# [PATCH] Add `-u` short option for `git pull`

6 messages from 2025-08-25 to 2025-09-18. Participants: Julien Jerphanion via GitGitGadget, D. Ben Knoble, Junio C Hamano, Julien Jerphanion.
Thread: https://gitlist.dev/t/64029

## Julien Jerphanion via GitGitGadget, 2025-08-25 18:49

Subject: [PATCH] Add `-u` short option for `git pull`
Message-ID: <pull.2037.git.git.1756147789443.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/pull.2037.git.git.1756147789443.gitgitgadget%40gmail.com

```
From: Julien Jerphanion <git@jjerphan.xyz>

Add the short form `-u` as an alias for `--set-upstream`
in `git pull`, similarly to `git push` which supports both forms.

This allows users to use `git pull -u <remote> <branch>` as a
shorter alternative to `git pull --set-upstream <remote> <branch>`.

One test is included to verify that the short form works
correctly and set the upstream configuration as expected.

Signed-off-by: Julien Jerphanion <git@jjerphan.xyz>
---
    Add -u short option for git pull

Published-As: https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/releases/tag/pr-git-2037%2Fjjerphan%2Fpull%2Fset-upstream-short-option-v1
Fetch-It-Via: git fetch https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git pr-git-2037/jjerphan/pull/set-upstream-short-option-v1
Pull-Request: https://github.com/git/git/pull/2037

 builtin/pull.c          | 2 +-
 t/t5553-set-upstream.sh | 7 +++++++
 2 files changed, 8 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/builtin/pull.c b/builtin/pull.c
index 5ebd5296207..e09f2963f78 100644
--- a/builtin/pull.c
+++ b/builtin/pull.c
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ static struct option pull_options[] = {
 		0),
 	OPT_BOOL(0, "show-forced-updates", &opt_show_forced_updates,
 		 N_("check for forced-updates on all updated branches")),
-	OPT_PASSTHRU(0, "set-upstream", &set_upstream, NULL,
+	OPT_PASSTHRU('u', "set-upstream", &set_upstream, NULL,
 		N_("set upstream for git pull/fetch"),
 		PARSE_OPT_NOARG),
 
diff --git a/t/t5553-set-upstream.sh b/t/t5553-set-upstream.sh
index 70e3376d31b..b4dd7c62ce9 100755
--- a/t/t5553-set-upstream.sh
+++ b/t/t5553-set-upstream.sh
@@ -124,6 +124,13 @@ test_expect_success 'pull --set-upstream upstream main sets branch main but not
 	check_config_missing other
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'pull -u upstream main sets branch main but not other' '
+	clear_config main other &&
+	git pull --no-rebase -u upstream main &&
+	check_config main upstream refs/heads/main &&
+	check_config_missing other
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'pull --set-upstream main:other2 does not set the branch other2' '
 	clear_config other2 &&
 	git pull --no-rebase --set-upstream upstream main:other2 &&

base-commit: 1fa68948c3d76328236cac73d2adf33c905bd8e3
-- 
gitgitgadget

```

## D. Ben Knoble, 2025-08-26 13:19

Subject: Re: [PATCH] Add `-u` short option for `git pull`
Message-ID: <CALnO6CC7+JC-EwEDZE1+rbr4ZMPs+dc_9iepb17_9Uda7GSRgw@mail.gmail.com>
URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/CALnO6CC7%2BJC-EwEDZE1%2Brbr4ZMPs%2Bdc_9iepb17_9Uda7GSRgw%40mail.gmail.com
In-Reply-To: <pull.2037.git.git.1756147789443.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>

```
On Mon, Aug 25, 2025 at 2:50 PM Julien Jerphanion via GitGitGadget
<gitgitgadget@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> From: Julien Jerphanion <git@jjerphan.xyz>
>
> Add the short form `-u` as an alias for `--set-upstream`
> in `git pull`, similarly to `git push` which supports both forms.
>
> This allows users to use `git pull -u <remote> <branch>` as a
> shorter alternative to `git pull --set-upstream <remote> <branch>`.
>
> One test is included to verify that the short form works
> correctly and set the upstream configuration as expected.
>
> Signed-off-by: Julien Jerphanion <git@jjerphan.xyz>
> ---
>     Add -u short option for git pull
>
> Published-As: https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/releases/tag/pr-git-2037%2Fjjerphan%2Fpull%2Fset-upstream-short-option-v1
> Fetch-It-Via: git fetch https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git pr-git-2037/jjerphan/pull/set-upstream-short-option-v1
> Pull-Request: https://github.com/git/git/pull/2037
>
>  builtin/pull.c          | 2 +-
>  t/t5553-set-upstream.sh | 7 +++++++
>  2 files changed, 8 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
>
> diff --git a/builtin/pull.c b/builtin/pull.c
> index 5ebd5296207..e09f2963f78 100644
> --- a/builtin/pull.c
> +++ b/builtin/pull.c
> @@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ static struct option pull_options[] = {
>                 0),
>         OPT_BOOL(0, "show-forced-updates", &opt_show_forced_updates,
>                  N_("check for forced-updates on all updated branches")),
> -       OPT_PASSTHRU(0, "set-upstream", &set_upstream, NULL,
> +       OPT_PASSTHRU('u', "set-upstream", &set_upstream, NULL,

Don't forget to update the docs ;)

>                 N_("set upstream for git pull/fetch"),
>                 PARSE_OPT_NOARG),
>
> diff --git a/t/t5553-set-upstream.sh b/t/t5553-set-upstream.sh
> index 70e3376d31b..b4dd7c62ce9 100755
> --- a/t/t5553-set-upstream.sh
> +++ b/t/t5553-set-upstream.sh
> @@ -124,6 +124,13 @@ test_expect_success 'pull --set-upstream upstream main sets branch main but not
>         check_config_missing other
>  '
>
> +test_expect_success 'pull -u upstream main sets branch main but not other' '
> +       clear_config main other &&
> +       git pull --no-rebase -u upstream main &&
> +       check_config main upstream refs/heads/main &&
> +       check_config_missing other
> +'
> +
>  test_expect_success 'pull --set-upstream main:other2 does not set the branch other2' '
>         clear_config other2 &&
>         git pull --no-rebase --set-upstream upstream main:other2 &&
>
> base-commit: 1fa68948c3d76328236cac73d2adf33c905bd8e3
> --
> gitgitgadget
>


-- 
D. Ben Knoble

```

## Junio C Hamano, 2025-08-26 14:51

Subject: Re: [PATCH] Add `-u` short option for `git pull`
Message-ID: <xmqqikiam90b.fsf@gitster.g>
URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/xmqqikiam90b.fsf%40gitster.g
In-Reply-To: <pull.2037.git.git.1756147789443.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>

```
"Julien Jerphanion via GitGitGadget" <gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
writes:

> From: Julien Jerphanion <git@jjerphan.xyz>
>
> Add the short form `-u` as an alias for `--set-upstream`
> in `git pull`, similarly to `git push` which supports both forms.
>
> This allows users to use `git pull -u <remote> <branch>` as a
> shorter alternative to `git pull --set-upstream <remote> <branch>`.

The above explains what it does.  It does not justify why it is
needed.  Surely it may allow them to type less, but is it something
they would do very often, like every other day or even twice an
hour?  If not, should 'set-upstream' squat on a short-and-sweet 'u',
robbing it from future developers to use it for more useful purpose?


```

## Julien Jerphanion, 2025-09-17 16:21

Subject: Re: [PATCH] Add `-u` short option for `git pull`
Message-ID: <VVHyXy0fQW1fnBgiAFswUMEMMX4wnc3YIZWSRtSJzZbHOt0dfY0wCJt69MDxfue54cN2gPd8StlVtW2ERYKZcEs8Hpm7X5TaXrygCN2rK-A=@jjerphan.xyz>
URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/VVHyXy0fQW1fnBgiAFswUMEMMX4wnc3YIZWSRtSJzZbHOt0dfY0wCJt69MDxfue54cN2gPd8StlVtW2ERYKZcEs8Hpm7X5TaXrygCN2rK-A%3D%40jjerphan.xyz
In-Reply-To: <xmqqikiam90b.fsf@gitster.g>

```
-------- Original Message --------
On 8/26/25 16:51, Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> wrote:

>  "Julien Jerphanion via GitGitGadget" <gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
>  writes:
>  
>  > From: Julien Jerphanion <git@jjerphan.xyz>
>  >
>  > Add the short form `-u` as an alias for `--set-upstream`
>  > in `git pull`, similarly to `git push` which supports both forms.
>  >
>  > This allows users to use `git pull -u <remote> <branch>` as a
>  > shorter alternative to `git pull --set-upstream <remote> <branch>`.
>  
>  The above explains what it does.  It does not justify why it is
>  needed.  Surely it may allow them to type less, but is it something
>  they would do very often, like every other day or even twice an
>  hour?  If not, should 'set-upstream' squat on a short-and-sweet 'u',
>  robbing it from future developers to use it for more useful purpose?
>  
>

Hello,

Before all, thank you for maintaining git!

Having this shortcut would be really useful for some use cases where one needs to pull locally branches from forks before updating them and pushing them again on the fork instead than on the upstream project (typical use case for conda-forge's feedstocks).

Julien.

```

## Junio C Hamano, 2025-09-18 00:32

Subject: Re: [PATCH] Add `-u` short option for `git pull`
Message-ID: <xmqqplboa9cb.fsf@gitster.g>
URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/xmqqplboa9cb.fsf%40gitster.g
In-Reply-To: <VVHyXy0fQW1fnBgiAFswUMEMMX4wnc3YIZWSRtSJzZbHOt0dfY0wCJt69MDxfue54cN2gPd8StlVtW2ERYKZcEs8Hpm7X5TaXrygCN2rK-A=@jjerphan.xyz>

```
Julien Jerphanion <git@jjerphan.xyz> writes:

[jc: line-wrapped an overly long single line]

> Having this shortcut would be really useful for some use cases
> where one needs to pull locally branches from forks before
> updating them and pushing them again on the fork instead than on
> the upstream project (typical use case for conda-forge's
> feedstocks).

Sorry, do you mean that you stay on a single branch, and then you
would pull from one place with "git pull -u" followed by "git push"
to push back there, and repeat that for other places, practically
redefining the meaning of the "upstream" to "the last remote
repository I pulled from and I am supposed to push to that remote
and nowhere else in my workflow"?


```

## Julien Jerphanion, 2025-09-18 07:42

Subject: Re: [PATCH] Add `-u` short option for `git pull`
Message-ID: <P018trwh6r7kRRrp99nCCDUdrKT3u7MvjNd_wUm2o2w3alWw4gpsvbEmp856xwAnMkuuLQBEUNfNxCU-K7xO0Zrw0Qsy5ZP5kOrDXjcwNQQ=@jjerphan.xyz>
URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/P018trwh6r7kRRrp99nCCDUdrKT3u7MvjNd_wUm2o2w3alWw4gpsvbEmp856xwAnMkuuLQBEUNfNxCU-K7xO0Zrw0Qsy5ZP5kOrDXjcwNQQ%3D%40jjerphan.xyz
In-Reply-To: <xmqqplboa9cb.fsf@gitster.g>

```
-------- Original Message --------
On 9/18/25 02:32, Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> wrote:

>  Julien Jerphanion <git@jjerphan.xyz> writes:
>  
>  [jc: line-wrapped an overly long single line]
>  
>  > Having this shortcut would be really useful for some use cases
>  > where one needs to pull locally branches from forks before
>  > updating them and pushing them again on the fork instead than on
>  > the upstream project (typical use case for conda-forge's
>  > feedstocks).
>  
>  Sorry, do you mean that you stay on a single branch, and then you
>  would pull from one place with "git pull -u" followed by "git push"
>  to push back there, and repeat that for other places, practically
>  redefining the meaning of the "upstream" to "the last remote
>  repository I pulled from and I am supposed to push to that remote
>  and nowhere else in my workflow"?
>  
>

More or less, I was referring to the official repository in
such workflows as `upstream`.

I would also sporadically fetch and pull from `upstream`,
but I would not set local branches to tracks remote
branches there.

As a user, I find that having `-u` usable for the `pull`
command would be consistent and expected given that
it is present for other commands already.

Thank you for spending time considering this addition.

```