Category: gitlab

Rename git branch

Use git command line (with git bash on Windows) to change the branch name.

1 – Be sure you are on the right branch

Firstly, you should be on your current branch (the branch you want to rename) with git checkout.

2 – Change the name of the branch locally

Secondly, you should rename the branch with the following command:

git branch -m <the_new_branch_name>

The new branch name should be valid, with no space. If you use special characters you should use quotes like:

git branch -m “let’s-put-a-complicated-name”

3 – Change the name of the branch remotely

You can now change the name of the branch remotely so it’s also changed on github / gitlab / bitbucket etc.
To do push it use:

git push origin HEAD:<old_branch_name>

If it’s a complicated name you can still use the quotes:
git push origin HEAD:”it’s-an-old-branch-name”

How to remove git token on git project after a failed git pull

After doing a git pull is it possible you have an error because your Git Token is not valid anymore, here is an exemple:

# git pull
remote: HTTP Basic: Access denied
fatal: Authentication failed for 'https://gitlab-ci-token:YOURTOKEN@gitlab.com/YOURPROJECT.git/'

In order to do the git pull we want to use our credential with the LOGIN / PASSWORD that we use to access GitLab.

Solution 1 : Git pull one time with login (temporary)

# git pull https://gitlab.com/YOURPROJECT.git

Solution 2 : Change the origin URL to HTTPS (permanent)

# git remote set-url origin https://gitlab.com/YOURPROJECT.git
# git pull

It will ask your login and password for the git pull and will not use the git token anymore.