What does git remote mean when it says local refs are out of date

Question

I'm confused by what I see when I do the following:

git clone git@github.com:RobArthan/pp pp-xxx
cd pp-xxx
git branch sieve
git remote show origin

The output I get is:

* remote origin
  Fetch URL: git@github.com:RobArthan/pp
  Push  URL: git@github.com:RobArthan/pp
  HEAD branch: master
  Remote branches:
    fix-3.1w6    tracked
    fix-3.1w7    tracked
    master       tracked
    pp_file_conv tracked
    sieve        tracked
    utf8         tracked
  Local branch configured for 'git pull':
    master merges with remote master
  Local refs configured for 'git push':
    master pushes to master (up to date)
    sieve  pushes to sieve  (local out of date)

As I have only just taken the clone, what can be out of date and why? A question showing a similar example was dismissed as a duplicate, but the cited questions don't actually explain what the git remote output means.

I think you created a local branch by using 'branch' command rather than a checkout. Could you try 'git checkout sieve' after cloning ? — hurturk, Mar 26 '17 at 19:37
@zatta: Many thanks, that explains it. Stupidity on my part! — Rob Arthan, Mar 26 '17 at 19:55

hurturk · Accepted Answer · 2017-03-26T21:54:45.983

2

You have created a local branch instead of checking out it, that is the reason git is comparing and saying it is out of date. Just type git checkout sieve after cloning and that should resolve it.

edited Mar 26 '17 at 21:54

answered Mar 26 '17 at 20:34

hurturk

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What does git remote mean when it says local refs are out of date

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