git-for-each-ref

git for-each-ref [options] [patterns...]

git for-each-ref is a plumbing command that outputs detailed information about Git references (branches, tags, remote branches) in a highly customizable format. It serves as the foundation for many higher-level Git commands and scripts that need to process repository references.The format string syntax supports field extraction using %(fieldname) placeholders, with available fields including refname, objecttype, objectname, author, committer, and many others. Sorting capabilities enable ordering references by any field, with support for reverse sorting using a minus prefix.This command is primarily used in scripts and Git aliases rather than direct user interaction. The filtering options (--merged, --no-merged, --points-at) provide powerful selection mechanisms for finding references matching specific criteria.

--format format

Output format string using %(fieldname) placeholders (default: `%(objectname) %(objecttype)\t%(refname)`).

Sort by field name; prefix with - for descending. Repeatable, last key is primary.

Stop after showing n refs.

Only list refs pointing at the given object.

Only list refs whose tips are reachable from commit (default HEAD).

Only list refs whose tips are not reachable from commit (default HEAD).

Only list refs that contain the given commit.

Omit refs matching pattern.

Read the list of patterns from standard input instead of the argument list.

Case-insensitive sorting and filtering.

Quote interpolated values as string literals for the given scripting language.

git-branch(1), git-tag(1), git-rev-parse(1)

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