Adding git subtree from a branch

git git-subtree
Geoff Ryan picture Geoff Ryan · May 30, 2013 · Viewed 10k times · Source

I'm trying to add a repo (called cow) to my project using git subtree add. In particular, I'd like to add the branch stable (which is not the master branch). I tried:

git subtree add -P cow https://github.com/geoffryan/cow.git stable

But this returned the error

'stable' does not refer to a commit.

I also tried:

git subtree add -P cow https://github.com/geoffryan/cow.git cow/stable
'cow/stable' does not refer to a commit.

And:

git subtree add -P cow https://github.com/geoffryan/cow.git ca26d248a12c21264e32a2c212381cafb578c9fb
'ca26d248a12c21264e32a2c212381cafb578c9fb' does not refer to a commit.

The hash was that for the latest commit in the stable branch. The examples of use I've seen online all use master for the commit, is it possible to use subtree add on a non-master branch?

Answer

gipi picture gipi · May 30, 2013

This seems to work

$ git remote add cow https://github.com/geoffryan/cow.git
$ git fetch cow
$ git subtree add -P cow cow/stable
Added dir 'cow'

I don't understand how to use directly the command with the repository part.

Related questions

How do you merge two Git repositories?

Consider the following scenario: I have developed a small experimental project A in its own Git repo. It has now matured, and I'd like A to be part of larger project B, which has its own big repository. I'd now …

Read More
Detach (move) subdirectory into separate Git repository

I have a Git repository which contains a number of subdirectories. Now I have found that one of the subdirectories is unrelated to the other and should be detached to a separate repository. How can I do this while keeping …

Read More
Merge two Git repositories without breaking file history

I need to merge two Git repositories into a brand new, third repository. I've found many descriptions of how to do this using a subtree merge (for example Jakub Narębski's answer on How do you merge two Git repositories?) …

Read More