What is `git checkout --orphan` used for?

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jsvisa picture jsvisa · Nov 14, 2013 · Viewed 20.4k times · Source

I've just discovered git checkout --orphan, but I don't know how to use it. Its help page says it creates a new unparented branch.

In the master branch, I've tried git checkout --orphan br, only to see the files in the working directory change to “Changes to be committed”, and the git log saying fatal: bad default revision 'HEAD'.

So what's the advantage of using git checkout --orphan?

Answer

JB. picture JB. · Nov 14, 2013

The core use for git checkout --orphan is to create a branch in a git init-like state on a non-new repository.

Without this ability, all of your git branches would have a common ancestor, your initial commit. This is a common case, but in no way the only one. For example, git allows you to track multiple independent projects as different branches in a single repository.

That's why your files are being reported as “changes to be committed”: in a git init state, the first commit isn't created yet, so all files are new to git.

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