# Is ./git/branches used for anything?

4 messages from 2010-02-02 to 2010-02-02. Participants: Ron Garret, Sverre Rabbelier, Jakub Narebski.
Thread: https://gitlist.dev/t/22481

## Ron Garret, 2010-02-02 08:01

Subject: Is ./git/branches used for anything?
Message-ID: <ron1-35461E.00013102022010@news.gmane.org>
URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/ron1-35461E.00013102022010%40news.gmane.org

```
If so, what?  .git/refs/heads seems to contain all the branch info, so 
what is the branches directory for?

Thanks,
rg

```

## Sverre Rabbelier, 2010-02-02 08:11

Subject: Re: Is ./git/branches used for anything?
Message-ID: <fabb9a1e1002020011p4819b918yc9c2379bf68b4b6b@mail.gmail.com>
URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/fabb9a1e1002020011p4819b918yc9c2379bf68b4b6b%40mail.gmail.com
In-Reply-To: <ron1-35461E.00013102022010@news.gmane.org>

```
Heya,

On Tue, Feb 2, 2010 at 09:01, Ron Garret <ron1@flownet.com> wrote:
> If so, what?  .git/refs/heads seems to contain all the branch info, so
> what is the branches directory for?

It's a leftover from the good ole' days. I think Cogito used it.

-- 
Cheers,

Sverre Rabbelier

```

## Ron Garret, 2010-02-02 08:19

Subject: Re: Is ./git/branches used for anything?
Message-ID: <ron1-58FFFB.00194402022010@news.gmane.org>
URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/ron1-58FFFB.00194402022010%40news.gmane.org
In-Reply-To: <fabb9a1e1002020011p4819b918yc9c2379bf68b4b6b@mail.gmail.com>

```
In article 
<fabb9a1e1002020011p4819b918yc9c2379bf68b4b6b@mail.gmail.com>,
 Sverre Rabbelier <srabbelier@gmail.com> wrote:

> Heya,
> 
> On Tue, Feb 2, 2010 at 09:01, Ron Garret <ron1@flownet.com> wrote:
> > If so, what?  .git/refs/heads seems to contain all the branch info, so
> > what is the branches directory for?
> 
> It's a leftover from the good ole' days. I think Cogito used it.

Thanks!

rg

```

## Jakub Narebski, 2010-02-02 15:00

Subject: Re: Is ./git/branches used for anything?
Message-ID: <m34olzbs5f.fsf@localhost.localdomain>
URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/m34olzbs5f.fsf%40localhost.localdomain
In-Reply-To: <ron1-35461E.00013102022010@news.gmane.org>

```
Ron Garret <ron1@flownet.com> writes:

> If so, what?  .git/refs/heads seems to contain all the branch info, so 
> what is the branches directory for?

See gitrepository-layout(5):

  branches::
        A slightly deprecated way to store shorthands to be used
        to specify URL to 'git fetch', 'git pull' and 'git push'
        commands is to store a file in `branches/<name>` and
        give 'name' to these commands in place of 'repository'
        argument.

and git-pull(1):

  REMOTES
  -------

  The name of one of the following can be used instead
  of a URL as `<repository>` argument:

  * a remote in the git configuration file: `$GIT_DIR/config`,
  * a file in the `$GIT_DIR/remotes` directory, or
  * a file in the `$GIT_DIR/branches` directory.

  All of these also allow you to omit the refspec from the command line
  because they each contain a refspec which git will use by default.

  [...]

  Named file in `$GIT_DIR/branches`
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  You can choose to provide the name of a
  file in `$GIT_DIR/branches`.
  The URL in this file will be used to access the repository.
  This file should have the following format:


  ------------
          <url>#<head>
  ------------

  `<url>` is required; `#<head>` is optional.

  Depending on the operation, git will use one of the following
  refspecs, if you don't provide one on the command line.
  `<branch>` is the name of this file in `$GIT_DIR/branches` and
  `<head>` defaults to `master`.


Ancient history, if somewhat useful for some workflow[1].  It came from
Cogito, which was alternate UI for git.

[1] Namely one of main Linux kernel developers (Linus lieutienants)
has scripts around this way of specifying remote information.

-- 
Jakub Narebski
Poland
ShadeHawk on #git

```