git-check-ref-format

Check the format of the specified reference name

$ git check-ref-format [refs/head/refname]

$ git check-ref-format --branch @{-1}

$ git check-ref-format --normalize [refs/head/refname]

git check-ref-format [--allow-onelevel] [--refspec-pattern] refname

--allow-onelevel
    Allow refnames that do not have at least one / component. Needed when creating the symbolic ref HEAD.

--refspec-pattern
    The given refname is used as a refspec pattern.

refname
    The name of the ref to validate.

The `git-check-ref-format` command validates whether a given reference name (like a branch or tag name) conforms to Git's naming conventions. It's crucial for ensuring reference names are valid and prevents issues with Git operations. The command checks for various criteria, including forbidden characters, naming patterns, and length restrictions.

This command is primarily used by scripts and Git's internal operations to prevent creating invalid references. It helps maintain consistency and avoids conflicts that can arise from malformed names. A valid reference name is essential for Git to correctly manage branches, tags, and other references within a repository. By using `git-check-ref-format`, developers and administrators can enforce naming standards and prevent common errors related to reference naming.

The `--refspec-pattern` option changes the interpretation of the refname and validates it against refspec rules rather than standard ref name rules.

The command exits with 0 if the reference name is valid, and a non-zero value if it is invalid.

Git enforces several rules for reference names: They must contain at least one / character unless --allow-onelevel is specified. They cannot start or end with a /. They cannot contain sequences of multiple consecutive /. They cannot contain ASCII control characters, space, tilde ~, caret ^, colon :, question mark ?, asterisk *, or open square bracket [. They cannot contain two consecutive dots .. anywhere. They cannot contain a sequence @{ anywhere. They cannot contain a backslash \. They cannot end with a dot ..lock.

git-symbolic-ref(1), git-rev-parse(1)