# grit fetch

> Download new commits, branches and tags from a remote.

## Synopsis

```text
grit fetch [<remote>]
```

## Description

Downloads everything new from a remote and updates your remote-tracking branches, such as `origin/main`, along with any new tags. Your own branches and working tree are left alone; to bring the new commits into your branch, use [`grit merge`](https://grit-scm.com/docs/merge/index.md) or [`grit pull`](https://grit-scm.com/docs/pull/index.md).

`<remote>` may be a configured remote name or a path to a [git bundle](https://git-scm.com/docs/git-bundle) file (detected by the bundle signature, not the file extension). Bundle fetches verify that prerequisite commits are already in your repository before applying the pack.

Each updated ref is listed with its old and new commit.

Repositories created as shallow clones with Git (for example `git clone --depth 1`) are supported: `grit fetch` respects the existing shallow boundary, does not create tag refs to missing commits, and leaves a clean repository when there is nothing new to download.

## Options

| Option | Description |
| --- | --- |
| `<remote>` | Configured remote name, or a path/URL to a repository or bundle file. Defaults to `origin`. |

## Examples

```console
$ grit fetch
  refs/remotes/origin/main  a8e620a → b52cca6
Fetched 1 update from origin.

$ grit fetch
Already up to date with origin.
```

Fetch from another remote:

```console
$ grit fetch upstream
```

## JSON output

Pass `--json` for stable, scripting-friendly output:

| Field | Type | Meaning |
| ----- | ---- | ------- |
| `remote` | string | Remote that was fetched. |
| `updates` | array | Ref updates, each with `ref`, `old_oid`, and `new_oid`. |
| `updated` | number | Count of refs that changed. |

`old_oid` is `null` for a ref that is new, and `new_oid` is `null` for one that was removed.

Example:

```json
{
  "remote": "origin",
  "updates": [],
  "updated": 0
}
```

## See also

[grit pull](https://grit-scm.com/docs/pull/index.md), [grit merge](https://grit-scm.com/docs/merge/index.md), [grit remote](https://grit-scm.com/docs/remote/index.md)