[PATCH v2] checkout: add --fetch to fetch remote before resolving start-point
- From
Harald Nordgren via GitGitGadget <gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
- Date
- Apr 25, 2026, 18:12 UTC
- Message-ID
- <pull.2281.v2.git.git.1777140755373.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
- In-Reply-To
- <pull.2281.git.git.1777024991531.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
From: Harald Nordgren <haraldnordgren@gmail.com>
A common workflow is:
git fetch origin
git checkout -b new_branch origin/some-branchThe first command exists purely so the second sees an up-to-date view of the remote. If it is forgotten, origin/some-branch points at a stale commit and the new local branch is created from the wrong start point.
Teach checkout (and switch) a --fetch flag that folds the two steps into one:
git checkout --fetch -b new_branch origin/some-branch
When --fetch is given and <start-point> names a configured remote (either bare, like "origin", or prefixed, like "origin/foo"), fetch that remote before resolving the ref. Abort the checkout if the fetch fails.
Also add a checkout.fetch config to enable this by default.
Signed-off-by: Harald Nordgren <haraldnordgren@gmail.com>
---
checkout: add --fetch to fetch remote before resolving start-point
* Rename the config from checkout.autoFetch to checkout.fetch, so it
matches the --fetch option name.
* Rename the internal struct field from auto_fetch to fetch for
consistency with the option and config names.
* Reword the commit message to lead with the problem (forgetting 'git
fetch' and ending up with a stale start-point) before describing the
solution.
* Document --fetch / --no-fetch in git-checkout and git-switch, and
document checkout.fetch in the config reference.
* Use "remote-tracking branch" instead of "remote-tracking ref" in the
option help text.Published-As: https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/releases/tag/pr-git-2281%2FHaraldNordgren%2Fcheckout-fetch-start-point-v2 Fetch-It-Via: git fetch https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git pr-git-2281/HaraldNordgren/checkout-fetch-start-point-v2 Pull-Request: https://github.com/git/git/pull/2281
Range-diff vs v1:
1: e2fa50ff40 ! 1: 13074c9fea checkout: add --fetch to fetch remote before resolving start-point
@@ Metadata
## Commit message ##
checkout: add --fetch to fetch remote before resolving start-point
- Add a --fetch option to git checkout and git switch, plus a
- checkout.autoFetch config to enable it by default. When set and the
- start-point argument names a configured remote (either bare, like
- "origin", or prefixed, like "origin/foo"), fetch that remote before
- resolving the ref. Aborts the checkout if the fetch fails.
+ A common workflow is:
+
+ git fetch origin
+ git checkout -b new_branch origin/some-branch
+
+ The first command exists purely so the second sees an up-to-date view
+ of the remote. If it is forgotten, origin/some-branch points at a stale
+ commit and the new local branch is created from the wrong start point.
+
+ Teach checkout (and switch) a --fetch flag that folds the two steps
+ into one:
+
+ git checkout --fetch -b new_branch origin/some-branch
+
+ When --fetch is given and <start-point> names a configured remote
+ (either bare, like "origin", or prefixed, like "origin/foo"), fetch
+ that remote before resolving the ref. Abort the checkout if the fetch
+ fails.
+
+ Also add a checkout.fetch config to enable this by default.
Signed-off-by: Harald Nordgren <haraldnordgren@gmail.com>
+ ## Documentation/config/checkout.adoc ##
+@@ Documentation/config/checkout.adoc: commands or functionality in the future.
+ option in `git checkout` and `git switch`. See
+ linkgit:git-switch[1] and linkgit:git-checkout[1].
+
++`checkout.fetch`::
++ Provides the default value for the `--fetch` or `--no-fetch`
++ option in `git checkout` and `git switch`. See
++ linkgit:git-switch[1] and linkgit:git-checkout[1].
++
+ `checkout.workers`::
+ The number of parallel workers to use when updating the working tree.
+ The default is one, i.e. sequential execution. If set to a value less
+
+ ## Documentation/git-checkout.adoc ##
+@@ Documentation/git-checkout.adoc: linkgit:git-config[1].
+ The default behavior can be set via the `checkout.guess` configuration
+ variable.
+
++`--fetch`::
++`--no-fetch`::
++ If _<start-point>_ names a configured remote -- either bare,
++ like `origin` (which resolves to the remote's default branch),
++ or in _<remote>/<branch>_ form -- run `git fetch` on that
++ remote before resolving _<start-point>_. If the fetch fails,
++ the checkout is aborted and no local branch is created.
+++
++The default behavior can be set via the `checkout.fetch` configuration
++variable.
++
+ `-l`::
+ Create the new branch's reflog; see linkgit:git-branch[1] for
+ details.
+
+ ## Documentation/git-switch.adoc ##
+@@ Documentation/git-switch.adoc: ambiguous but exists on the 'origin' remote. See also
+ The default behavior can be set via the `checkout.guess` configuration
+ variable.
+
++`--fetch`::
++`--no-fetch`::
++ If _<start-point>_ names a configured remote -- either bare,
++ like `origin` (which resolves to the remote's default branch),
++ or in _<remote>/<branch>_ form -- run `git fetch` on that
++ remote before resolving _<start-point>_. If the fetch fails,
++ the switch is aborted and no local branch is created.
+++
++The default behavior can be set via the `checkout.fetch` configuration
++variable.
++
+ `-f`::
+ `--force`::
+ An alias for `--discard-changes`.
+
## builtin/checkout.c ##
@@
#include "repo-settings.h"
@@ builtin/checkout.c: struct checkout_opts {
int count_checkout_paths;
int overlay_mode;
int dwim_new_local_branch;
-+ int auto_fetch;
++ int fetch;
int discard_changes;
int accept_ref;
int accept_pathspec;
@@ builtin/checkout.c: static int git_checkout_config(const char *var, const char *
opts->dwim_new_local_branch = git_config_bool(var, value);
return 0;
}
-+ if (!strcmp(var, "checkout.autofetch")) {
-+ opts->auto_fetch = git_config_bool(var, value);
++ if (!strcmp(var, "checkout.fetch")) {
++ opts->fetch = git_config_bool(var, value);
+ return 0;
+ }
@@ builtin/checkout.c: static int checkout_main(int argc, const char **argv, const
- &new_branch_info, opts, &rev);
+ int n;
+
-+ if (opts->auto_fetch)
++ if (opts->fetch)
+ fetch_remote_for_start_point(argv[0]);
+
+ n = parse_branchname_arg(argc, argv, dwim_ok, which_command,
@@ builtin/checkout.c: int cmd_checkout(int argc,
OPT_BOOL(0, "overlay", &opts.overlay_mode, N_("use overlay mode (default)")),
OPT_BOOL(0, "auto-advance", &opts.auto_advance,
N_("auto advance to the next file when selecting hunks interactively")),
-+ OPT_BOOL(0, "fetch", &opts.auto_fetch,
-+ N_("fetch from the remote first if <start-point> is a remote-tracking ref")),
++ OPT_BOOL(0, "fetch", &opts.fetch,
++ N_("fetch from the remote first if <start-point> is a remote-tracking branch")),
OPT_END()
};
@@ builtin/checkout.c: int cmd_switch(int argc,
N_("second guess 'git switch <no-such-branch>'")),
OPT_BOOL(0, "discard-changes", &opts.discard_changes,
N_("throw away local modifications")),
-+ OPT_BOOL(0, "fetch", &opts.auto_fetch,
-+ N_("fetch from the remote first if <start-point> is a remote-tracking ref")),
++ OPT_BOOL(0, "fetch", &opts.fetch,
++ N_("fetch from the remote first if <start-point> is a remote-tracking branch")),
OPT_END()
};
@@ t/t7201-co.sh: test_expect_success 'tracking info copied with autoSetupMerge=inh
+ test_must_fail git rev-parse --verify refs/heads/bogus
+'
+
-+test_expect_success 'checkout.autoFetch=true enables fetching without --fetch' '
++test_expect_success 'checkout.fetch=true enables fetching without --fetch' '
+ git checkout main &&
+ git -C fetch_upstream checkout -b fetch_cfg &&
+ test_commit -C fetch_upstream u_cfg &&
+ test_must_fail git rev-parse --verify refs/remotes/fetch_upstream/fetch_cfg &&
-+ git -c checkout.autoFetch=true checkout -b local_cfg fetch_upstream/fetch_cfg &&
++ git -c checkout.fetch=true checkout -b local_cfg fetch_upstream/fetch_cfg &&
+ test_cmp_rev refs/remotes/fetch_upstream/fetch_cfg HEAD
+'
+Documentation/config/checkout.adoc | 5 +++ Documentation/git-checkout.adoc | 11 +++++++ Documentation/git-switch.adoc | 11 +++++++ builtin/checkout.c | 48 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++-- t/t7201-co.sh | 51 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ t/t9902-completion.sh | 1 + 6 files changed, 125 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
diff --git a/Documentation/config/checkout.adoc b/Documentation/config/checkout.adoc index e35d212969..c95f72b38e 100644 --- a/Documentation/config/checkout.adoc +++ b/Documentation/config/checkout.adoc @@ -22,6 +22,11 @@ commands or functionality in the future. option in `git checkout` and `git switch`. See linkgit:git-switch[1] and linkgit:git-checkout[1]. +`checkout.fetch`:: + Provides the default value for the `--fetch` or `--no-fetch` + option in `git checkout` and `git switch`. See + linkgit:git-switch[1] and linkgit:git-checkout[1]. + `checkout.workers`:: The number of parallel workers to use when updating the working tree. The default is one, i.e. sequential execution. If set to a value less diff --git a/Documentation/git-checkout.adoc b/Documentation/git-checkout.adoc index 43ccf47cf6..f20e2f4c8c 100644 --- a/Documentation/git-checkout.adoc +++ b/Documentation/git-checkout.adoc @@ -201,6 +201,17 @@ linkgit:git-config[1]. The default behavior can be set via the `checkout.guess` configuration variable. +`--fetch`:: +`--no-fetch`:: + If _<start-point>_ names a configured remote -- either bare, + like `origin` (which resolves to the remote's default branch), + or in _<remote>/<branch>_ form -- run `git fetch` on that + remote before resolving _<start-point>_. If the fetch fails, + the checkout is aborted and no local branch is created. ++ +The default behavior can be set via the `checkout.fetch` configuration +variable. + `-l`:: Create the new branch's reflog; see linkgit:git-branch[1] for details. diff --git a/Documentation/git-switch.adoc b/Documentation/git-switch.adoc index 87707e9265..3826ed9066 100644 --- a/Documentation/git-switch.adoc +++ b/Documentation/git-switch.adoc @@ -110,6 +110,17 @@ ambiguous but exists on the 'origin' remote. See also The default behavior can be set via the `checkout.guess` configuration variable. +`--fetch`:: +`--no-fetch`:: + If _<start-point>_ names a configured remote -- either bare, + like `origin` (which resolves to the remote's default branch), + or in _<remote>/<branch>_ form -- run `git fetch` on that + remote before resolving _<start-point>_. If the fetch fails, + the switch is aborted and no local branch is created. ++ +The default behavior can be set via the `checkout.fetch` configuration +variable. + `-f`:: `--force`:: An alias for `--discard-changes`. diff --git a/builtin/checkout.c b/builtin/checkout.c index e031e61886..b2a34f0f00 100644 --- a/builtin/checkout.c +++ b/builtin/checkout.c @@ -30,7 +30,9 @@ #include "repo-settings.h" #include "resolve-undo.h" #include "revision.h" +#include "run-command.h" #include "setup.h" +#include "strvec.h" #include "submodule.h" #include "symlinks.h" #include "trace2.h" @@ -61,6 +63,7 @@ struct checkout_opts { int count_checkout_paths; int overlay_mode; int dwim_new_local_branch; + int fetch; int discard_changes; int accept_ref; int accept_pathspec; @@ -112,6 +115,34 @@ struct branch_info { char *checkout; }; +static void fetch_remote_for_start_point(const char *arg) +{ + const char *slash; + char *remote_name; + struct remote *remote; + struct child_process cmd = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT; + + if (!arg || !*arg) + return; + + slash = strchr(arg, '/'); + if (slash == arg) + return; + remote_name = slash ? xstrndup(arg, slash - arg) : xstrdup(arg); + + remote = remote_get(remote_name); + if (!remote || !remote_is_configured(remote, 1)) { + free(remote_name); + return; + } + + strvec_pushl(&cmd.args, "fetch", remote_name, NULL); + cmd.git_cmd = 1; + free(remote_name); + if (run_command(&cmd)) + die(_("failed to fetch start-point '%s'"), arg); +} + static void branch_info_release(struct branch_info *info) { free(info->name); @@ -1237,6 +1268,10 @@ static int git_checkout_config(const char *var, const char *value, opts->dwim_new_local_branch = git_config_bool(var, value); return 0; } + if (!strcmp(var, "checkout.fetch")) { + opts->fetch = git_config_bool(var, value); + return 0; + } if (starts_with(var, "submodule.")) return git_default_submodule_config(var, value, NULL); @@ -1942,8 +1977,13 @@ static int checkout_main(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, opts->dwim_new_local_branch && opts->track == BRANCH_TRACK_UNSPECIFIED && !opts->new_branch; - int n = parse_branchname_arg(argc, argv, dwim_ok, which_command, - &new_branch_info, opts, &rev); + int n; + + if (opts->fetch) + fetch_remote_for_start_point(argv[0]); + + n = parse_branchname_arg(argc, argv, dwim_ok, which_command, + &new_branch_info, opts, &rev); argv += n; argc -= n; } else if (!opts->accept_ref && opts->from_treeish) { @@ -2052,6 +2092,8 @@ int cmd_checkout(int argc, OPT_BOOL(0, "overlay", &opts.overlay_mode, N_("use overlay mode (default)")), OPT_BOOL(0, "auto-advance", &opts.auto_advance, N_("auto advance to the next file when selecting hunks interactively")), + OPT_BOOL(0, "fetch", &opts.fetch, + N_("fetch from the remote first if <start-point> is a remote-tracking branch")), OPT_END() }; @@ -2102,6 +2144,8 @@ int cmd_switch(int argc, N_("second guess 'git switch <no-such-branch>'")), OPT_BOOL(0, "discard-changes", &opts.discard_changes, N_("throw away local modifications")), + OPT_BOOL(0, "fetch", &opts.fetch, + N_("fetch from the remote first if <start-point> is a remote-tracking branch")), OPT_END() }; diff --git a/t/t7201-co.sh b/t/t7201-co.sh index 9bcf7c0b40..f5729f0831 100755 --- a/t/t7201-co.sh +++ b/t/t7201-co.sh @@ -801,4 +801,55 @@ test_expect_success 'tracking info copied with autoSetupMerge=inherit' ' test_cmp_config "" --default "" branch.main2.merge ' +test_expect_success 'setup upstream for --fetch tests' ' + git checkout main && + git init fetch_upstream && + test_commit -C fetch_upstream u_main && + git remote add fetch_upstream fetch_upstream && + git fetch fetch_upstream && + git -C fetch_upstream checkout -b fetch_new && + test_commit -C fetch_upstream u_new +' + +test_expect_success 'checkout --fetch -b picks up branch created upstream after clone' ' + git checkout main && + test_must_fail git rev-parse --verify refs/remotes/fetch_upstream/fetch_new && + git checkout --fetch -b local_new fetch_upstream/fetch_new && + test_cmp_rev refs/remotes/fetch_upstream/fetch_new HEAD +' + +test_expect_success 'checkout --fetch with bare remote name fetches the remote' ' + git checkout main && + git -C fetch_upstream checkout -b fetch_new2 && + test_commit -C fetch_upstream u_new2 && + test_must_fail git rev-parse --verify refs/remotes/fetch_upstream/fetch_new2 && + git checkout --fetch -b local_from_remote fetch_upstream && + git rev-parse --verify refs/remotes/fetch_upstream/fetch_new2 +' + +test_expect_success 'checkout --fetch aborts and does not create branch on fetch failure' ' + git checkout main && + test_might_fail git branch -D bogus && + test_must_fail git checkout --fetch -b bogus fetch_upstream/does_not_exist && + test_must_fail git rev-parse --verify refs/heads/bogus +' + +test_expect_success 'checkout.fetch=true enables fetching without --fetch' ' + git checkout main && + git -C fetch_upstream checkout -b fetch_cfg && + test_commit -C fetch_upstream u_cfg && + test_must_fail git rev-parse --verify refs/remotes/fetch_upstream/fetch_cfg && + git -c checkout.fetch=true checkout -b local_cfg fetch_upstream/fetch_cfg && + test_cmp_rev refs/remotes/fetch_upstream/fetch_cfg HEAD +' + +test_expect_success 'switch --fetch -c picks up branch created upstream after clone' ' + git checkout main && + git -C fetch_upstream checkout -b fetch_switch && + test_commit -C fetch_upstream u_switch && + test_must_fail git rev-parse --verify refs/remotes/fetch_upstream/fetch_switch && + git switch --fetch -c local_switch fetch_upstream/fetch_switch && + test_cmp_rev refs/remotes/fetch_upstream/fetch_switch HEAD +' + test_done diff --git a/t/t9902-completion.sh b/t/t9902-completion.sh index 2f9a597ec7..dc1d63669f 100755 --- a/t/t9902-completion.sh +++ b/t/t9902-completion.sh @@ -2602,6 +2602,7 @@ test_expect_success 'double dash "git checkout"' ' --ignore-other-worktrees Z --recurse-submodules Z --auto-advance Z + --fetch Z --progress Z --guess Z --no-guess Z base-commit: 94f057755b7941b321fd11fec1b2e3ca5313a4e0
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