Completely replace remote branch with another in github leaving no traces of the old one
git, push, ssh
Solution
Your syntax is wrong. The correct command is:
git push -f github GitHubSquash
This will replace the remote GitHubSquash branch with your local version. If you just want to delete the remote branch:
git push -f github :GitHubSquash
I guess you got your error, because git is trying to interpret `:github` as an url and weird stuff happens :).
Problem
I pushed a branch to an empty github repo : ``` MrD@MRSD /c/Dropbox/eclipse_workspaces/javaEE/ted2012 (GitHubSquash) $ git remote add github https://github.com/Utumno/ted2012.git MrD@MRSD /c/Dropbox/eclipse_workspaces/javaEE/ted2012 (GitHubSquash) $ git push -u github GitHubSquash Username for 'https://github.com': Utumno Password for 'https://Utumno@github.com': //... To https://github.com/Utumno/ted2012.git * [new branch] GitHubSquash -> GitHubSquash Branch GitHubSquash set up to track remote branch GitHubSquash from github. ``` Then I noticed I had pushed some fluff along and tried to delete the branch/replace it with another etc. I failed : ``` MrD@MRSD /c/Dropbox/eclipse_workspaces/javaEE/ted2012 (GitHub2) $ git push :github && git push github GitHub2 ssh: connect to host port 22: Bad file number fatal: Could not read from remote repository. Please make sure you have the correct access rights and the repository exists. MrD@MRSD /c/Dropbox/eclipse_workspaces/javaEE/ted2012 (GitHub2) $ git checkout GitHubSquash Switched to branch 'GitHubSquash' Your branch is ahead of 'github/GitHubSquash' by 1 commit. (use "git push" to publish your local commits) MrD@MRSD /c/Dropbox/eclipse_workspaces/javaEE/ted2012 (GitHubSquash) $ git push :github ssh: connect to host port 22: Bad file number fatal: Could not read from remote repository. Please make sure you have the correct access rights and the repository exists. MrD@MRSD /c/Dropbox/eclipse_workspaces/javaEE/ted2012 (GitHubSquash) $ git push -u :github ssh: connect to host port 22: Bad file number fatal: Could not read from remote repository. Please make sure you have the correct access rights and the repository exists. ``` I had to delete the repo and push my new branch anew. That worked but left me wondering : What should I have done to completely replace the remote branch with another ? Why on earth I was getting the ssh: connect to host port 22: Bad file number errors - while my first push succeeded (and notice I am on http) ? ``` $ git --version git version 1.8.1.msysgit.1 ```