How to set upstream branch in Git

# Create new branch
git checkout -b feature-branch

# Make some commits
git add .
git commit -m 'Add new feature'

# Push and set upstream in one command
git push -u origin feature-branch

# Output shows:
# Branch 'feature-branch' set up to track remote branch 'feature-branch' from 'origin'.
# To github.com:user/repo.git
#  * [new branch]      feature-branch -> feature-branch

# Future pushes and pulls now simplified
git push   # Instead of: git push origin feature-branch
git pull   # Instead of: git pull origin feature-branch

# Check current branch tracking status
git branch -vv

# Output shows:
#   main           abc1234 [origin/main] Latest work
#   feature-branch def5678 No upstream configured

# Set upstream for current branch
git branch --set-upstream-to=origin/feature-branch

# Or shorter syntax
git branch -u origin/feature-branch

# Verify tracking was set
git branch -vv

# Output now shows:
#   feature-branch def5678 [origin/feature-branch] Feature work

# Local branch: new-feature
# Remote branch: feature-new-implementation

git checkout new-feature

# Set upstream to differently named remote branch
git branch --set-upstream-to=origin/feature-new-implementation

# Now git push and git pull use the configured upstream
git push
git pull

# Push all branches and set upstream tracking
git push --all -u origin

# This sets upstream for every local branch that exists on remote

# View current remotes
git remote -v

# Add new remote
git remote add upstream [email protected]:original/repo.git

# Set current branch to track upstream instead of origin
git branch -u upstream/main

# Or during push
git push -u upstream main

# Remove upstream tracking from current branch
git branch --unset-upstream

# Verify tracking was removed
git branch -vv

# Output shows no tracking info in brackets

# View tracking branch for current branch
git rev-parse --abbrev-ref --symbolic-full-name @{u}

# Output: origin/feature-branch

# View all branches with tracking info
git branch -vv

# Output shows:
#   main           abc1234 [origin/main] Latest commit
#   feature-1      def5678 [origin/feature-1: ahead 2] Feature work
#   feature-2      ghi9012 [origin/feature-2: behind 1] Other feature

# Check if upstream is set for current branch
git rev-parse --abbrev-ref --symbolic-full-name @{upstream} 2>/dev/null || echo 'No upstream set'

# Start new feature
git checkout -b feature/user-auth

# Work on feature
git add .
git commit -m 'Implement user authentication'

# Push and set upstream
git push -u origin feature/user-auth

# Later, just use simple commands
git push
git pull

# Check status relative to upstream
git status

# Output shows:
# On branch feature/user-auth
# Your branch is ahead of 'origin/feature/user-auth' by 2 commits.
#   (use "git push" to publish your local commits)

# Issue: Pushed but forgot -u flag
git push origin feature-branch

# Fix: Set upstream after the fact
git branch -u origin/feature-branch

# Issue: Upstream branch was deleted on remote
git fetch --prune
git branch -vv

# Output shows: [origin/feature-branch: gone]

# Fix: Either delete local branch or set new upstream
git branch --unset-upstream
git branch -u origin/main

# Issue: Want to track fork's remote instead of origin
git remote add fork [email protected]:user/repo.git
git fetch fork
git branch -u fork/main

# Configure Git to automatically set upstream on push
git config --global push.autoSetupRemote true

# Now git push automatically sets upstream without -u flag
git checkout -b new-feature
git push  # Automatically sets upstream to origin/new-feature

# Configure default push behavior
git config --global push.default simple

# Verify configuration
git config --get push.autoSetupRemote
git config --get push.default

# Create helpful aliases
git config --global alias.upstream 'rev-parse --abbrev-ref --symbolic-full-name @{u}'

git config --global alias.set-upstream '!f() { git branch -u "${1:-origin/$(git branch --show-current)}"; }; f'

git config --global alias.push-new '!git push -u origin $(git branch --show-current)'

# Usage
git upstream         # Shows current upstream branch
git set-upstream     # Sets upstream to origin/current-branch-name
git push-new         # Pushes current branch and sets upstream