How to fix fatal: ambiguous argument 'branch-name': unknown revision or path not in the working tree in Git

# List all local branches
git branch

# List all remote tracking branches
git branch -r

# List all branches (local and remote)
git branch -a

# List all tags
git tag

# Search for a specific branch pattern
git branch -a | grep -i "branch-name"

# Check if a specific ref exists
git rev-parse --verify branch-name

# Fetch all branches from all remotes
git fetch --all

# Fetch from a specific remote
git fetch origin

# Verify the branch is now available
git branch -r | grep branch-name

# Create local branch tracking the remote
git checkout branch-name
# Or explicitly:
git checkout -b branch-name origin/branch-name

# Check if repo is shallow
git rev-parse --is-shallow-repository
# Returns "true" if shallow

# Convert to a full clone
git fetch --unshallow

# Or fetch specific branch with depth
git fetch --depth=100 origin branch-name

- uses: actions/checkout@v4
  with:
    fetch-depth: 0  # Fetch all history

variables:
  GIT_DEPTH: 0

# Check current fetch configuration
git config --get remote.origin.fetch

# If it shows a single branch like:
# +refs/heads/main:refs/remotes/origin/main

# Update to fetch all branches
git config remote.origin.fetch "+refs/heads/*:refs/remotes/origin/*"

# Now fetch all branches
git fetch origin

# Verify branches are available
git branch -a

# Check if any commits exist
git rev-parse HEAD
# If this fails, you have no commits

# Create an initial commit
git commit --allow-empty -m "Initial commit"

# Now HEAD and other references work
git log HEAD

# Check if origin/HEAD exists
git symbolic-ref refs/remotes/origin/HEAD

# Set it automatically based on remote
git remote set-head origin --auto

# Or set it manually
git remote set-head origin main

# The problem: en-dash (–) vs hyphen (-)
# These look similar but are different characters:
# Wrong: git reset –-hard  (en-dash from web page)
# Right: git reset --hard  (hyphen)

# Check for hidden characters in your command
echo "git reset --hard" | cat -A
# Should show only ASCII characters

# Retype the command manually instead of pasting

# Tell Git everything after -- is a path
git log -- path/to/file

# Tell Git everything before -- is a revision
git show branch-name -- file.txt

# Explicit revision
git diff HEAD -- .

# Compare file between branches
git diff main:path/to/file branch:path/to/file