How to Fix Git Error: There is No Tracking Information for the Current Branch
Ever tried to `git pull` or `git push` and hit a roadblock with the message “There is no tracking information for the current branch“? This means your local branch isn’t connected to a corresponding branch on the remote server. Don’t worry, this article will help you fix it in two ways.
Table of Content
- What is the Problem
- Link Your Local Branch to an Existing Remote Branch (if you know its name)
- Push Your Local Branch and Create a Remote Branch (if it doesn’t exist)
- Remember
What is the Problem
Imagine your local branch is an island, and the remote branch is the mainland. Without a connection (tracking information), you can’t easily share your changes between them.
The “There is no tracking information for the current branch.” error occurs when you run git pull, and Git doesn’t know which branch on the server it should pull from. Essentially, Git lacks the information regarding the remote branch that corresponds to the local branch you are currently on.
The recommended solution is to set up tracking so that Git automatically knows which remote branch to pull from when you run git pull. This typically involves configuring Git to pull from the branch with the same name on the remote repository (e.g., origin/mybranch).
When you apply the quick fix, it modifies the .git/config file in your project, specifying the upstream branch for your local branch, ensuring Git knows where to pull changes from in the future.
[branch "mybranch"]remote = originmerge = refs/heads/mybranch
Link Your Local Branch to an Existing Remote Branch (if you know its name)
- Find Your Branch: Use `git branch` to see your current branch (the one with an asterisk *).
git branch
see remote branches using ‘ git remote show origin ‘
- Connect the Branches: Run `git branch –set-upstream-to=origin/<remote_branch>` to link your local branch to the remote branch. Replace `<remote_branch>` with the actual remote branch name.
git branch --set-upstream-to=origin/<remote_branch>
used ‘ git fetch ‘ before run given command for properly fetched remote branches
Push Your Local Branch and Create a Remote Branch (if it doesn’t exist)
- Push and Link in One Go: Use `git push -u origin <local_branch>` to push your local branch to the remote repository and establish tracking at the same time. Replace `<local_branch>` with your actual branch name.
git push -u origin <local_branch>
successfully created new remote branch
Remember
- Replace `<remote_branch>` and `<local_branch>` with your specific branch names.
- These commands assume your remote is named “origin.” If it’s different, adjust the command accordingly.
Now you should be able to `git pull` and `git push` smoothly!