Git Best Practices Guide

Tracking branches

With Git, a branch can track another branch. This allows you to use the commands pull and push, without specifying the branch and repository.

For example, if you clone a Git repository, your local master branch is created as a tracking branch for the master branch of the origin repository.

To set up a tracking branch, execute this:

Jim@local:~/webproject$ git checkout -b new_branch origin/branch_to_track
#Or you can use this
Jim@local:~/webproject$ git branch new_branch origin/master
Jim@local:~/webproject$ git branch --track new_branch origin/master

Similarly, you can specify to not track a remote branch:

Jim@local:~/webproject$ git branch --no-track new_branch origin/master
#You can later update this branch and track origin/master ...