[git] How do I clone a specific Git branch?

Git clone will behave copying remote current working branch into local.

Is there any way to clone a specific branch by myself without switching branches on the remote repository?

Here is a really simple way to do it :)

Clone the repository

git clone <repository_url>

List all branches

git branch -a 

Checkout the branch that you want

git checkout <name_of_branch>

To clone a branch without fetching other branches:

mkdir $BRANCH
cd $BRANCH
git init
git remote add -t $BRANCH -f origin $REMOTE_REPO
git checkout $BRANCH

Create a branch on the local system with that name. e.g. say you want to get the branch named branch-05142011

git branch branch-05142011 origin/branch-05142011

It'll give you a message:

$ git checkout --track origin/branch-05142011
Branch branch-05142011 set up to track remote branch refs/remotes/origin/branch-05142011.
Switched to a new branch "branch-05142011"

Now just checkout the branch like below and you have the code

git checkout branch-05142011

git clone -b <branch> <remote_repo>

Example:

git clone -b my-branch [email protected]:user/myproject.git

With Git 1.7.10 and later, add --single-branch to prevent fetching of all branches. Example, with OpenCV 2.4 branch:

git clone -b opencv-2.4 --single-branch https://github.com/Itseez/opencv.git

git --branch <branchname> <url>

But bash completion don't get this key: --branch

git checkout -b <branch-name> <origin/branch_name>

for example in my case:

 git branch -a
* master
  origin/HEAD
  origin/enum-account-number
  origin/master
  origin/rel_table_play
  origin/sugarfield_customer_number_show_c

So to create a new branch based on my enum-account-number branch I do:

git checkout -b enum-account-number origin/enum-account-number

After you hit return the following happens:

Branch enum-account-number set up to track remote branch refs/remotes/origin/enum-account-number.
Switched to a new branch "enum-account-number"