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[PATCH v5 0/2] worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch name

From
Yoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget <gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
Date
Aug 19, 2026, 12:50 UTC
Message-ID
<pull.2197.v5.git.1787143859.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To
<pull.2197.git.1786177301832.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>

'git worktree add ../foo-dir bar-topic' fails to dwim when there are multiple remote branches with name `bar-topic'. But it doesn't display meaningful message as 'git checkout bar-topic' does under the same situation.

We improve this by adding advice and modify the error message for worktree add.

By Junio's suggestion, we include matched remote names in the advice. It is applied to checkout, too.

The changes to 'checkout' are almost identical to what Junio proposed; I have made minor adjustments to use the specified branch name. I'm not sure how to handle the "Author" field in this case, so I've set it to myself for now, but I'll correct it if that's not appropriate.

Yoichi NAKAYAMA (2):
  checkout: improve message for ambiguous remote branch name
  worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch name
 builtin/checkout.c      | 75 ++++++++++++++++++++++++-----------------
 builtin/worktree.c      | 36 ++++++++++++++++++--
 checkout.c              | 14 ++++++--
 checkout.h              |  5 ++-
 t/t2400-worktree-add.sh |  4 +--
 5 files changed, 96 insertions(+), 38 deletions(-)
base-commit: dea0ea3582e6980ddbc1173cc8e3e9f9db91cde0
Published-As: https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/releases/tag/pr-2197%2Fyoichi%2Fimprove-worktree-add-error-message-v5
Fetch-It-Via: git fetch https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git pr-2197/yoichi/improve-worktree-add-error-message-v5
Pull-Request: https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/pull/2197
Range-diff vs v4:
 -:  ---------- > 1:  b838fdabb7 checkout: improve message for ambiguous remote branch name
 1:  f7c413b588 ! 2:  777862235e worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch name
     @@ Commit message
          Signed-off-by: Yoichi NAKAYAMA <yoichi.nakayama@gmail.com>
      
       ## builtin/worktree.c ##
     -@@
     - 	"\n" \
     - 	"    git worktree add --orphan %s\n")
     +@@ builtin/worktree.c: static char *dwim_branch(const char *path, char **new_branch)
     + 	return NULL;
     + }
       
     -+#define WORKTREE_ADD_AMBIGUOUS_REMOTE_BRANCH_NAME_HINT_TEXT \
     -+	_("Matched multiple remote tracking branches, you can list them by:\n" \
     -+	"\n" \
     -+	"    git branch -r --list \"*/%s\"\n" \
     -+	"\n" \
     -+	"If you meant to create a worktree from a remote tracking branch on,\n" \
     -+	"e.g. 'origin', you can do so by:\n" \
     -+	"\n" \
     -+	"    git worktree add -b %s %s origin/%s\n" \
     -+	"\n" \
     -+	"If you'd like to always prefer some remote, e.g. 'origin',\n" \
     -+	"consider setting checkout.defaultRemote=origin in your config.")
     ++static void advise_ambiguous_remote(const char *path, const char *branch,
     ++				    const struct string_list *matched_remote_names)
     ++{
     ++	struct string_list_item *item;
      +
     - static const char * const git_worktree_usage[] = {
     - 	BUILTIN_WORKTREE_ADD_USAGE,
     - 	BUILTIN_WORKTREE_LIST_USAGE,
     ++	advise(_("Branches with the same name appears in multiple remotes:"));
     ++	for_each_string_list_item(item, matched_remote_names) {
     ++		advise(_("  %s"), item->string);
     ++	}
     ++	advise(_("If you meant to create a worktree from a remote tracking branch on\n"
     ++		 "<remote>, you can do so by:\n"
     ++		 "\n"
     ++		 "    git worktree add -b %s %s <remote>/%s\n"
     ++		 "\n"
     ++		 "If you'd like to always prefer some remote, e.g. 'origin',\n"
     ++		 "consider setting checkout.defaultRemote=origin in your config."),
     ++	       branch, path, branch);
     ++}
     ++
     + static int add(int ac, const char **av, const char *prefix,
     + 	       struct repository *repo UNUSED)
     + {
      @@ builtin/worktree.c: static int add(int ac, const char **av, const char *prefix,
     + 	} else if (ac == 2) {
     + 		struct object_id oid;
     + 		struct commit *commit;
     +-		char *remote;
       
       		commit = lookup_commit_reference_by_name(branch);
       		if (!commit) {
     --			remote = unique_tracking_name(branch, &oid, NULL);
     +-			remote = unique_tracking_name(branch, &oid, NULL, NULL);
     ++			char *remote;
      +			int num_matches = 0;
     -+			remote = unique_tracking_name(branch, &oid, &num_matches);
     ++			struct string_list matched_remote_names = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
     ++
     ++			remote = unique_tracking_name(branch, &oid, &num_matches,
     ++						      &matched_remote_names);
       			if (remote) {
       				new_branch = branch;
       				branch = new_branch_to_free = remote;
      +			} else if (num_matches > 1) {
     -+				if (!opts.quiet)
     -+					advise_if_enabled(ADVICE_CHECKOUT_AMBIGUOUS_REMOTE_BRANCH_NAME,
     -+							  WORKTREE_ADD_AMBIGUOUS_REMOTE_BRANCH_NAME_HINT_TEXT,
     -+							  branch, branch, path, branch);
     ++				if (!opts.quiet &&
     ++				    advice_enabled(ADVICE_CHECKOUT_AMBIGUOUS_REMOTE_BRANCH_NAME))
     ++					advise_ambiguous_remote(path, branch, &matched_remote_names);
      +				die(_("'%s' matched multiple (%d) remote tracking branches"),
      +				    branch, num_matches);
       			}
     ++			string_list_clear(&matched_remote_names, 0);
       		}
       
     + 		if (!strcmp(branch, "HEAD"))
      
       ## t/t2400-worktree-add.sh ##
      @@ t/t2400-worktree-add.sh: test_expect_success '"add" <path> <branch> dwims' '
-- 
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Previous: Yoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadgetNext: Yoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget
Message 23 of 62 in “worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch name”
  1. worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 8, 2026
  2. Junio C HamanoAug 8, 2026
  3. Junio C HamanoAug 8, 2026
  4. Harald NordgrenAug 9, 2026
  5. Junio C HamanoAug 9, 2026
  6. Harald NordgrenAug 10, 2026
  7. Junio C HamanoAug 9, 2026
  8. Yoichi NakayamaAug 10, 2026
  9. Yoichi NakayamaAug 10, 2026
  10. D. Ben KnobleAug 10, 2026
  11. Yoichi NakayamaAug 10, 2026
  12. Junio C HamanoAug 10, 2026
  13. Yoichi NakayamaAug 10, 2026
  14. Ben KnobleAug 11, 2026
  15. Yoichi NakayamaAug 12, 2026
  16. worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 10, 2026
  17. worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 10, 2026
  18. Junio C HamanoAug 11, 2026
  19. Yoichi NakayamaAug 11, 2026
  20. Junio C HamanoAug 12, 2026
  21. Yoichi NakayamaAug 15, 2026
  22. worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 11, 2026
  23. 0/2 worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 19, 2026
  24. 1/2 checkout: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 19, 2026
  25. D. Ben KnobleAug 19, 2026
  26. Junio C HamanoAug 20, 2026
  27. Yoichi NakayamaAug 20, 2026
  28. 2/2 worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 19, 2026
  29. 0/3 worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 20, 2026
  30. 1/3 checkout: extract function to display advice for ambiguous remotesYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 20, 2026
  31. 2/3 checkout: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 20, 2026
  32. 3/3 worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 20, 2026
  33. Junio C HamanoAug 21, 2026
  34. Yoichi NakayamaAug 21, 2026
  35. Junio C HamanoAug 21, 2026
  36. Yoichi NakayamaAug 22, 2026
  37. Junio C HamanoAug 22, 2026
  38. Yoichi NakayamaAug 24, 2026
  39. 0/3 worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 22, 2026
  40. 1/3 checkout: extract function to display advice for ambiguous remotesYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 22, 2026
  41. 2/3 checkout: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 22, 2026
  42. 3/3 worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 22, 2026
  43. Junio C HamanoAug 22, 2026
  44. 0/4 worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 25, 2026
  45. 1/4 checkout: extract function to display advice for ambiguous remotesYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 25, 2026
  46. 2/4 checkout: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 25, 2026
  47. 3/4 worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 25, 2026
  48. 4/4 worktree add: treat multiple matches with --guess-remote as an errorYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 25, 2026
  49. Junio C HamanoAug 25, 2026
  50. 0/4 worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 26, 2026
  51. 1/4 checkout: extract function to display advice for ambiguous remotesYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 26, 2026
  52. Junio C HamanoAug 26, 2026
  53. 2/4 checkout: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 26, 2026
  54. Junio C HamanoAug 26, 2026
  55. 3/4 worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 26, 2026
  56. 4/4 worktree add: treat multiple matches with --guess-remote as an errorYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 26, 2026
  57. 0/4 worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 27, 2026
  58. 1/4 checkout: extract function to display advice for ambiguous remotesYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 27, 2026
  59. 2/4 checkout: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 27, 2026
  60. 3/4 worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 27, 2026
  61. 4/4 worktree add: treat multiple matches with --guess-remote as an errorYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 27, 2026
  62. Junio C HamanoAug 27, 2026

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