Pushing new branches to remote in Git - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What command do you use to push a new local branch to a remote repository?

Use git push -u origin <branch-name> to push a new local branch to the remote repository and set it to track the remote branch.

beginner

What does the -u flag do when pushing a new branch?

The -u flag sets the upstream (tracking) reference, so future git push and git pull commands know which remote branch to interact with by default.

intermediate

How can you check which remote branches your local branches are tracking?

Run git branch -vv to see local branches with their tracking remote branches and last commit info.

beginner

If you create a new branch locally but forget to push it, what happens when you run git push?

Git will not push the new branch because it has no upstream set. You must push it explicitly with git push -u origin <branch-name> the first time.

beginner

Why is it important to push new branches to the remote repository?

Pushing new branches shares your work with others and backs up your changes. It also allows collaboration and code review on that branch.

Which command pushes a new branch named 'feature' to the remote and sets it to track?

A git push feature

B git push origin

C git push -u origin feature

D git push -u feature origin

The correct syntax is git push -u origin feature to push and set upstream tracking.

What does 'origin' usually refer to in git commands?

A The default name for the remote repository

B The local branch name

C The commit hash

D The current directory

'origin' is the default name git gives to the remote repository you cloned from.

If you run git push without -u on a new branch, what happens?

A Push fails because no upstream is set

B Push succeeds and sets upstream automatically

C Push deletes the branch

D Push merges branches

Without upstream set, git does not know where to push the new branch, so push fails.

How do you see which remote branch your local branch is tracking?

A git log

B git status

C git remote -v

D git branch -vv

git branch -vv shows local branches with their tracking remote branches.

Why might you want to push a new branch to remote early?

A To delete the branch

B To share work and enable collaboration

C To reset the repository

D To change the commit history

Pushing early shares your work and allows teammates to review or contribute.

Explain the steps and command to push a new local branch to a remote repository and set it to track the remote branch.

Think about how to share your new work with others using git.

Describe what happens if you try to push a new branch without setting upstream tracking and how to fix it.

Remember the role of the -u flag.