Git: Output just the current branch name
To print just the name of the current branch, use:
$ git branch --show-current
main
The --show-current option was added in Git 2.22 (2019-06-07), thanks to Daniels Umanovskis in commit 0ecb1fc7269.
The option only ever outputs branch names. In “detached head“ mode, it outputs nothing:
$ git switch -d @~
HEAD is now at b6e126e Smurfing smurfation
$ git branch --show-current
(@ is short for HEAD, the current commit. @~ means the commit before HEAD.)
If you want the current SHA when in detached mode, use:
$ git rev-parse @
b6e126e81cd436d59687bc7ba9371c5fa5c7900f
Boom, that’s it, that’s the post. You can copy that command and go on your merry business.
Below we’ll deconstruct the flaws in some “legacy” commands recommended before --show-current was added.
Legacy rev-parse command
Many pre-2.22 sources reference this alternative:
$ git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD
Unfortunately, this outputs HEAD and fails on a new repository with no commits:
$ git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD
HEAD
fatal: ambiguous argument 'HEAD': unknown revision or path not in the working tree.
Use '--' to separate paths from revisions, like this:
'git <command> [<revision>...] -- [<file>...]'
This error also occurs on a new “orphan” branch with no commits.
Also, in detached head mode, it outputs HEAD and exits with success:
$ git switch -d @~
HEAD is now at b6e126e Smurfing smurfation
$ git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD
HEAD
Treating HEAD as a branch name can lead to failures later in your command chain. It’s complicated by the fact that you can create a branch called “head”, with any capitalization other than all-caps.
These flaws were the motivation for git branch --show-current.
Legacy symbolic-ref command
Another legacy command is to use git symbolic-ref with its --short option:
$ git symbolic-ref --short HEAD
This mostly works, but it quits with a fatal error in detached head mode:
$ git switch -d @~
HEAD is now at b6e126e Smurfing smurfation
$ git symbolic-ref HEAD
fatal: ref HEAD is not a symbolic ref
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Tags: git