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How can I rename Git branches?

13 Dec 2013 - git

The following command renames a local branch from b1 to b2.

git branch -m b1 b2 

The following command removes the remote branch b1.

git push origin --delete :b1

Before running the above command, make sure that b1 is not the default branch of your repository; otherwise, git will give you an error like the following.

remote: error: refusing to delete the current branch: refs/heads/b1
To https://github.com/user/repo.git
 ! [remote rejected] b1 (deletion of the current branch prohibited)
error: failed to push some refs to 'https://github.com/user/repo.git'

The following command gives b2 the new remote.

git push -u origin b2

References