How to fix error: branch 'feature' not found in Git

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This Git error occurs when you try to delete, checkout, or reference a branch that doesn't exist in your repository. The branch may have been deleted, renamed, misspelled, or never fetched from the remote. Fix it by verifying the branch name and ensuring you've fetched the latest remote references.

What this error means

The "branch not found" error occurs when Git cannot locate a branch with the name you specified. This typically happens when running commands like `git branch -d feature`, `git checkout feature`, or `git merge feature` where the branch name doesn't exist in your local repository. Git stores branch references as files in the `.git/refs/heads/` directory. When you reference a branch, Git looks for a matching file there. If the file doesn't exist, Git reports this error. The branch could be missing because: - It was never created locally - It was deleted - You're using the wrong name (case sensitivity matters) - The branch exists only on a remote and hasn't been fetched yet - The branch reference file is corrupted or contains hidden characters This error is common when switching between repositories, working with team members' branches, or after cleaning up stale branches.

How to fix "error: branch 'feature' not found"

1Verify the exact branch name

First, check what branches actually exist in your repository:

bash

# List all local branches
git branch

# List all remote tracking branches
git branch -r

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

# Search for branches matching a pattern (case-insensitive)
git branch -a | grep -i feature

Branch names are case-sensitive on most systems. A branch named Feature is different from feature. Make sure you're using the exact spelling shown in the output.

2Fetch the latest branches from remote

If the branch exists on the remote but not locally, fetch it:

bash

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

# Fetch from a specific remote
git fetch origin

# Now list branches again
git branch -a

After fetching, remote branches appear as remotes/origin/branch-name. You can then checkout or create a local tracking branch.

3Check if the branch was deleted

The branch might have been deleted from the remote. Verify by checking directly:

bash

# List all refs on the remote (without fetching)
git ls-remote origin

# Look for a specific branch
git ls-remote origin | grep feature

# Update local refs and remove deleted branches
git fetch --prune

If the branch doesn't appear in git ls-remote output, it was deleted from the remote. Check with your team or the repository's web interface to confirm.

4Check for corrupted branch references

Sometimes branch files can become corrupted or contain invisible characters. Inspect the refs directory:

bash

# List local branch reference files
ls -la .git/refs/heads/

# Check for branches with unusual characters
ls .git/refs/heads/ | cat -A

# You can also check packed refs
cat .git/packed-refs | grep feature

If you see strange characters or the file appears corrupted, you may need to:

bash

# Delete the corrupted reference file
rm .git/refs/heads/feature

# Then fetch fresh references
git fetch origin

5Fix restricted fetch configuration

If you cloned with --single-branch, your repository only tracks one branch. Fix this:

bash

# 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

This is common in CI/CD environments that use shallow or single-branch clones.

6Update remote references

Ensure your local repository has the latest reference information:

bash

# Update all remote references
git remote update

# Or with pruning to remove stale refs
git remote update --prune

# You can also use
git fetch --all --prune

This synchronizes your local knowledge of remote branches with what actually exists.

7Handle multiple remotes

If you have multiple remotes, the branch might exist on a different remote:

bash

# List all configured remotes
git remote -v

# Fetch from all remotes
git fetch --all

# Check which remote has the branch
git branch -r | grep feature

# The output shows which remote has the branch:
# origin/feature
# upstream/feature

When checking out, specify the correct remote:

bash

git checkout -b feature upstream/feature

How to fix error: branch 'feature' not found in Git

What this error means

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How to fix "error: branch 'feature' not found"

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