'\" t
.\"     Title: git-symbolic-ref
.\"    Author: [FIXME: author] [see http://docbook.sf.net/el/author]
.\" Generator: DocBook XSL Stylesheets v1.76.1 <http://docbook.sf.net/>
.\"      Date: 03/19/2016
.\"    Manual: Git Manual
.\"    Source: Git 1.7.10.4
.\"  Language: English
.\"
.TH "GIT\-SYMBOLIC\-REF" "1" "03/19/2016" "Git 1\&.7\&.10\&.4" "Git Manual"
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.SH "NAME"
git-symbolic-ref \- Read and modify symbolic refs
.SH "SYNOPSIS"
.sp
.nf
\fIgit symbolic\-ref\fR [\-m <reason>] <name> <ref>
\fIgit symbolic\-ref\fR [\-q] [\-\-short] <name>
.fi
.sp
.SH "DESCRIPTION"
.sp
Given one argument, reads which branch head the given symbolic ref refers to and outputs its path, relative to the \&.git/ directory\&. Typically you would give HEAD as the <name> argument to see which branch your working tree is on\&.
.sp
Given two arguments, creates or updates a symbolic ref <name> to point at the given branch <ref>\&.
.sp
A symbolic ref is a regular file that stores a string that begins with ref: refs/\&. For example, your \&.git/HEAD is a regular file whose contents is ref: refs/heads/master\&.
.SH "OPTIONS"
.PP
\-q, \-\-quiet
.RS 4
Do not issue an error message if the <name> is not a symbolic ref but a detached HEAD; instead exit with non\-zero status silently\&.
.RE
.PP
\-\-short
.RS 4
When showing the value of <name> as a symbolic ref, try to shorten the value, e\&.g\&. from
refs/heads/master
to
master\&.
.RE
.PP
\-m
.RS 4
Update the reflog for <name> with <reason>\&. This is valid only when creating or updating a symbolic ref\&.
.RE
.SH "NOTES"
.sp
In the past, \&.git/HEAD was a symbolic link pointing at refs/heads/master\&. When we wanted to switch to another branch, we did ln \-sf refs/heads/newbranch \&.git/HEAD, and when we wanted to find out which branch we are on, we did readlink \&.git/HEAD\&. But symbolic links are not entirely portable, so they are now deprecated and symbolic refs (as described above) are used by default\&.
.sp
\fIgit symbolic\-ref\fR will exit with status 0 if the contents of the symbolic ref were printed correctly, with status 1 if the requested name is not a symbolic ref, or 128 if another error occurs\&.
.SH "GIT"
.sp
Part of the \fBgit\fR(1) suite