{"record":{"id":"a835afc78874dde3","repo":"pcottle/learnGitBranching","slug":"fatal-head-does-not-point-to-a-branch","errorCode":null,"errorMessage":"fatal: HEAD does not point to a branch","messagePattern":"fatal: HEAD does not point to a branch","errorType":"exception","errorClass":"GitError","httpStatus":null,"severity":"error","filePath":"src/js/git/commands.js","lineNumber":541,"sourceCode":"      if (commandOptions['--contains']) {\n        args = commandOptions['--contains'];\n        command.validateArgBounds(args, 1, 1, '--contains');\n        engine.printBranchesWithout(args[0]);\n        return;\n      }\n\n      if (commandOptions['-m'] || commandOptions['-M'] || commandOptions['--move']) {\n        var moveArgs = commandOptions['-m'] || commandOptions['-M'] || commandOptions['--move'];\n        var force = !!commandOptions['-M'];\n        args = moveArgs.concat(generalArgs);\n        command.validateArgBounds(args, 1, 2, '-m');\n\n        var oldName, newName;\n        if (args.length === 1) {\n          // git branch -m <newname>: rename current branch\n          var headTarget = engine.HEAD.get('target');\n          if (headTarget.get('type') !== 'branch') {\n            throw new GitError({\n              msg: intl.todo('fatal: HEAD does not point to a branch')\n            });\n          }\n          oldName = headTarget.get('id');\n          newName = args[0];\n        } else {\n          // git branch -m <oldname> <newname>\n          oldName = args[0];\n          newName = args[1];\n        }\n\n        engine.renameBranch(oldName, newName, force);\n        return;\n      }\n\n      if (commandOptions['-f'] || commandOptions['--force']) {\n        args = commandOptions['-f'] || commandOptions['--force'];\n        args = args.concat(generalArgs);","sourceCodeStart":523,"sourceCodeEnd":559,"githubUrl":"https://github.com/pcottle/learnGitBranching/blob/5b09d0ff9678cad164f5a7488a279a44f90d7256/src/js/git/commands.js#L523-L559","documentation":"git branch -m <newname> (single-arg form) renames the current branch, which requires HEAD to point at a branch. If HEAD is detached (points at a commit), this fatal GitError is thrown.","triggerScenarios":"git checkout C1 then git branch -m renamed.","commonSituations":"Renaming while inspecting an old commit; forgetting you detached earlier.","solutions":["Use the two-arg form: git branch -m <old> <new>","Reattach HEAD (git checkout main) before renaming"],"exampleFix":"// before\ngit checkout C1; git branch -m newmain\n// after\ngit checkout C1; git branch -m main newmain","handlingStrategy":"validation","validationCode":"if (args.length === 1 && engine.HEAD.get('target').get('type') !== 'branch') { use two-arg form }","typeGuard":"function headOnBranch(engine) { return engine.HEAD.get('target').get('type') === 'branch'; }","tryCatchPattern":null,"preventionTips":["Always pass old and new names to branch -m","Warn users when HEAD is detached"],"tags":["git","branch","rename","detached-head"],"backgroundTag":"detached-head-operation","analyzedSha":"5b09d0ff9678cad164f5a7488a279a44f90d7256","analyzedAt":"2026-08-27T13:53:49.057Z","schemaVersion":2},"datasetVersion":"2026-08-27T19:17:21.184Z"}