> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://code.storage/docs/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # repos.branches.create > Create a new branch from an existing branch or ref. This is useful for agent workflows, ephemeral previews, or server-side automation where you do not want to clone the repo first. The base ref must exist. A new empty repository has no branch until its first commit, so the request returns `404`. Scope: `git:write` on the repository. ## OpenAPI ````yaml openapi.json POST /api/repos/{repo_name}/branches/create openapi: 3.1.0 info: description: >- The Code Storage HTTP API exposes repository management, Git reads, and write workflows over plain HTTPS. ## Authentication Send a signed JWT in the `Authorization: Bearer ` header on every request. - Organisation-scoped endpoints such as `GET /api/repos` require organisation scopes like `org:read` - Repository-scoped endpoints require a JWT whose `repo` claim names the target repository - Write operations require the relevant scope such as `git:write` or `repo:write` ## Pagination List endpoints use cursor-based pagination. - `cursor` is an opaque token returned by the previous response - `limit` defaults to `20` and is capped per endpoint - `has_more` tells you whether another request is available - `next_cursor` becomes the next `cursor` value ## Paths Preferred routes use the shorter `/api/...` form. Legacy `/api/v1/...` aliases remain documented where they are still supported and are marked as deprecated when a preferred route exists. ## Repository names in paths - Names containing `/` (or any other character that is not safe in a URL path segment) **must** be URL encoded so the value occupies a single path segment. For example, `pierre/example` becomes `pierre%2Fexample` and the request URL is `/api/repos/pierre%2Fexample/...`. - Plain names that contain only URL-safe characters can be sent as-is: `/api/repos/dotfiles/...`. - The server URL-decodes the value before resolving the repository, so double-encoding is not required. ## Errors Most endpoints return RFC 9457-compatible problem details under `application/problem+json`, with a legacy `error` field mirrored from `detail`. Each problem body has a stable, snake_case `code`. Branch on `code`, not on `detail`. The Error codes section lists the values. A `400 Bad Request` response for a request body can name the invalid fields in `invalid_params`. Each item has the dotted path of the field in `name`, for example `deployment.production_branch`, and the rule that the value breaks in `reason`. A `429 Too Many Requests` response carries the current IETF `RateLimit` service-limit field and `Retry-After`. `RateLimit` reports immediately available quota (`r`) and its effective window in seconds (`t`); `Retry-After` is the minimum delay and takes precedence. The gateway's capacity is dynamic, so it does not advertise a fixed `RateLimit-Policy` on successful responses. Streaming commit and note workflows may return operation-specific failure bodies so callers can inspect partial results, branch state, or workflow status without parsing generic error strings. ## Error codes Each problem body has a stable `code`. Each status has a generic code. A specific code replaces it when the caller must take a different action. New codes can be added. Treat an unknown code as the generic code for its status. Generic codes: `bad_request` (400), `unauthorized` (401), `forbidden` (403), `not_found` (404), `method_not_allowed` (405), `request_timeout` (408), `conflict` (409), `precondition_failed` (412), `payload_too_large` (413), `unprocessable_entity` (422), `rate_limited` (429), `request_canceled` (499), `internal_error` (500), `not_implemented` (501), `bad_gateway` (502), `service_unavailable` (503), `gateway_timeout` (504). Any other status uses its status text in snake_case. Specific codes: - `authentication_unavailable` (403): the server cannot verify credentials now; retry. - `insufficient_scope` (403): the token does not have a scope that the operation requires. - `repo_claim_missing` (400): the token has no `repo` claim. - `repo_name_mismatch` (400): the request `repo_name` does not match the token `repo` claim. - `route_not_found` (404): no API route matches the path. - `repository_not_found` (404): the repository does not exist or the token cannot access it. - `repository_deleted` (409): the repository is already deleted. - `repository_thawing` (409): the repository is being restored from cold storage; retry after `Retry-After`. - `sync_in_progress` (409): an upstream sync is in progress; retry. - `upstream_already_configured` (409): the repository already has an upstream. - `branch_not_found` (404): the branch does not exist. - `ref_not_found` (404): the ref or revision does not exist. - `merge_conflict` (409): the merge has file conflicts. - `ref_guard_failed` (409): a ref guard such as `expected_target_sha` does not match the ref; `guard` names it and `current_sha` is the commit of the ref. - `credential_not_found` (404): the Git credential does not exist. - `credential_exists` (409): the repository already has a Git credential. - `github_app_not_configured` (412): no GitHub App is set up for the organization, or the GitHub App of the repository has no usable private key. - `github_repository_inaccessible` (412, or the 4xx status from the upstream): GitHub does not give access to the upstream repository. - `hosting_not_enabled` (403): hosting is not enabled for the organization. - `hosting_project_not_found` (404): the repository has no hosting project. - `deployment_not_found` (404): the deployment does not exist. - `deployment_project_name_in_use` (409): another repository uses the hosting project name. - `idempotency_key_reused` (422): the idempotency key belongs to a different request. title: code.storage version: 1.0.0 servers: - description: Code Storage API host for your organization url: https://api.{org}.code.storage variables: org: default: your-org description: >- The subdomain of your API host. It is usually your organization name. The organization settings page in the dashboard shows your exact API host. security: [] tags: - description: >- Create, inspect, update, delete, and synchronise repositories, including upstream pull-sync and generic HTTPS Git credentials for non-GitHub upstreams. name: Repositories - description: Create, delete, list, and compare branches. name: Branches - description: >- Read commit metadata and diffs, or create commits without a local Git client. name: Commits - description: >- Read repository trees, file contents, archives, and server-side search results. name: Files - description: List, create, and delete Git tags. name: Tags - description: Attach and retrieve Git notes for commits or other Git objects. name: Notes - description: >- Read metadata about the Code Storage cluster that serves your organisation, such as its cloud location and inbound IP addresses. name: Organization paths: /api/repos/{repo_name}/branches/create: post: tags: - Branches summary: Create Branch description: >- Create a new branch from an existing branch or ref. This is useful for agent workflows, ephemeral previews, or server-side automation where you do not want to clone the repo first. The base ref must exist. A new empty repository has no branch until its first commit, so the request returns `404`. Scope: `git:write` on the repository. operationId: repos-branches-create parameters: - description: The repository name, for example `acme/web`. example: my-demo-repository in: path name: repo_name required: true schema: type: string requestBody: content: application/json: example: base_is_ephemeral: false base_ref: main target_branch: feature/new-onboarding target_is_ephemeral: false schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/ReposBranchesCreateRequest' description: >- Create a branch from another branch or ref. The source and destination can live in the default namespace or the ephemeral namespace. required: true responses: '200': content: application/json: example: commit_sha: abc123def4567890abc123def4567890abc123de message: branch created target_branch: feature/new-onboarding target_is_ephemeral: false schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/ReposBranchesCreateResponse' description: Branch creation result. '400': content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/ValidationProblemDetails' application/problem+json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/ValidationProblemDetails' description: Bad Request '401': content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/ProblemDetails' application/problem+json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/ProblemDetails' description: Unauthorized '403': content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/ProblemDetails' application/problem+json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/ProblemDetails' description: Forbidden '404': content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/ProblemDetails' application/problem+json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/ProblemDetails' description: Not Found '409': content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/ProblemDetails' application/problem+json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/ProblemDetails' description: Conflict '412': content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/ProblemDetails' application/problem+json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/ProblemDetails' description: >- `412` has more than one cause. Storage returns `precondition_failed` for a write-specific reason, such as a merge with no common ancestor between source and target, a merge target that moved off a fast-forward under the `ff_only` strategy, or a branch creation whose target cannot be fast-forwarded. A repository with a GitHub upstream also gets `412` when the write cannot reach GitHub: the code is `github_app_not_configured` when the GitHub App has no usable private key, `github_repository_inaccessible` when GitHub does not give the App access to the repository, and `precondition_failed` when GitHub refuses the push for another reason, such as an archived repository. `detail` explains the failure. '429': content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/ProblemDetails' application/problem+json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/ProblemDetails' description: Too Many Requests headers: RateLimit: description: >- Current IETF service-limit field. `r=0` means no request is immediately available; `t` is the effective window in seconds before capacity is expected to return. schema: type: string Retry-After: description: >- Minimum delay before retrying, expressed as seconds or an HTTP date. This value takes precedence over the `RateLimit` effective window. schema: type: string '500': content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/ProblemDetails' application/problem+json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/ProblemDetails' description: Internal Server Error '502': content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/ProblemDetails' application/problem+json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/ProblemDetails' description: >- A storage node, the upstream Git server or GitHub failed or could not be reached. When the push request to the upstream failed or got a server error, the write may have been applied; check the branch before retrying. '503': content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/ProblemDetails' application/problem+json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/ProblemDetails' description: Service Unavailable headers: Retry-After: description: Minimum delay in seconds before retrying. schema: type: string security: - bearerAuth: - git:write x-codeSamples: - lang: typescript label: TypeScript source: |- import { Pierre } from '@pierre/sdk'; // The client reads PIERRE_ORG and PIERRE_PRIVATE_KEY. const pierre = new Pierre(); const branch = await pierre.repos.branches.create({ repo_name: 'my-demo-repository', base_ref: 'main', target_branch: 'feature/new-onboarding', }); console.log(branch); - lang: python label: Python source: |- from pierre import Pierre # The client reads PIERRE_ORG and PIERRE_PRIVATE_KEY. pierre = Pierre() branch = pierre.repos.branches.create( repo_name="my-demo-repository", base_ref="main", target_branch="feature/new-onboarding", ) print(branch) - lang: go label: Go source: "import (\n\t\"context\"\n\t\"fmt\"\n\n\tpierre \"github.com/pierrecomputer/sdk/go\"\n)\n\nctx := context.Background()\n// The client reads PIERRE_ORG and PIERRE_PRIVATE_KEY.\nclient, err := pierre.NewClient()\nif err != nil {\n\treturn err\n}\nbranch, err := client.Repos.Branches.Create(ctx, pierre.ReposBranchesCreateParams{\n\tRepoName: \"my-demo-repository\",\n\tBaseRef: pierre.String(\"main\"),\n\tTargetBranch: pierre.String(\"feature/new-onboarding\"),\n})\nif err != nil {\n\treturn err\n}\nfmt.Println(branch)" - lang: cli label: CLI source: |- pierre repos:branches create \ --repo-name my-demo-repository \ --base-ref main \ --target-branch feature/new-onboarding - lang: bash label: cURL source: |- curl -X POST \ "https://api.{org}.code.storage/api/repos/my-demo-repository/branches/create" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $PIERRE_TOKEN" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{ "base_ref": "main", "target_branch": "feature/new-onboarding" }' components: schemas: ReposBranchesCreateRequest: additionalProperties: false description: Create-branch request body describing the new branch and its base ref. properties: base_branch: deprecated: true description: 'Deprecated: use base_ref. Preferred source branch name.' type: string base_is_ephemeral: description: >- Whether the base branch should be resolved from the ephemeral namespace. examples: - false type: boolean base_ref: description: >- Optional source ref or revision. Provide base_ref or the deprecated base_branch. examples: - main type: string force: description: >- Allow non-fast-forward updates when recreating an existing named branch. Requires target_branch. type: boolean preferred_base: description: >- Optional pack hint. A branch name the backend prefers as the delta base when it builds the thin pack. It does not change the source or the result. type: string target_branch: description: >- Optional destination branch name. Omit it to let the server allocate a name. examples: - feature/new-onboarding type: string target_is_ephemeral: description: Whether the new branch should be created in the ephemeral namespace. examples: - false type: boolean type: object ReposBranchesCreateResponse: additionalProperties: false description: Result of creating a branch, including the resulting ref state. properties: commit_sha: description: Resolved commit SHA at the new branch tip. examples: - abc123def4567890abc123def4567890abc123de type: string message: description: Human-readable result message. examples: - branch created type: string target_branch: description: Destination branch name. examples: - feature/new-onboarding type: string target_is_ephemeral: description: Whether the created branch is ephemeral. examples: - false type: boolean required: - message - target_branch - target_is_ephemeral type: object ValidationProblemDetails: allOf: - $ref: '#/components/schemas/ProblemDetails' - properties: invalid_params: description: >- The invalid fields of the request body, one item for each field. The response leaves it out when the server cannot name the field, for example when the body is not valid JSON. items: $ref: '#/components/schemas/InvalidParam' type: array type: object description: >- Problem details of a request body that is not valid. `invalid_params` names each invalid field. type: object ProblemDetails: description: >- RFC 9457-compatible problem details payload describing the error response. properties: code: description: >- A stable, machine-readable error code in snake_case. Branch on `code`, not on `detail`. The API description lists the codes. type: string detail: description: >- A human-readable explanation specific to this occurrence of the problem. type: string error: description: Legacy compatibility field mirroring `detail` for older clients. type: string instance: description: >- A URI reference that identifies the specific occurrence of the problem. type: string status: description: >- The HTTP status code generated by the origin server for this occurrence of the problem. format: int64 type: integer title: description: A short, human-readable summary of the problem type. type: string type: description: >- A URI reference that identifies the problem type. `about:blank` indicates the generic HTTP status semantics apply. type: string required: - type - title - status - code type: object InvalidParam: additionalProperties: false description: One invalid field of the request body. properties: name: description: Dotted wire path of the field. examples: - deployment.production_branch type: string reason: description: The rule that the value breaks. examples: - exceeds 255 characters type: string required: - name - reason type: object securitySchemes: bearerAuth: bearerFormat: JWT description: >- JWT bearer token signed with your organization's registered signing key. There is no OAuth authorization server; you mint tokens yourself and the token's `scopes` claim carries the granted permission scopes. Public scopes: `git:read` (read repository contents), `git:write` (write branches, commits, tags, and notes), `repo:write` (create and manage repositories), `org:read` (list an organization's repositories). Each operation's security requirement names the scopes it requires. See https://code.storage/docs/getting-started/authentication for how to mint tokens. scheme: bearer type: http ```` This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.