11

How can I get the current git branch with node.js without an external library? I need to be able to grab the current branch name to perform another function in my node file.

Update with partially working code

I'm able to get the branch name with this, but can't seem to log out a message if the stdout matches the given string.

const { exec } = require('child_process');
exec('git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD', (err, stdout, stderr) => {
    if (stdout === 'name-of-branch') {
        console.log(this is the correct branch);
    }
});
user3438917
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  • **See Also**: [How to get the current branch name in Git?](https://stackoverflow.com/q/6245570/1366033) – KyleMit Jan 02 '22 at 01:52

3 Answers3

16

Please try this works

const { exec } = require('child_process');
exec('git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD', (err, stdout, stderr) => {
    if (err) {
        // handle your error
    }

    if (typeof stdout === 'string' && (stdout.trim() === 'master')) {
      console.log(`The branch is master`);
      // Call your function here conditionally as per branch
    }
});

Receiving Output as

$: node test.js 
The branch is master
Aayush Mall
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11

This should do it:

const { exec } = require('child_process');
exec('git branch --show-current', (err, stdout, stderr) => {
    if (err) {
        // handle your error
    }
});

The stdout variable will contain your branch name. You need to have git installed for this to work.

Jake S.
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  • Thanks for the suggestion. I updated my code to get the exact branch, but can't seem to log out a message if the `stdout` matches the string. – user3438917 Jun 06 '20 at 06:22
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    @user3438917 You probably figured it out by now, but for future refence, you need to call trim() on stdout in order to do that. – Blackness Mar 03 '21 at 13:42
2

Just adding to @Aayush Mall's answer as an ES6 module, so you can fetch the current branch wherever in your project and be used however you like.

import { exec } from 'child_process';

const getBranch = () => new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
    return exec('git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD', (err, stdout, stderr) => {
        if (err)
            reject(`getBranch Error: ${err}`);
        else if (typeof stdout === 'string')
            resolve(stdout.trim());
    });
});

export { getBranch }


// --- --- Another File / Module --- ---

import { getBranch } from './moduleLocation.mjs'

const someAsyncFunction = async () => {
  console.log(await getBranch()); 
}

someAsyncFunction();
jason-warner
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