Git push Refspecs: `refs/heads/*:refs/heads/origin` vs `refs/heads/*:refs/heads/*`

Question

Which push Refspec (Git) is correct? Or both are correct? What is the difference?

1. refs/heads/*:refs/heads/origin/*
2. refs/heads/*:refs/heads/*

I prefer (1) because it references remote name (origin), and I don't understand what (2) means (but I see it used in some manuals!).

Answer 1

With refs/heads/*:refs/heads/origin/*, git push origin master would be expanded to git push origin refs/heads/master:refs/heads/origin/master. It will create or update a branch named origin/master in the remote repository. It's valid, but refs/heads/origin/master would be ambiguous with refs/remotes/origin/master. In some situations, it might cause errors.

The 2nd is valid. With remote.origin.push=refs/heads/*:refs/heads/*, git push is expanded to git push origin refs/heads/master:refs/heads/master refs/heads/dev:refs/heads/dev, and git push origin master to git push origin refs/heads/master:refs/heads/master.