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[PATCH 3/5] doc: git-checkout: don't use "reset"

From
Julia Evans via GitGitGadget <gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
Date
Aug 25, 2025, 19:08 UTC
Message-ID
<0a3915264bdc613097580be0e041896116df5452.1756148933.git.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To
<pull.1962.git.1756148933.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
From: Julia Evans <julia@jvns.ca>
Many Git users don't know what the term "reset" means. Resolve this by:
- Expanding it into its definition, in one case
- Giving a simpler but still accurate explanation ("the branch will not
  be created or modified"), in the other case
Signed-off-by: Julia Evans <julia@jvns.ca>
---
 Documentation/git-checkout.adoc | 11 +++++------
 1 file changed, 5 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)
diff --git a/Documentation/git-checkout.adoc b/Documentation/git-checkout.adoc
index a3edb95973a2..dc9607d9ea39 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-checkout.adoc
+++ b/Documentation/git-checkout.adoc
@@ -58,18 +58,17 @@ slower than getting the same information from `git status`.
 	`--track` without `-b` implies branch creation; see the
 	description of `--track` below.
 +
-If `-B` is given, _<new-branch>_ is created if it doesn't exist; otherwise, it
-is reset. This is the transactional equivalent of
+If `-B` is given, _<new-branch>_ is created if it doesn't exist;
+otherwise `<new-branch>` is forced to point at the commit. This is the
+transactional equivalent of
 +
 ------------
 $ git branch -f <branch> [<start-point>]
 $ git checkout <branch>
 ------------
 +
-that is to say, the branch is not reset/created unless "git checkout" is
-successful (e.g., when the branch is in use in another worktree, not
-just the current branch stays the same, but the branch is not reset to
-the start-point, either).
+that is, the branch will not be created or modified unless
+`git checkout` is successful.
 
 `git checkout --detach [<branch>]`::
 `git checkout [--detach] <commit>`::
-- 
gitgitgadget
Previous: Julia EvansNext: Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
Message 17 of 68 in “doc: git-checkout: clarify DESCRIPTION section”
  1. 0/5 doc: git-checkout: clarify DESCRIPTION sectionJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 25, 2025
  2. 1/5 doc: git-checkout: clarify introJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 25, 2025
  3. Junio C HamanoAug 26, 2025
  4. Junio C HamanoAug 26, 2025
  5. Julia EvansAug 26, 2025
  6. D. Ben KnobleAug 28, 2025
  7. Julia EvansAug 28, 2025
  8. Junio C HamanoAug 28, 2025
  9. D. Ben KnobleAug 29, 2025
  10. Junio C HamanoAug 29, 2025
  11. D. Ben KnobleSep 3, 2025
  12. 2/5 doc: git-checkout: clarify `git checkout <branch>`Julia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 25, 2025
  13. Junio C HamanoAug 26, 2025
  14. Julia EvansAug 28, 2025
  15. Junio C HamanoAug 28, 2025
  16. Julia EvansAug 28, 2025
  17. 3/5 doc: git-checkout: don't use "reset"Julia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 25, 2025
  18. 4/5 doc: git-checkout: deduplicate --detach explanationJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 25, 2025
  19. 5/5 doc: git-checkout: clarify restoring files sectionJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 25, 2025
  20. Junio C HamanoAug 26, 2025
  21. Julia EvansAug 28, 2025
  22. D. Ben KnobleAug 28, 2025
  23. Julia EvansAug 28, 2025
  24. Junio C HamanoAug 28, 2025
  25. D. Ben KnobleAug 29, 2025
  26. 0/5 doc: git-checkout: clarify DESCRIPTION sectionJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 29, 2025
  27. 1/5 doc: git-checkout: clarify introJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 29, 2025
  28. Junio C HamanoAug 29, 2025
  29. Julia EvansSep 2, 2025
  30. 2/5 doc: git-checkout: clarify `git checkout <branch>`Julia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 29, 2025
  31. Junio C HamanoAug 29, 2025
  32. Julia EvansSep 2, 2025
  33. 3/5 doc: git-checkout: don't use "reset"Julia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 29, 2025
  34. Junio C HamanoAug 29, 2025
  35. Julia EvansSep 1, 2025
  36. Junio C HamanoSep 2, 2025
  37. 4/5 doc: git-checkout: deduplicate --detach explanationJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 29, 2025
  38. 5/5 doc: git-checkout: clarify restoring files sectionJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 29, 2025
  39. 0/6 doc: git-checkout: clarify DESCRIPTION sectionJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 3, 2025
  40. 1/6 doc: git-checkout: clarify introJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 3, 2025
  41. 2/6 doc: git-checkout: clarify `git checkout <branch>`Julia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 3, 2025
  42. 3/6 doc: git-checkout: clarify `-b` and `-B`Julia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 3, 2025
  43. 4/6 doc: git-checkout: deduplicate --detach explanationJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 3, 2025
  44. 5/6 doc: git-checkout: split up restoring files sectionJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 3, 2025
  45. 6/6 doc: git-checkout: clarify restoring files sectionJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 3, 2025
  46. Junio C HamanoSep 3, 2025
  47. Junio C HamanoSep 3, 2025
  48. Julia EvansSep 3, 2025
  49. 0/7 doc: git-checkout: clarify DESCRIPTION sectionJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 10, 2025
  50. 1/7 doc: git-checkout: clarify intro sentenceJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 10, 2025
  51. 2/7 doc: git-checkout: clarify ARGUMENT DISAMBIGUATIONJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 10, 2025
  52. 3/7 doc: git-checkout: clarify `git checkout <branch>`Julia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 10, 2025
  53. 4/7 doc: git-checkout: clarify `-b` and `-B`Julia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 10, 2025
  54. Kristoffer HaugsbakkSep 29, 2025
  55. doc: git-checkout: fix placeholder markupkristofferhaugsbakk@fastmail.com, Oct 2, 2025
  56. doc: git-checkout: fix placeholder markupkristofferhaugsbakk@fastmail.com, Oct 16, 2025
  57. Julia EvansOct 17, 2025
  58. doc: git-checkout: fix placeholder markupkristofferhaugsbakk@fastmail.com, Oct 17, 2025
  59. 5/7 doc: git-checkout: deduplicate --detach explanationJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 10, 2025
  60. 6/7 doc: git-checkout: split up restoring files sectionJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 10, 2025
  61. 7/7 doc: git-checkout: clarify restoring files sectionJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 10, 2025
  62. Ben KnobleSep 11, 2025
  63. Julia EvansSep 12, 2025
  64. Kristoffer HaugsbakkSep 12, 2025
  65. Junio C HamanoSep 15, 2025
  66. Kristoffer HaugsbakkSep 16, 2025
  67. Junio C HamanoSep 12, 2025
  68. Junio C HamanoSep 17, 2025

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