How to Compare a Local Git Branch With Its Remote Branch

Better Stack Team
Updated on August 12, 2024

Comparing a local Git branch with its remote counterpart is a common task to understand the differences in commits and changes between the two. Below are several methods to achieve this comparison.

1. Using git diff

To compare the differences between a local branch and its remote branch, you can use the git diff command.

Compare with Remote Branch

 
git diff <local-branch>..<remote-branch>

Example:

 
git diff master..origin/master

This command will show you the differences in the files between your local master branch and the remote master branch on origin.

2. Using git log

To see the commit differences between the two branches, you can use the git log command.

Commits in Local Branch but Not in Remote

 
git log <remote-branch>..<local-branch>

Example:

 
git log origin/master..master

This command lists the commits that are in the local master branch but not in the remote master branch.

Commits in Remote Branch but Not in Local

 
git log <local-branch>..<remote-branch>

Example:

 
git log master..origin/master

This command lists the commits that are in the remote master branch but not in the local master branch.

3. Using git fetch and git status

First, fetch the latest changes from the remote repository to ensure you have the latest references.

 
git fetch

Then, check the status to see if your local branch is ahead or behind the remote branch.

 
git status

4. Using Git GUI Tools

Many Git GUI tools provide visual ways to compare branches, such as GitKraken, SourceTree, and GitHub Desktop.

5. Using git cherry

The git cherry command can show which commits from your local branch have not yet been applied to the upstream branch.

 
git cherry -v <upstream> <local-branch>

Example:

 
git cherry -v origin/master master

Example Scenario

Suppose you are working on a branch called feature-branch and you want to compare it with its remote counterpart origin/feature-branch.

  1. Fetch the latest changes from the remote repository.

     
    git fetch

  2. Use git diff to see the differences in the files.

     
    git diff feature-branch..origin/feature-branch

  3. Use git log to see the commits in your local branch that are not in the remote branch.

     
    git log origin/feature-branch..feature-branch

  4. Check the status to see if your branch is ahead or behind.

     
    git status

  5. Use git cherry to see which commits are on your local branch but not on the remote.

     
    git cherry -v origin/feature-branch feature-branch

Conclusion

By using these commands, you can effectively compare your local branch with its remote counterpart to understand the differences in commits and file changes.

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