How do I get the current branch name in Git?

To get the current branch name in Git, there are several simple commands you can use. Knowing which branch you are on is important because it helps you avoid making changes in the wrong branch, especially when working in a team. Here are the most common ways to check your current branch:

• git branch – This command will list all branches in your repository. The current branch will be highlighted with an asterisk (*) next to it.
  
• git status – Running this command shows the current state of your repository, including the active branch name at the top of the output.
  
• git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD – If you want just the branch name without extra information, this command gives you a clean output of the current branch.
  
• git symbolic-ref --short HEAD – Another straightforward way to print only the branch name.
  
• Using Git in VS Code or other IDEs – Most IDEs or GUI tools show the current branch directly in the status bar, which can be very handy.
  

 Example:

git branch

Output might look like:

* main

  feature-1

  bugfix-2

Here, main is the current branch.

In short, if you just want a quick check, git branch or git status works fine. But if you need the branch name for a script or automation, git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD is the cleanest option.