Branch Renaming in GitLab

Unlike GitHub, GitLab doesn't allow renaming the origin branch from the remote is a known fact. (Process of renaming the branches in Github/Remote as below)

As GitLab doesn't allow the renaming of the branches in origin / remote; the following alternative can be considered to rename the remote branch/branches.

Steps for Branch Renaming

If <old-branch-name> is poc-branch
And <new-branch-name> is poc-amended

1. Rename the Local Branch
   git branch -m poc-branch poc-amended
2. Push the Renamed Branch to Remote
   git push origin poc-amended
3. Update the Remote Tracking Branch
   git psuh --set-upstream origin poc-amended
4. Delete the Old Branch from the Remote
   (using CLI as below or from WebUI)
   git push origin --delete poc-branch
5. [Optional] Update Default Branch in GitLab — Refer below
6. [Optional] Inform Team Members — Refer below

In the above approach, the code commit history for the branch will be preserved.

Update Default Branch in GitLab

1. Log in to GitLab: Navigate to your project in GitLab.
2. Go to Repository Settings:
   Select Settings → Repository.
3. Change the Default Branch:
   Under the Default Branch section, select the new branch name from the dropdown.
4. Protect the New Branch (Optional):
   If the branch is protected, update its protection settings under
   Settings → Repository → Protected Branches.

Let your team know about the branch name change so they can update their local repositories:

1. Run the following to sync with the updated remote branch names
   git fetch --prune
2. Check out the new branch locally
   git checkout poc-amended