We've recently moved some of the REST API documentation. If you can't find what you're looking for, you might try the new Branches, Collaborators, Commits, Deploy Keys, Deployments, GitHub Pages, Releases, Metrics, Webhooks REST API pages.
Branches
Use the REST API to modify branches and their protection settings.
List branches
Parameters for "List branches"
Name, Type, Description |
---|
accept string Setting to |
Name, Type, Description |
---|
owner string RequiredThe account owner of the repository. The name is not case sensitive. |
repo string RequiredThe name of the repository without the |
Name, Type, Description |
---|
protected boolean Setting to |
per_page integer The number of results per page (max 100). Default: |
page integer Page number of the results to fetch. Default: |
HTTP response status codes for "List branches"
Status code | Description |
---|---|
200 | OK |
404 | Resource not found |
Code samples for "List branches"
curl -L \
-H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR-TOKEN>" \
https://HOSTNAME/api/v3/repos/OWNER/REPO/branches
Response
Status: 200
[
{
"name": "master",
"commit": {
"sha": "c5b97d5ae6c19d5c5df71a34c7fbeeda2479ccbc",
"url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/commits/c5b97d5ae6c19d5c5df71a34c7fbeeda2479ccbc"
},
"protected": true,
"protection": {
"required_status_checks": {
"enforcement_level": "non_admins",
"contexts": [
"ci-test",
"linter"
]
}
},
"protection_url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/hello-world/branches/master/protection"
}
]
Get a branch
Parameters for "Get a branch"
Name, Type, Description |
---|
accept string Setting to |
Name, Type, Description |
---|
owner string RequiredThe account owner of the repository. The name is not case sensitive. |
repo string RequiredThe name of the repository without the |
branch string RequiredThe name of the branch. Cannot contain wildcard characters. To use wildcard characters in branch names, use the GraphQL API. |
HTTP response status codes for "Get a branch"
Status code | Description |
---|---|
200 | OK |
301 | Moved permanently |
404 | Resource not found |
Code samples for "Get a branch"
curl -L \
-H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR-TOKEN>" \
https://HOSTNAME/api/v3/repos/OWNER/REPO/branches/BRANCH
Response
Status: 200
{
"name": "main",
"commit": {
"sha": "7fd1a60b01f91b314f59955a4e4d4e80d8edf11d",
"node_id": "MDY6Q29tbWl0MTI5NjI2OTo3ZmQxYTYwYjAxZjkxYjMxNGY1OTk1NWE0ZTRkNGU4MGQ4ZWRmMTFk",
"commit": {
"author": {
"name": "The Octocat",
"email": "octocat@nowhere.com",
"date": "2012-03-06T23:06:50Z"
},
"committer": {
"name": "The Octocat",
"email": "octocat@nowhere.com",
"date": "2012-03-06T23:06:50Z"
},
"message": "Merge pull request #6 from Spaceghost/patch-1\n\nNew line at end of file.",
"tree": {
"sha": "b4eecafa9be2f2006ce1b709d6857b07069b4608",
"url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/git/trees/b4eecafa9be2f2006ce1b709d6857b07069b4608"
},
"url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/git/commits/7fd1a60b01f91b314f59955a4e4d4e80d8edf11d",
"comment_count": 77,
"verification": {
"verified": false,
"reason": "unsigned",
"signature": null,
"payload": null
}
},
"url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/commits/7fd1a60b01f91b314f59955a4e4d4e80d8edf11d",
"html_url": "https://github.com/octocat/Hello-World/commit/7fd1a60b01f91b314f59955a4e4d4e80d8edf11d",
"comments_url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/commits/7fd1a60b01f91b314f59955a4e4d4e80d8edf11d/comments",
"author": {
"login": "octocat",
"id": 583231,
"node_id": "MDQ6VXNlcjU4MzIzMQ==",
"avatar_url": "https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/583231?v=4",
"gravatar_id": "",
"url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat",
"html_url": "https://github.com/octocat",
"followers_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/followers",
"following_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/following{/other_user}",
"gists_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/gists{/gist_id}",
"starred_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/starred{/owner}{/repo}",
"subscriptions_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/subscriptions",
"organizations_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/orgs",
"repos_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/repos",
"events_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/events{/privacy}",
"received_events_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/received_events",
"type": "User",
"site_admin": false
},
"committer": {
"login": "octocat",
"id": 583231,
"node_id": "MDQ6VXNlcjU4MzIzMQ==",
"avatar_url": "https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/583231?v=4",
"gravatar_id": "",
"url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat",
"html_url": "https://github.com/octocat",
"followers_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/followers",
"following_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/following{/other_user}",
"gists_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/gists{/gist_id}",
"starred_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/starred{/owner}{/repo}",
"subscriptions_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/subscriptions",
"organizations_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/orgs",
"repos_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/repos",
"events_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/events{/privacy}",
"received_events_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/received_events",
"type": "User",
"site_admin": false
},
"parents": [
{
"sha": "553c2077f0edc3d5dc5d17262f6aa498e69d6f8e",
"url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/commits/553c2077f0edc3d5dc5d17262f6aa498e69d6f8e",
"html_url": "https://github.com/octocat/Hello-World/commit/553c2077f0edc3d5dc5d17262f6aa498e69d6f8e"
},
{
"sha": "762941318ee16e59dabbacb1b4049eec22f0d303",
"url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/commits/762941318ee16e59dabbacb1b4049eec22f0d303",
"html_url": "https://github.com/octocat/Hello-World/commit/762941318ee16e59dabbacb1b4049eec22f0d303"
}
]
},
"_links": {
"self": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/branches/main",
"html": "https://github.com/octocat/Hello-World/tree/main"
},
"protected": false,
"protection": {
"enabled": false,
"required_status_checks": {
"enforcement_level": "off",
"contexts": [],
"checks": []
}
},
"protection_url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/branches/main/protection"
}
Sync a fork branch with the upstream repository
Sync a branch of a forked repository to keep it up-to-date with the upstream repository.
Parameters for "Sync a fork branch with the upstream repository"
Name, Type, Description |
---|
accept string Setting to |
Name, Type, Description |
---|
owner string RequiredThe account owner of the repository. The name is not case sensitive. |
repo string RequiredThe name of the repository without the |
Name, Type, Description |
---|
branch string RequiredThe name of the branch which should be updated to match upstream. |
HTTP response status codes for "Sync a fork branch with the upstream repository"
Status code | Description |
---|---|
200 | The branch has been successfully synced with the upstream repository |
409 | The branch could not be synced because of a merge conflict |
422 | The branch could not be synced for some other reason |
Code samples for "Sync a fork branch with the upstream repository"
curl -L \
-X POST \
-H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR-TOKEN>" \
https://HOSTNAME/api/v3/repos/OWNER/REPO/merge-upstream \
-d '{"branch":"main"}'
The branch has been successfully synced with the upstream repository
Status: 200
{
"message": "Successfully fetched and fast-forwarded from upstream defunkt:main",
"merge_type": "fast-forward",
"base_branch": "defunkt:main"
}
Merge a branch
Parameters for "Merge a branch"
Name, Type, Description |
---|
accept string Setting to |
Name, Type, Description |
---|
owner string RequiredThe account owner of the repository. The name is not case sensitive. |
repo string RequiredThe name of the repository without the |
Name, Type, Description |
---|
base string RequiredThe name of the base branch that the head will be merged into. |
head string RequiredThe head to merge. This can be a branch name or a commit SHA1. |
commit_message string Commit message to use for the merge commit. If omitted, a default message will be used. |
HTTP response status codes for "Merge a branch"
Status code | Description |
---|---|
201 | Successful Response (The resulting merge commit) |
204 | Response when already merged |
403 | Forbidden |
404 | Not Found when the base or head does not exist |
409 | Conflict when there is a merge conflict |
422 | Validation failed, or the endpoint has been spammed. |
Code samples for "Merge a branch"
curl -L \
-X POST \
-H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR-TOKEN>" \
https://HOSTNAME/api/v3/repos/OWNER/REPO/merges \
-d '{"base":"master","head":"cool_feature","commit_message":"Shipped cool_feature!"}'
Successful Response (The resulting merge commit)
Status: 201
{
"url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/commits/6dcb09b5b57875f334f61aebed695e2e4193db5e",
"sha": "6dcb09b5b57875f334f61aebed695e2e4193db5e",
"node_id": "MDY6Q29tbWl0NmRjYjA5YjViNTc4NzVmMzM0ZjYxYWViZWQ2OTVlMmU0MTkzZGI1ZQ==",
"html_url": "https://github.com/octocat/Hello-World/commit/6dcb09b5b57875f334f61aebed695e2e4193db5e",
"comments_url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/commits/6dcb09b5b57875f334f61aebed695e2e4193db5e/comments",
"commit": {
"url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/git/commits/6dcb09b5b57875f334f61aebed695e2e4193db5e",
"author": {
"name": "Monalisa Octocat",
"email": "mona@github.com",
"date": "2011-04-14T16:00:49Z"
},
"committer": {
"name": "Monalisa Octocat",
"email": "mona@github.com",
"date": "2011-04-14T16:00:49Z"
},
"message": "Fix all the bugs",
"tree": {
"url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/tree/6dcb09b5b57875f334f61aebed695e2e4193db5e",
"sha": "6dcb09b5b57875f334f61aebed695e2e4193db5e"
},
"comment_count": 0,
"verification": {
"verified": false,
"reason": "unsigned",
"signature": null,
"payload": null
}
},
"author": {
"login": "octocat",
"id": 1,
"node_id": "MDQ6VXNlcjE=",
"avatar_url": "https://github.com/images/error/octocat_happy.gif",
"gravatar_id": "",
"url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat",
"html_url": "https://github.com/octocat",
"followers_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/followers",
"following_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/following{/other_user}",
"gists_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/gists{/gist_id}",
"starred_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/starred{/owner}{/repo}",
"subscriptions_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/subscriptions",
"organizations_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/orgs",
"repos_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/repos",
"events_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/events{/privacy}",
"received_events_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/received_events",
"type": "User",
"site_admin": false
},
"committer": {
"login": "octocat",
"id": 1,
"node_id": "MDQ6VXNlcjE=",
"avatar_url": "https://github.com/images/error/octocat_happy.gif",
"gravatar_id": "",
"url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat",
"html_url": "https://github.com/octocat",
"followers_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/followers",
"following_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/following{/other_user}",
"gists_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/gists{/gist_id}",
"starred_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/starred{/owner}{/repo}",
"subscriptions_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/subscriptions",
"organizations_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/orgs",
"repos_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/repos",
"events_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/events{/privacy}",
"received_events_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/received_events",
"type": "User",
"site_admin": false
},
"parents": [
{
"url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/commits/6dcb09b5b57875f334f61aebed695e2e4193db5e",
"sha": "6dcb09b5b57875f334f61aebed695e2e4193db5e"
}
],
"stats": {
"additions": 104,
"deletions": 4,
"total": 108
},
"files": [
{
"filename": "file1.txt",
"additions": 10,
"deletions": 2,
"changes": 12,
"status": "modified",
"raw_url": "https://github.com/octocat/Hello-World/raw/7ca483543807a51b6079e54ac4cc392bc29ae284/file1.txt",
"blob_url": "https://github.com/octocat/Hello-World/blob/7ca483543807a51b6079e54ac4cc392bc29ae284/file1.txt",
"patch": "@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@\n....."
}
]
}