alias-a-branch-in-git.md

Alias a Branch In Git

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Problem:
Sometimes I got a long branch name to check out or merge, how can I do the same thing without this struggling?

Answer:
Use symbolic ref with commandline, git symbolic-ref refs/heads/<alias-refs-name> <real-refs-name>.

phchang@mbp [23:56:54] [~/Documents/phchang_til] [thelongbranchnameblablabla *]
-> % git branch
  master
* thelongbranchnameblablabla
phchang@mbp [23:57:04] [~/Documents/phchang_til] [thelongbranchnameblablabla *]
-> % git symbolic-ref refs/heads/shortname refs/heads/thelongbranchnameblablabla
phchang@mbp [23:57:44] [~/Documents/phchang_til] [thelongbranchnameblablabla *]
-> % gco master
Switched to branch 'master'
phchang@mbp [23:57:55] [~/Documents/phchang_til] [master *]
-> % gco shortname
Switched to branch 'shortname'
phchang@mbp [23:58:35] [~/Documents/phchang_til] [thelongbranchnameblablabla *]
-> % cat .git/refs/heads/shortname
ref: refs/heads/thelongbranchnameblablabla

Reference

• stackoverflow: Is it possible to alias a branch in Git?
• atlassian tutorial: Refs and the Reflog