How to Rename a Git Branch

Knowing how to rename a branch in Git is a handy skill. You may be one of the rare people who has an unshakeable plan of what your branch names should be from the get-go, but for most developers, renaming is a frequent task.

But how exactly do you rename a branch on Git? This article will explain everything you need to know.

Step-by-Step Instructions to Rename a Local Git Branch

How you rename your branch depends on what you’re currently doing. If you’re on the branch you want to rename, follow these steps:

1. Open the Terminal.
2. Type git branch -m new-name, replacing “new-name” with the name you wish the branch to have.
   

If you aren’t on the branch you want to rename, there’s an extra line to add:

1. Open the Terminal.
2. Type git branch -m old-name new-name, replacing “old-name” with the current name and “new-name” with the new name.
   

Handling Remote Branches

After renaming your branch locally, if you’ve pushed it to a remote repository, you’ll need to update things there, too.

1. Delete the old branch from the remote. Type git push origin –delete old-name in your Terminal.
   
2. Then, push the new branch name with git push origin -u new-name.
   

Alternative Renaming Methods

The above renaming method is the most popular way to rename a branch. But there are some alternatives.

Using Git GUI Tools

Using the Terminal isn’t a significant challenge, but if you’re not a fan of the command line, many graphical user interface (GUI) tools for Git let you rename branches with a few clicks. Tools like GitKraken, SourceTree, or the GitHub Desktop app have intuitive interfaces for managing branches, including renaming them.

Renaming Branches in Online Repositories

For branches that are already pushed to online repositories, platforms like GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket also let you rename branches within a GUI directly through their web interfaces. If you’re away from your local development environment but still want to rename a branch quickly or just prefer the visual route, this is undoubtedly the way forward.

Scripting and Automation

For those into scripting, not just for their projects but for Git itself, you can write simple shell scripts to automate renaming. That’s especially useful if you’re dealing with multiple branches or repositories at once. However, do note that this is a more advanced way to rename branches, and you need a good understanding of shell scripting and Git commands.

If you’re comfortable with scripting and have a good grip on Git commands, however, automating branch renaming is a massive time-saver, especially when juggling multiple branches or repositories.

Here’s an example:

1. Open a text editor. You can use any text editor you like – Visual Studio Code, Atom, or even good old Notepad.
   
2. At the top of your script file, write #!/bin/bash. This line tells your system that the script should be run in the Bash shell.
   
3. Start your script by defining variables for the old and new branch names. For example:
   old_branch=”old-branch-name” new_branch=”new-branch-name”
   
4. Use the Git commands for renaming a branch using the variables you just defined. Like:
   git branch -m $old_branch $new_branch git push origin :$old_branch git push –set-upstream origin $new_branch
   
5. Save your script with a .sh extension, like rename-branch.sh.
   
6. To make it executable, open your Terminal and run chmod +x rename-branch.sh.
   
7. Execute your script by typing ./rename-branch.sh in the Terminal.
   

Once you use these commands, they rename the branch locally, delete the old branch, and push the new branch to the remote.

Using Git Aliases

If you find yourself renaming branches often, you might get considerable mileage out of setting up a Git alias – your own shortcut to extend or simplify Git commands. For example, you could create an alias like “git ren” that executes the “git branch -m” command. This is much faster and easier to remember, saving you plenty of typing. Let’s make an alias that lets you use “git ren” instead of the full “git branch -m” command.

Run this command:

Git config –global alias.ren ‘branch -m’

Instead of typing “git branch -m old-branch new-branch,” you can simply type git ren old-branch new-branch.

This command tells Git to create a global alias named “ren” that will execute “branch -m.” It’s a small change, but it still makes the command easier to remember and faster to type.

The beauty of Git aliases is that you can adjust them however you wish. If there’s a particular Git command you use often, you can create an alias to make it more accessible. Just follow the pattern from above, but instead of “ren” and “branch -m,” insert whichever other alias and command you want.

Branch Renaming in Integrated Development Environments (IDEs)

As you may know, many Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) like Visual Studio Code, IntelliJ IDEA, or Eclipse have built-in Git support. This support extends to branch management and renaming. These IDEs often have a more user-friendly way to rename branches within the GUI (similar to some of the tools mentioned earlier) without the command line.

Why Even Rename a Branch?

Renaming a branch might seem like a small thing, but it can make a big difference. At its core is clarity and interpretation.

For instance, you might’ve started with a branch for which you gave a placeholder name, “new-feature.” At the time, this might’ve seemed enough because you weren’t sure exactly how the feature would develop. But as the project evolved, it turned into something more specific, like adding a new payment gateway. Renaming it to “add-stripe-integration” instantly tells everyone what’s going on in that branch.

It’s a mini-bulletin board that broadcasts the branch’s purpose. It could also help in tracking progress and organizing work, especially when you’re handling multiple branches.

Best Practices for Branch Naming

While you’re at it, let’s talk about naming branches in general. You want something descriptive but not a novel, a name that hits the sweet spot between informative and concise. If you’re creating a label for a file folder – you want anyone who picks it up to know what’s inside without reading a whole sentence. Names like “fix-login-issue” or “enhance-image-upload” work great. Meanwhile, “login” or “fixed-login-issue-with-2fa-no-password-credentials” may be too little or too much. A good name tells you exactly what’s in the box without opening it. Keep it simple and descriptive to make life easier for everyone on the team.

A Word of Caution

A little heads-up about renaming branches in the remote server. Since you’re sharing your work with a team, it can be like rearranging the furniture in a shared office. If you do it without telling anyone, you’re going to have some confused (and possibly annoyed) teammates. Renaming branches that others are actively using can throw a wrench in their workflow. Always communicate with your team before you make the switch. It can save a lot of headaches and keep the coding harmony alive.

Branching Out With Clever Names

Renaming a branch in Git is easy once you know how. It’s a small tool in your Git arsenal but a mighty one for keeping your projects tidy and understandable. Just practice common sense and make your names descriptive but simple enough to grasp with a cursory glance.

Have you ever had some branch-naming conundrums? Do you always have a plan for what to name your Git branches? Let us know in the comments section.