Git Get Current Branch Name

I find there are two different times I want to get the current branch name: 1. When I’m at the command line, 2. Inside a Git alias function I’m writing. Interestingly, I find that my approach in these two situations are different.

Getting the Git Branch Name from the Command Line

At the command line, I can run

git branch --show-current

Note: This command was added to git show in version 2.22.0 released in June 2019. If you’re using an older version of Git, I would update (or keep reading for the legacy method).

Getting the Git Branch Name in an Alias Function

As mentioned above git branch --show-current only works in Git 2.22.0 or newer and since our goal in a Git alias function is maximum compatibility I prefer to use this legacy method.

git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD

This command returns the same information as git branch --show-current but it is compatible with older versions of Git.

Copy Git Branch Name to Clipboard

One trick I often use on MacOS is to copy the current branch name to my clipboard with

git branch --show-current | pbcopy

Sal Ferrarello (@salcode)

Sal is a PHP developer with a focus on the WordPress platform. He is a conference speaker with a background including Piano Player, Radio DJ, Magician/Juggler, Beach Photographer, and High School Math Teacher. Sal can be found professionally at WebDevStudios, where he works as a senior backend engineer.