Fixing Git Pull On Feature Branches Without Tracking

When you create a new branch locally and try to git pull, you’ll hit this error if the branch doesn’t have upstream tracking configured:

You asked me to pull without telling me which branch you
want to merge with, and 'branch.dev-harry.merge' in
your configuration file does not tell me, either.

This happens because Git doesn’t automatically know which remote branch to pull from when you’re on a local branch without upstream tracking set. The rc branch works fine because it already has this configuration.

The Problem

When you check your branches:

$ git branch
* dev-harry
  master
  rc

And try to pull:

$ git pull

Git needs to know: “Pull from which remote?” and “Which remote branch should I merge?”

The rc branch works because its configuration already exists. You can verify this by checking git config:

$ git config branch.rc.remote
origin
$ git config branch.rc.merge
refs/heads/rc

Your dev-harry branch is missing these settings.

Solutions

Option 1: Set upstream when pulling (one-time fix)

$ git pull origin dev-harry

This pulls from the origin remote and the dev-harry branch, but doesn’t create permanent tracking.

Option 2: Set upstream tracking (recommended)

$ git branch --set-upstream-to=origin/dev-harry dev-harry

Or the shorter form:

$ git branch -u origin/dev-harry

After this, git pull works without arguments.

Option 3: Set upstream during checkout

If you’re checking out a new branch that exists on the remote:

$ git checkout --track origin/dev-harry

This creates the local branch and sets upstream tracking in one command.

Option 4: Configure manually in .git/config

Edit .git/config directly and add:

[branch "dev-harry"]
    remote = origin
    merge = refs/heads/dev-harry

Then save and git pull will work.

Verify Your Configuration

After setting upstream, confirm it’s correct:

$ git branch -vv
* dev-harry 1a2b3c4 [origin/dev-harry] your commit message
  master   4d5e6f7 [origin/master] another message
  rc       7g8h9i0 [origin/rc] yet another message

The [origin/branch-name] part shows tracking is configured.

Best Practice for New Branches

When creating and pushing a new branch to a remote, use:

$ git push -u origin dev-harry

The -u flag automatically sets upstream tracking as you push. This saves setup work later.

Git Best Practices

When working with Git, follow these practices for a cleaner history:

Write clear, descriptive commit messages that explain what changed and why
Make small, focused commits rather than large sweeping changes
Use branches for features and experiments, merge or rebase when ready
Review changes with git diff before committing
Use .gitignore to exclude build artifacts and environment files

Useful Git Aliases

Speed up your workflow with these aliases in ~/.gitconfig:

[alias]
    st = status
    co = checkout
    br = branch
    ci = commit
    lg = log --oneline --graph --decorate
    last = log -1 HEAD
    unstage = reset HEAD --
    amend = commit --amend --no-edit

Quick Reference

This article covered the essential concepts and commands for the topic. For more information, consult the official documentation or manual pages. The key takeaway is to understand the fundamentals before applying advanced configurations.

Practice in a test environment before making changes on production systems. Keep notes of what works and what does not for future reference.

Fixing Git Pull on Feature Branches Without Tracking