Checkout by name without detaching

[kabessao]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.
Whenever I'm about to change branches I use the "Checkout by name" menu, paste the branch name, press enter, and there is my branch, but I think this is a waste of time since this menu has a search feature, but whenever I choose the same branch on the search results it detaches, just because the result has a "origin/" at the beginning.

Describe the solution you'd like
I would want the search result to not detach my repository.

Describe alternatives you've considered
Maybe creating a separate key ("C" for example ) that does the same but doesn't detaches.

Additional context

Lets say I have a branch called "feature/new_button". Using the search results this is the command lazygit uses:
git checkout "origin/feature/new_button"

and on "Local Branches" it will show as "(HEAD detached at origin/feature/new_button)".

But if in the same prompt I write "feature/new_button" and press enter without choosing any result this is the command it uses:
git checkout "feature/new_button"

and on "Local Branches" it will show as "feature/new_button".

(I apologize for any misunderstanding that may happen. English is not my native language)

[mark2185]

You could write a custom command for that and map it to C.

Here's the docs for creating custom commands. Your command should basically be of type input and do git checkout {{ index .PromptResponses 0}}.

Alternatively, you could go to the Branches panel (number 3), press ] to switch to the remotes, press enter to enter the origin remote, search and checkout the branch from there.

[lichader]

You could write a custom command for that and map it to C.

Here's the docs for creating custom commands. Your command should basically be of type input and do git checkout {{ index .PromptResponses 0}}.

Alternatively, you could go to the Branches panel (number 3), press ] to switch to the remotes, press enter to enter the origin remote, search and checkout the branch from there.

Nice workaround! I just got this question too and google search led me here. Would still be good if it can pre-fill the branch name when you select a branch from remote in the checkout window. Then, it should behave like the normal git checkout. Otherwise, you have to go a few clicks, which may not be that lazy at all 🤣

[mark2185]

Would still be good if it can pre-fill the branch name when you select a branch from remote in the checkout window

That should already happen, though.

Here's a demo.

[lichader]

Would still be good if it can pre-fill the branch name when you select a branch from remote in the checkout window

That should already happen, though.

Here's a demo.

Thanks. I was meaning if you checkout directly from the Branches panel and select a remote branch. In that scenario, you have to provide a branch name. Otherwise, it's just detached state.

[mark2185]

Ah, gotcha.

That's actually something I've been meaning to fix - if the HEAD is in a detached state, but it coincidentally points to an existing branch, maybe the initial prompt value for creating a new branch from it should be that branch.
Seems like a good first issue if someone else wants to take a shot at it.

@jesseduffield thoughts?

[cyrusduong]

For anyone trying to do this still here is the custom command I configured

customCommands:
  - key: "C"
    context: "localBranches"
    description: "Checkout branch using search"
    prompts:
      - type: 'input'
        title: "Branch Name"
        key: BranchName
        suggestions:
          preset: 'remoteBranches'
    command: "git checkout {{ .Form.BranchName }}"

[niderhoff]

demo

Why can't the checkout command from the branches panel just provide 2 options:

1. create new local branch that will track the selected remote branch and checkout the newly created local branch (default behavior from git checkout )
2. checkout HEAD of remote in detached state (current behavior in lazygit)

or we could have 2 different hotkeys (as proposed): c vs. C

it is a bit puzzling why lazygit would here behave different than normal git-cli.