gitlab-org--gitlab-foss/doc/api/branches.md

# Branches

## List repository branches

Get a list of repository branches from a project, sorted by name alphabetically.

```
GET /projects/:id/repository/branches
```

Parameters:

- `id` (required) - The ID of a project

```json
[
  {
    "name": "master",
    "commit": {
      "id": "7b5c3cc8be40ee161ae89a06bba6229da1032a0c",
      "parents": [
        {
          "id": "4ad91d3c1144c406e50c7b33bae684bd6837faf8"
        }
      ],
      "tree": "46e82de44b1061621357f24c05515327f2795a95",
      "message": "add projects API",
      "author": {
        "name": "John Smith",
        "email": "john@example.com"
      },
      "committer": {
        "name": "John Smith",
        "email": "john@example.com"
      },
      "authored_date": "2012-06-27T05:51:39-07:00",
      "committed_date": "2012-06-28T03:44:20-07:00"
    },
    "protected": true
  }
]
```

## Get single repository branch

Get a single project repository branch.

```
GET /projects/:id/repository/branches/:branch
```

Parameters:

- `id` (required) - The ID of a project
- `branch` (required) - The name of the branch

```json
{
  "name": "master",
  "commit": {
    "id": "7b5c3cc8be40ee161ae89a06bba6229da1032a0c",
    "parents": [
      {
        "id": "4ad91d3c1144c406e50c7b33bae684bd6837faf8"
      }
    ],
    "tree": "46e82de44b1061621357f24c05515327f2795a95",
    "message": "add projects API",
    "author": {
      "name": "John Smith",
      "email": "john@example.com"
    },
    "committer": {
      "name": "John Smith",
      "email": "john@example.com"
    },
    "authored_date": "2012-06-27T05:51:39-07:00",
    "committed_date": "2012-06-28T03:44:20-07:00"
  },
  "protected": true
}
```

## Protect repository branch

Protects a single project repository branch. This is an idempotent function, protecting an already
protected repository branch still returns a `200 OK` status code.

```
PUT /projects/:id/repository/branches/:branch/protect
```

Parameters:

- `id` (required) - The ID of a project
- `branch` (required) - The name of the branch

```json
{
  "name": "master",
  "commit": {
    "id": "7b5c3cc8be40ee161ae89a06bba6229da1032a0c",
    "parents": [
      {
        "id": "4ad91d3c1144c406e50c7b33bae684bd6837faf8"
      }
    ],
    "tree": "46e82de44b1061621357f24c05515327f2795a95",
    "message": "add projects API",
    "author": {
      "name": "John Smith",
      "email": "john@example.com"
    },
    "committer": {
      "name": "John Smith",
      "email": "john@example.com"
    },
    "authored_date": "2012-06-27T05:51:39-07:00",
    "committed_date": "2012-06-28T03:44:20-07:00"
  },
  "protected": true
}
```

## Unprotect repository branch

Unprotects a single project repository branch. This is an idempotent function, unprotecting an already
unprotected repository branch still returns a `200 OK` status code.

```
PUT /projects/:id/repository/branches/:branch/unprotect
```

Parameters:

- `id` (required) - The ID of a project
- `branch` (required) - The name of the branch

```json
{
  "name": "master",
  "commit": {
    "id": "7b5c3cc8be40ee161ae89a06bba6229da1032a0c",
    "parents": [
      {
        "id": "4ad91d3c1144c406e50c7b33bae684bd6837faf8"
      }
    ],
    "tree": "46e82de44b1061621357f24c05515327f2795a95",
    "message": "add projects API",
    "author": {
      "name": "John Smith",
      "email": "john@example.com"
    },
    "committer": {
      "name": "John Smith",
      "email": "john@example.com"
    },
    "authored_date": "2012-06-27T05:51:39-07:00",
    "committed_date": "2012-06-28T03:44:20-07:00"
  },
  "protected": false
}
```

## Create repository branch

```
POST /projects/:id/repository/branches
```

Parameters:

- `id` (required) - The ID of a project
- `branch_name` (required) - The name of the branch
- `ref` (required) - Create branch from commit SHA or existing branch

```json
{
  "name": "my-new-branch",
  "commit": {
    "id": "8848c0e90327a0b70f1865b843fb2fbfb9345e57",
    "message": "Merge pull request #54 from brightbox/use_fog_brightbox_module\n\nUpdate to use fog-brightbox module",
    "parent_ids": [
      "fff449e0bf453576f16c91d6544f00a2664009d8",
      "f93a93626fec20fd659f4ed3ab2e64019b6169ae"
    ],
    "authored_date": "2014-02-20T19:54:55+02:00",
    "author_name": "john smith",
    "author_email": "john@example.com",
    "committed_date": "2014-02-20T19:54:55+02:00",
    "committer_name": "john smith",
    "committer_email": "john@example.com"
  },
  "protected": false
}
```

It return 200 if succeed or 400 if failed with error message explaining reason.

## Delete repository branch

```
DELETE /projects/:id/repository/branches/:branch
```

Parameters:

- `id` (required) - The ID of a project
- `branch` (required) - The name of the branch

It return 200 if succeed, 404 if the branch to be deleted does not exist
or 400 for other reasons. In case of an error, an explaining message is provided.

Success response: 

```json
{
  "branch_name": "my-removed-branch"
}
```