Create a new git repository from a existing local branch

Question

I have a Git repository with two branches: master and redesign. The redesign branch was created from master, and master has not been touched since then:

master
...|--m50--\
            \--m51--|--m52--|--m53-- redesign

The redesign branch has evolved so much that I would like to create a new whole repository from it, taking the first commit of redesign as the initial commit of the new repository and forgetting the previous history inherited from master:

master
...|--m50--

redesign
--r1--|--r2--|--r3--

Is this possible with Git? There is a related question to this, but its goal is to use a directory, not a branch.

Thanks!

score 8 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 27 '11 at 17:41

8

You could:

checkout the commit you want for the "root" of your new repo
copy all the files to your new directory (except the .git directory)
check out your redesign branch
git format-patch master..redesign
move all the generated patch files somewhere handy

Then go to your new directory and:

$ git init
$ git add .           # make sure your .gitignore is in place though
$ git commit -m"..."
$ git am /path/to/patches/*.patch

answered Nov 27 '11 at 17:41

Mat

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When executing `git am ...` several error messages like these appeared: `/Users/elitalon/Sites/exigo/.git/rebase-apply/patch:447: trailing whitespace` and `error: cake/console/cake.bat: patch does not apply`. What can be happening? – elitalon Nov 28 '11 at 16:39
Use a separate directory where you store *only* the patch files generated by `git format-patch`. What you are trying to apply there doesn't look like anything you should be applying. – Mat Nov 28 '11 at 16:47
Forget it. I used the flag `--whitespace=fix` and everything worked like a charm. Thank you! – elitalon Nov 28 '11 at 16:52

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 27 '11 at 17:44

First, copy or clone your git repository.

Then, find out the hash of your new root commit (m51 in your diagram). Put its commit hash into the file .git/info/grafts, then run git filter-branch --all. After you have verified the successful operation, you can remove the original/* backup refs (or re-clone the repository).

Please note that this will create new commit hashes for all commits, so you have to be careful with already published history.

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jul 08 '13 at 13:40

Create your new repository, then:

$ git add remote newrepo <path to newrepo>
$ git checkout redesign
$ git checkout --orphan clean
# The branch is empty, but the files from the original branch are staged for commit.
$ git commit -m"clean"
$ git push newrepo clean:master

Note: If you want to preserve history (or don't care), omit the creation of the "clean"

Create a new git repository from a existing local branch

3 Answers3