hg branch [-fC] [NAME]

set or show the current branch name

    .. note::

       Branch names are permanent and global. Use :hg:`bookmark` to create a
       light-weight bookmark instead. See :hg:`help glossary` for more
       information about named branches and bookmarks.

    With no argument, show the current branch name. With one argument,
    set the working directory branch name (the branch will not exist
    in the repository until the next commit). Standard practice
    recommends that primary development take place on the 'default'
    branch.

    Unless -f/--force is specified, branch will not let you set a
    branch name that already exists, even if it's inactive.

    Use -C/--clean to reset the working directory branch to that of
    the parent of the working directory, negating a previous branch
    change.

    Use the command :hg:`update` to switch to an existing branch. Use
    :hg:`commit --close-branch` to mark this branch as closed.

    Returns 0 on success.
    

options:

 == ======= =====================================================
 -f --force set branch name even if it shadows an existing branch
 -C --clean reset branch name to parent branch name              
 == ======= =====================================================

global options:

 == =================== ==================================================================
 -R --repository REPO   repository root directory or name of overlay bundle file          
    --cwd DIR           change working directory                                          
 -y --noninteractive    do not prompt, automatically pick the first choice for all prompts
 -q --quiet             suppress output                                                   
 -v --verbose           enable additional output                                          
    --config CONFIG [+] set/override config option (use 'section.name=value')             
    --debug             enable debugging output                                           
    --debugger          start debugger                                                    
    --encoding ENCODE   set the charset encoding (default: UTF-8)                         
    --encodingmode MODE set the charset encoding mode (default: strict)                   
    --traceback         always print a traceback on exception                             
    --time              time how long the command takes                                   
    --profile           print command execution profile                                   
    --version           output version information and exit                               
 -h --help              display help and exit                                             
    --hidden            consider hidden changesets                                        
 == =================== ==================================================================

[+] marked option can be specified multiple times