curl -X GET 'https://api.github.com/repos/example-owner/example-repo/branches/example-branch' \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $GITHUB_TOKEN" \
  -H 'Accept: application/vnd.github+json' \
  -H 'X-GitHub-Api-Version: 2026-03-10'

# GET /repos/{owner}/{repo}/branches/{branch} (GitHub API)
Base URL: https://api.github.com
Auth: Authorization; GitHub token; required.
Last verified: 2026-10-20

> Get a branch

## Critical Gotchas
* GitHub recommends an `Accept: application/vnd.github+json` header and an explicit `X-GitHub-Api-Version` header.
* Fine-grained tokens only authorize repositories and permissions selected when the token is created.

## cURL
curl -X GET 'https://api.github.com/repos/example-owner/example-repo/branches/example-branch' \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $GITHUB_TOKEN" \
  -H 'Accept: application/vnd.github+json' \
  -H 'X-GitHub-Api-Version: 2026-03-10'

## Parameters
| Name | In | Type | Required | Description |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| owner | path | string | Yes | The account owner of the repository. The name is not case sensitive. |
| repo | path | string | Yes | The name of the repository without the `.git` extension. The name is not case... |
| branch | path | string | Yes | The name of the branch. Cannot contain wildcard characters. To use wildcard c... |

## Response example
{"name":"string","commit":{"url":"https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/commits/6dcb09b5b57875f334f61aebed695e2e4193db5e","sha":"6dcb09b5b57875f334f61aebed695e2e4193db5e"}}

---
Need an API key? Get one at https://github.com/settings/tokens

GET

GET /repos/{owner}/{repo}/branches/{branch} — GitHub API

GitHub token (required); https://api.github.com

GitHub API

Get a branch

Base URL: https://api.github.com
Auth: Authorization: Bearer <GITHUB_API_KEY>
Last verified: 2026-10-20 · upstream hash matched

Actions Try in browser→

Agents: curl -H "Accept: text/markdown" this URL
→ 227 tokens · Vary: Accept

Critical gotchas

GitHub recommends an Accept: application/vnd.github+json header and an explicit X-GitHub-Api-Version header.

Fine-grained tokens only authorize repositories and permissions selected when the token is created.

cURL

curl -X GET 'https://api.github.com/repos/example-owner/example-repo/branches/example-branch' \  -H "Authorization: Bearer $GITHUB_TOKEN" \  -H 'Accept: application/vnd.github+json' \  -H 'X-GitHub-Api-Version: 2026-03-10'

Parameters

Name	In	Type	Required	Description
owner	path	string	Yes	The account owner of the repository. The name is not case sensitive.
repo	path	string	Yes	The name of the repository without the `.git` extension. The name is not case sensitive.
branch	path	string	Yes	The name of the branch. Cannot contain wildcard characters. To use wildcard characters in branch names, use [the GraphQL API](https://docs.github.com/graphql).

Response 200 OK

{
  "name": "string",
  "commit": {
    "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/commits/6dcb09b5b57875f334f61aebed695e2e4193db5e",
    "sha": "6dcb09b5b57875f334f61aebed695e2e4193db5e",
    "node_id": "MDY6Q29tbWl0NmRjYjA5YjViNTc4NzVmMzM0ZjYxYWViZWQ2OTVlMmU0MTkzZGI1ZQ==",
    "html_url": "https://github.com/octocat/Hello-World/commit/6dcb09b5b57875f334f61aebed695e2e4193db5e",
    "comments_url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/commits/6dcb09b5b57875f334f61aebed695e2e4193db5e/comments",
    "commit": {
      "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/commits/6dcb09b5b57875f334f61aebed695e2e4193db5e",
      "author": {
        "name": "\"Chris Wanstrath\"",
        "email": "\"[email protected]\"",
        "date": "\"2007-10-29T02:42:39.000-07:00\""
      },
      "committer": {
        "name": "\"Chris Wanstrath\"",
        "email": "\"[email protected]\"",
        "date": "\"2007-10-29T02:42:39.000-07:00\""
      },
      "message": "Fix all the bugs",
      "comment_count": 0,
      "tree": {
        "sha": "827efc6d56897b048c772eb4087f854f46256132",
        "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/tree/827efc6d56897b048c772eb4087f854f46256132"
      },
      "verification": {
        "verified": true,
        "reason": "string",
        "payload": "string",
        "signature": "string",
        "verified_at": "string"
      }
    },
    "author": {
      "name": "string",
      "email": "string",
      "login": "octocat",
      "id": 1,
      "node_id": "MDQ6VXNlcjE=",
      "avatar_url": "https://github.com/images/error/octocat_happy.gif",
      "gravatar_id": "41d064eb2195891e12d0413f63227ea7",
      "url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat",
      "html_url": "https://github.com/octocat",
      "followers_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/followers",
      "following_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/following{/other_user}",
      "gists_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/gists{/gist_id}",
      "starred_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/starred{/owner}{/repo}",
      "subscriptions_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/subscriptions",
      "organizations_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/orgs",
      "repos_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/repos",
      "events_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/events{/privacy}",
      "received_events_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/received_events",
      "type": "User",
      "site_admin": true,
      "starred_at": "\"2020-07-09T00:17:55Z\"",
      "user_view_type": "public"
    },
    "committer": {
      "name": "string",
      "email": "string",
      "login": "octocat",
      "id": 1,
      "node_id": "MDQ6VXNlcjE=",
      "avatar_url": "https://github.com/images/error/octocat_happy.gif",
      "gravatar_id": "41d064eb2195891e12d0413f63227ea7",
      "url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat",
      "html_url": "https://github.com/octocat",
      "followers_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/followers",
      "following_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/following{/other_user}",
      "gists_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/gists{/gist_id}",
      "starred_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/starred{/owner}{/repo}",
      "subscriptions_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/subscriptions",
      "organizations_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/orgs",
      "repos_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/repos",
      "events_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/events{/privacy}",
      "received_events_url": "https://api.github.com/users/octocat/received_events",
      "type": "User",
      "site_admin": true,
      "starred_at": "\"2020-07-09T00:17:55Z\"",
      "user_view_type": "public"
    },
    "parents": [
      {
        "sha": "7638417db6d59f3c431d3e1f261cc637155684cd",
        "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/commits/7638417db6d59f3c431d3e1f261cc637155684cd",
        "html_url": "https://github.com/octocat/Hello-World/commit/7638417db6d59f3c431d3e1f261cc637155684cd"
      }
    ],
    "stats": {
      "additions": 0,
      "deletions": 0,
      "total": 0
    },
    "files": [
      {
        "sha": "bbcd538c8e72b8c175046e27cc8f907076331401",
        "filename": "file1.txt",
        "status": "added",
        "additions": 103,
        "deletions": 21,
        "changes": 124,
        "blob_url": "https://github.com/octocat/Hello-World/blob/6dcb09b5b57875f334f61aebed695e2e4193db5e/file1.txt",
        "raw_url": "https://github.com/octocat/Hello-World/raw/6dcb09b5b57875f334f61aebed695e2e4193db5e/file1.txt",
        "contents_url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/contents/file1.txt?ref=6dcb09b5b57875f334f61aebed695e2e4193db5e",
        "patch": "@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ module Test @@ -1000,7 +1000,7 @@ module Test",
        "previous_filename": "file.txt"
      }
    ]
  },
  "_links": {
    "html": "string",
    "self": "https://example.com"
  },
  "protected": true,
  "protection": {
    "url": "string",
    "enabled": true,
    "required_status_checks": {
      "url": "string",
      "enforcement_level": "string",
      "contexts": [
        "string"
      ],
      "checks": [
        {
          "context": "string",
          "app_id": 0
        }
      ],
      "contexts_url": "string",
      "strict": true
    },
    "enforce_admins": {
      "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/branches/master/protection/enforce_admins",
      "enabled": true
    },
    "required_pull_request_reviews": {
      "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/branches/master/protection/dismissal_restrictions",
      "dismissal_restrictions": {
        "users": [
          {
            "name": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "email": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "login": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "id": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "node_id": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "avatar_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "gravatar_id": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "html_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "followers_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "following_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "gists_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "starred_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "subscriptions_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "organizations_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "repos_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "events_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "received_events_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "type": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "site_admin": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "starred_at": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "user_view_type": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]"
          }
        ],
        "teams": [
          {
            "id": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "node_id": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "name": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "slug": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "description": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "privacy": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "notification_setting": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "permission": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "permissions": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "html_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "members_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "repositories_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "type": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "access_source": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "organization_id": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "enterprise_id": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "parent": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]"
          }
        ],
        "apps": [
          {
            "id": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "slug": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "node_id": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "client_id": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "owner": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "name": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "description": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "external_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "html_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "created_at": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "updated_at": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "permissions": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "events": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "installations_count": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]"
          }
        ],
        "url": "\"https://api.github.com/repos/the-org/an-org-repo/branches/master/protection/dismissal_restrictions\"",
        "users_url": "\"https://api.github.com/repos/the-org/an-org-repo/branches/master/protection/dismissal_restrictions/users\"",
        "teams_url": "\"https://api.github.com/repos/the-org/an-org-repo/branches/master/protection/dismissal_restrictions/teams\""
      },
      "bypass_pull_request_allowances": {
        "users": [
          {
            "name": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "email": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "login": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "id": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "node_id": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "avatar_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "gravatar_id": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "html_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "followers_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "following_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "gists_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "starred_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "subscriptions_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "organizations_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "repos_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "events_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "received_events_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "type": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "site_admin": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "starred_at": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "user_view_type": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]"
          }
        ],
        "teams": [
          {
            "id": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "node_id": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "name": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "slug": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "description": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "privacy": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "notification_setting": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "permission": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "permissions": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "html_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "members_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "repositories_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "type": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "access_source": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "organization_id": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "enterprise_id": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "parent": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]"
          }
        ],
        "apps": [
          {
            "id": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "slug": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "node_id": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "client_id": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "owner": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "name": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "description": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "external_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "html_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "created_at": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "updated_at": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "permissions": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "events": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "installations_count": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]"
          }
        ]
      },
      "dismiss_stale_reviews": true,
      "require_code_owner_reviews": true,
      "required_approving_review_count": 2,
      "require_last_push_approval": true
    },
    "restrictions": {
      "url": "https://example.com",
      "users_url": "https://example.com",
      "teams_url": "https://example.com",
      "apps_url": "https://example.com",
      "users": [
        {
          "login": "string",
          "id": 0,
          "node_id": "string",
          "avatar_url": "string",
          "gravatar_id": "string",
          "url": "string",
          "html_url": "string",
          "followers_url": "string",
          "following_url": "string",
          "gists_url": "string",
          "starred_url": "string",
          "subscriptions_url": "string",
          "organizations_url": "string",
          "repos_url": "string",
          "events_url": "string",
          "received_events_url": "string",
          "type": "string",
          "site_admin": true,
          "user_view_type": "string"
        }
      ],
      "teams": [
        {
          "id": 0,
          "node_id": "string",
          "name": "string",
          "slug": "string",
          "description": "string",
          "privacy": "string",
          "notification_setting": "string",
          "permission": "string",
          "permissions": {
            "pull": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "triage": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "push": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "maintain": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "admin": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]"
          },
          "url": "https://example.com",
          "html_url": "https://github.com/orgs/rails/teams/core",
          "members_url": "string",
          "repositories_url": "https://example.com",
          "type": "enterprise",
          "access_source": "direct",
          "organization_id": 37,
          "enterprise_id": 42,
          "parent": {
            "id": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "node_id": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "members_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "name": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "description": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "permission": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "privacy": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "notification_setting": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "html_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "repositories_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "slug": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "ldap_dn": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "type": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "organization_id": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "enterprise_id": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]"
          }
        }
      ],
      "apps": [
        {
          "id": 0,
          "slug": "string",
          "node_id": "string",
          "owner": {
            "login": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "id": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "node_id": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "repos_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "events_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "hooks_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "issues_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "members_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "public_members_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "avatar_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "description": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "gravatar_id": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "html_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "followers_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "following_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "gists_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "starred_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "subscriptions_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "organizations_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "received_events_url": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "type": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "site_admin": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "user_view_type": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]"
          },
          "name": "string",
          "client_id": "string",
          "description": "string",
          "external_url": "string",
          "html_url": "string",
          "created_at": "string",
          "updated_at": "string",
          "permissions": {
            "metadata": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "contents": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "issues": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]",
            "single_file": "[recursive or deeply nested schema]"
          },
          "events": [
            "[recursive or deeply nested schema]"
          ]
        }
      ]
    },
    "required_linear_history": {
      "enabled": true
    },
    "allow_force_pushes": {
      "enabled": true
    },
    "allow_deletions": {
      "enabled": true
    },
    "block_creations": {
      "enabled": true
    },
    "required_conversation_resolution": {
      "enabled": true
    },
    "name": "\"branch/with/protection\"",
    "protection_url": "\"https://api.github.com/repos/owner-79e94e2d36b3fd06a32bb213/AAA_Public_Repo/branches/branch/with/protection/protection\"",
    "required_signatures": {
      "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/branches/master/protection/required_signatures",
      "enabled": true
    },
    "lock_branch": {
      "enabled": false
    },
    "allow_fork_syncing": {
      "enabled": false
    }
  },
  "protection_url": "https://example.com",
  "pattern": "\"mas*\"",
  "required_approving_review_count": 1
}

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