For the "create a local branch from a remote branch", a more sensible option is probably: git checkout -t origin/branch-name Other things that are useful:

For the "create a local branch from a remote branch", a more sensible option is probably: git checkout -t origin/branch-name Other things that are useful: Push and track a branch at the same time: git push -u origin foo Merge a branch and always generate a merge commit, even if a fast-forward was possible: git merge --no-ff foo A condensed and useful status output: git status -sb Useful `git log` options: --abbrev-commit (Shows as short a commitish as possible) --color-words (Show word-level diffs in the same line, rather than as two whole -/+ lines) --decorate (Where a commit is also a ref (e.g. the latest commit on a branch), display that ref in the output)