How to Add Remote Branches in Git

Git is a well-known platform for managing project source code. It manages source code through Git local repository and remote repository. The Git branches are utilized to manage different versions, modules, features, and testing purposes. More specifically, the remote branches are part of the remote repository that is accessible remotely and hosted by the server.

Git permits its users to access the remote branches to the local repository and send the local commits, modifications, and branches to the remote.

This tutorial will elaborate on how to add remote branches in Git.

How to Add Remote Branches in Git?

To add remote branches in Git, first, open the Git repository, and add the remote repository in Git using the “git remote add” command. After that, access all the remote branches using the “git fetch <remote-name>” command.

For practical demonstration, take a look at the provided procedure.

Step 1: Open Git Terminal

Launch the Git terminal from the Windows Start menu:

Step 2: Open Git Repository

Use the “cd” command and move to the desired Git repository:

$ cd "C:\Git"

Step 3: Create New Repository

Make a new repository with the help of the “mkdir” command:

$ mkdir Demo2

After that, again, use the “cd” command to move to the new working repository:

$ cd Demo2

Step 4: Initialize Git Repository

Initialize the new Git repository using the “git init” command:

$ git init

Step 5: Add Remote Repository

Next, add the remote repository to the Git repository with the help of the “git remote add <remote-name> <repository-URL>” command:

$ git remote add origin https://github.com/GitUser97/demo1.git

In the above command, specify the URL of the remote repository you want to add:

Verify if the remote is added to the Git repository or not:

$ git remote -v

The below output shows that we have successfully added the remote repository to Git local repository:

Step 6: Add Remote Branches

Now, fetch and add all remote branches into the local Git repository using the “git fetch <remote-name>” command:

$ git fetch origin

The output indicates that we have successfully performed the required operation:

Step 7: View All Remote Branches

Access and view all remote branches in Git local repository using the provided command. Here, the “-r” flag shows only remote branches:

$ git branch -r

Bonus Tip: Access Specific Remote Branch

Git users can access only specific branches using the mentioned command. For instance, we have access to the remote “master” branch:

$ git fetch origin master

We have demonstrated the method for adding remote branches in Git.

Conclusion

To add remote branches in Git, first, open the Git repository. Add the remote repository into the Git repository by utilizing the “git remote add <remote-name> <Repository URL>” command. Next, in fetch and add all remote branches in the Git repository, utilize the “git fetch <remote-name>” command. To fetch a single or specific remote branch, utilize the “git fetch <remote name> <branch-name>” command. This article has illustrated how to add remote branches in Git.

How to Add Remote Branches in Git