch that one
branch instead of the whole remote, so unrelated remote-tracking
branches stay stable. The bare-remote form (e.g. "origin") still fetches
everything.
Published-As: https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/releases/tag/pr-git-2281%2FHaraldNordgren%2Fcheckout-fetch-start-point-v3
Fetch-It-Via: git fetch https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git pr-git-2281/HaraldNordgren/checkout-fetch-start-point-v3
Pull-Request: https://github.com/git/git/pull/2281
Range-diff vs v2:
1: 13074c9fea ! 1: df7b63862c checkout: add --fetch to fetch remote before resolving start-point
@@ Commit message
git checkout --fetch -b new_branch origin/some-branch
- When --fetch is given and <start-point> names a configured remote
- (either bare, like "origin", or prefixed, like "origin/foo"), fetch
- that remote before resolving the ref. Abort the checkout if the fetch
- fails.
+ When --fetch is given and <start-point> is in <remote>/<branch> form,
+ run "git fetch <remote> <branch>" before resolving the ref. This
+ narrows the fetch to the requested branch so that other
+ remote-tracking branches are left untouched -- many tools rely on the
+ stability of remote-tracking refs between explicit fetches. If
+ <start-point> is a bare remote name like "origin" (which resolves to
+ that remote's default branch), "git fetch <remote>" is run instead,
+ since the target branch is not known up front. Abort the checkout if
+ the fetch fails.
Also add a checkout.fetch config to enable this by default.
@@ Documentation/git-checkout.adoc: linkgit:git-config[1].
+`--fetch`::
+`--no-fetch`::
-+ If _<start-point>_ names a configured remote -- either bare,
-+ like `origin` (which resolves to the remote's default branch),
-+ or in _<remote>/<branch>_ form -- run `git fetch` on that
-+ remote before resolving _<start-point>_. If the fetch fails,
-+ the checkout is aborted and no local branch is created.
++ If _<start-point>_ refers to a remote-tracking branch, fetch
++ from that remote before resolving it. When _<start-point>_ is
++ in _<remote>/<branch>_ form, only that branch is updated; when
++ it is a bare remote name (e.g. `origin`), the whole remote is
++ fetched. If the fetch fails, the checkout is aborted.
++
+The default behavior can be set via the `checkout.fetch` configuration
+variable.
@@ Documentation/git-switch.adoc: ambiguous but exists on the 'origin' remote. See
+`--fetch`::
+`--no-fetch`::
-+ If _<start-point>_ names a configured remote -- either bare,
-+ like `origin` (which resolves to the remote's default branch),
-+ or in _<remote>/<branch>_ form -- run `git fetch` on that
-+ remote before resolving _<start-point>_. If the fetch fails,
-+ the switch is aborted and no local branch is created.
++ If _<start-point>_ refers to a remote-tracking branch, fetch
++ from that remote before resolving it. When _<start-point>_ is
++ in _<remote>/<branch>_ form, only that branch is updated; when
++ it is a bare remote name (e.g. `origin`), the whole remote is
++ fetched. If the fetch fails, the switch is aborted.
++
+The default behavior can be set via the `checkout.fetch` configuration
+variable.
@@ builtin/checkout.c: struct branch_info {
+ }
+
+ strvec_pushl(&cmd.args, "fetch", remote_name, NULL);
++ if (slash && slash[1])
++ strvec_push(&cmd.args, slash + 1);
+ cmd.git_cmd = 1;
+ free(remote_name);
+ if (run_command(&cmd))
@@ t/t7201-co.sh: test_expect_success 'tracking info copied with autoSetupMerge=inh
+ test_cmp_rev refs/remotes/fetch_upstream/fetch_new HEAD
+'
+
++test_expect_success 'checkout --fetch <remote>/<branch> leaves other tracking branches untouched' '
++ git checkout main &&
++ git -C fetch_upstream checkout -b fetch_target &&
++ test_commit -C fetch_upstream u_target_pre &&
++ git -C fetch_upstream checkout -b fetch_other &&
++ test_commit -C fetch_upstream u_other_pre &&
++ git fetch fetch_upstream &&
++ other_before=$(git rev-parse refs/remotes/fetch_upstream/fetch_other) &&
++ git -C fetch_upstream checkout fetch_target &&
++ test_commit -C fetch_upstream u_target_post &&
++ git -C fetch_upstream checkout fetch_other &&
++ test_commit -C fetch_upstream u_other_post &&
++ git checkout --fetch -b local_target fetch_upstream/fetch_target &&
++ test_cmp_rev refs/remotes/fetch_upstream/fetch_target HEAD &&
++ test "$(git rev-parse refs/remotes/fetch_upstream/fetch_other)" = "$other_before"
++'
++
+test_expect_success 'checkout --fetch with bare remote name fetches the remote' '
+ git checkout main &&
+ git -C fetch_upstream checkout -b fetch_new2 &&
Documentation/config/checkout.adoc | 5 +++
Documentation/git-checkout.adoc | 11 +++++
Documentation/git-switch.adoc | 11 +++++
builtin/checkout.c | 50 +++++++++++++++++++++-
t/t7201-co.sh | 68 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
t/t9902-completion.sh | 1 +
6 files changed, 144 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
diff --git a/Documentation/config/checkout.adoc b/Documentation/config/checkout.adoc
index e35d212969..c95f72b38e 100644
--- a/Documentation/config/checkout.adoc
+++ b/Documentation/config/checkout.adoc
@@ -22,6 +22,11 @@ commands or functionality in the future.
option in `git checkout` and `git switch`. See
linkgit:git-switch[1] and linkgit:git-checkout[1].
+`checkout.fetch`::
+ Provides the default value for the `--fetch` or `--no-fetch`
+ option in `git checkout` and `git switch`. See
+ linkgit:git-switch[1] and linkgit:git-checkout[1].
+
`checkout.workers`::
The number of parallel workers to use when updating the working tree.
The default is one, i.e. sequential execution. If set to a value less
diff --git a/Documentation/git-checkout.adoc b/Documentation/git-checkout.adoc
index 43ccf47cf6..f5cc1ced74 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-checkout.adoc
+++ b/Documentation/git-checkout.adoc
@@ -201,6 +201,17 @@ linkgit:git-config[1].
The default behavior can be set via the `checkout.guess` configuration
variable.
+`--fetch`::
+`--no-fetch`::
+ If _<start-point>_ refers to a remote-tracking branch, fetch
+ from that remote before resolving it. When _<start-point>_ is
+ in _<remote>/<branch>_ form, only that branch is updated; when
+ it is a bare remote name (e.g. `origin`), the whole remote is
+ fetched. If the fetch fails, the checkout is aborted.
++
+The default behavior can be set via the `checkout.fetch` configuration
+variable.
+
`-l`::
Create the new branch's reflog; see linkgit:git-branch[1] for
details.
diff --git a/Documentation/git-switch.adoc b/Documentation/git-switch.adoc
index 87707e9265..29743bafea 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-switch.adoc
+++ b/Documentation/git-switch.adoc
@@ -110,6 +110,17 @@ ambiguous but exists on the 'origin' remote. See also
The default behavior can be set via the `checkout.guess` configuration
variable.
+`--fetch`::
+`--no-fetch`::
+ If _<start-point>_ refers to a remote-tracking branch, fetch
+ from that remote before resolving it. When _<start-point>_ is
+ in _<remote>/<branch>_ form, only that branch is updated; when
+ it is a bare remote name (e.g. `origin`), the whole remote is
+ fetched. If the fetch fails, the switch is aborted.
++
+The default behavior can be set via the `checkout.fetch` configuration
+variable.
+
`-f`::
`--force`::
An alias for `--discard-changes`.
diff --git a/builtin/checkout.c b/builtin/checkout.c
index e031e61886..8d810fe2fa 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 fetch;
int discard_changes;
int accept_ref;
int accept_pathspec;
@@ -112,6 +115,36 @@ 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);
+ if (slash && slash[1])
+ strvec_push(&cmd.args, slash + 1);
+ 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 +1270,10 @@ 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.fetch")) {
+ opts->fetch = git_config_bool(var, value);
+ return 0;
+ }
if (starts_with(var, "submodule."))
return git_default_submodule_config(var, value, NULL);
@@ -1942,8 +1979,13 @@ 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->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 +2094,8 @@ 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.fetch,
+ N_("fetch from the remote first if <start-point> is a remote-tracking branch")),
OPT_END()
};
@@ -2102,6 +2146,8 @@ 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.fetch,
+ N_("fetch from the remote first if <start-point> is a remote-tracking branch")),
OPT_END()
};
diff --git a/t/t7201-co.sh b/t/t7201-co.sh
index 9bcf7c0b40..cf2ceb4052 100755
--- a/t/t7201-co.sh
+++ b/t/t7201-co.sh
@@ -801,4 +801,72 @@ 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 <remote>/<branch> leaves other tracking branches untouched' '
+ git checkout main &&
+ git -C fetch_upstream checkout -b fetch_target &&
+ test_commit -C fetch_upstream u_target_pre &&
+ git -C fetch_upstream checkout -b fetch_other &&
+ test_commit -C fetch_upstream u_other_pre &&
+ git fetch fetch_upstream &&
+ other_before=$(git rev-parse refs/remotes/fetch_upstream/fetch_other) &&
+ git -C fetch_upstream checkout fetch_target &&
+ test_commit -C fetch_upstream u_target_post &&
+ git -C fetch_upstream checkout fetch_other &&
+ test_commit -C fetch_upstream u_other_post &&
+ git checkout --fetch -b local_target fetch_upstream/fetch_target &&
+ test_cmp_rev refs/remotes/fetch_upstream/fetch_target HEAD &&
+ test "$(git rev-parse refs/remotes/fetch_upstream/fetch_other)" = "$other_before"
+'
+
+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.fetch=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.fetch=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
next prev parent reply other threads:[~2026-04-26 7:24 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 35+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
2026-04-24 10:03 [PATCH] checkout: add --fetch to fetch remote before resolving start-point Harald Nordgren via GitGitGadget
2026-04-24 13:48 ` 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 ` Harald Nordgren via GitGitGadget [this message]
2026-04-26 15:54 ` [PATCH v3] " 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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