Unable to checkout branch from master

[sudhakar yala]

After cloning a repo checkout to "X" branch does nothing and it is a valid branch, if i switch to any other branch from master..and then switch to "X" it works but not directly from master.

After running git checkout X, nothing happens and no error.

When we run git branch it still shows master branch.

Need help on this.

[Yann Delanoe]

I had the same issue and the cause was that i had a file that had the same name than my branch on the root of my repo.

So a "git checkout X" command was checkouting the file instead of switching to the branch X.

[Caterina Curti]

Hi @sudhakar yala,

Have you been able to resolve this? If yes, it would be awesome if you could share with us what was happening and how this has been addressed.

Cheers,

Caterina - Atlassian

[Yogesh Mude]

HI @sudhakar yala

Welcome to the community!

As you mentioned in your description, you are in Master branch and running the git checkout X. so here X is nothing but master or any other branch?

"checkout" is the act of switching between different versions of a target entity like a branch, commit, files...

[sudhakar yala]

Hi @Yogesh Mude, Thanks for the reply.

Yes X is another branch not master.

Yes i am unable to switch to X branch from master, however after switching to any other branch and switching back to X branch works fine.

[Yogesh Mude]

It should switch from any branch to any.

Is this X branch is created from bitbucket using create branch or git?

If this X branch is created from Bitbucket server then can you please try to create a new branch using below command from git and try to switch in between.

git checkout -b <branch_name>

[sudhakar yala]

It works fine when we use git checkout -b <branch_name> and able to switch as well, but we do not want to create a new branch, X is existing valid branch, to which we are trying to switch. And we are unable to do so.

[sudhakar yala]

[root@ululinxxx devlabsctl]# git branch -a
  develop
* eof-fix
  master
  remotes/origin/bat-env
  remotes/origin/X

You can see the last line, we are trying to switch to that.

for reference please see below lines.

[root@ululinxxx devlabsctl]# git branch
* master
[root@ululin033 devlabsctl]# git checkout ci
[root@ululin033 devlabsctl]# git branch
* master

[Yogesh Mude]

HI @sudhakar yala

As you are using [root@ululin033 devlabsctl]# git checkout ci...but this ci is not listed in branch list.

[sudhakar yala]

sorry the last line remotes/origin/X=ci, I just replaced it with X

[Yogesh Mude]

HI @sudhakar yala

Its Ok, X branch is remote branch correct?

can you please use the below command and check.

git checkout --track origin/X

[sudhakar yala]

Ok That's intresting it worked.

[root@ululin033 devlabsctl]# git branch
* master
[root@ululin033 devlabsctl]# git checkout ci
[root@ululin033 devlabsctl]# git branch
* master
[root@ululin033 devlabsctl]# git checkout ci
[root@ululin033 devlabsctl]# git branch
* master
[root@ululin033 devlabsctl]# git checkout --track origin/ci
Branch ci set up to track remote branch ci from origin.
Switched to a new branch 'ci'
[root@ululin033 devlabsctl]# git branch
* ci
  master

But now the question is why it did not work the way it should have been and is there any difference if we use git checkout --track origin/ci, instead of git checkout ci.

Will all the commit history be intact.

[Yogesh Mude]

HI @sudhakar yala

I am glad that I helped you to solve your problem.

For more details please have a look at the below article.

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/10002239/difference-between-git-checkout-track-origin-branch-and-git-checkout-b-branch/10002469?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=google_rich_qa&utm_campaign=google_rich_qa

If you feel this answer is helped you to solve your issue then please don't hesitate to accept this answer, It will help others those who will face the same issue in future.

[sudhakar yala]

Hi @Yogesh Mude, Thanks for the reply.

[root@ululin033 devlabsctl]# git checkout --track origin/ci
Branch ci set up to track remote branch ci from origin.
Switched to a new branch 'ci'

We do not want new branch to be created, we already have a remote branch ci, to which it needs to checkout, inspite of that its creating new branch.

[Yogesh Mude]

HI @sudhakar yala

Can you please check the git checkout local documentation using below command..

man git-checkout