feat: ability to select the starting point of a new branch

src/app.rs

@@ -664,6 +664,10 @@ impl App {
         self.state.picker = Some(picker_state);
         let result = self.handle_picker(term);
 
+        if let Err(_) | Ok(None) = result {
+            self.close_menu();
+        }
+
         self.state.picker = None;
 
         result

src/item_data.rs

@@ -59,6 +59,13 @@ impl ItemData {
                 | ItemData::BranchStatus(_, _, _)
         )
     }
+
+    pub(crate) fn to_ref_kind(&self) -> Option<RefKind> {
+        match self {
+            Self::Reference { kind, .. } => Some(kind.clone()),
+            _ => None,
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 impl Default for ItemData {
@@ -67,7 +74,7 @@ impl Default for ItemData {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
+#[derive(PartialEq, Clone, Debug)]
 pub(crate) enum RefKind {
     Tag(String),
     Branch(String),

src/ops/branch.rs

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use super::{Action, OpTrait, selected_rev};
+use super::{Action, OpTrait};
 use crate::{
     Res,
     app::{App, PromptParams, State},
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ use crate::{
     },
     item_data::{ItemData, RefKind},
     menu::arg::Arg,
+    picker::{BranchesAndTagsOptions, PickerState},
     term::Term,
 };
 use std::{process::Command, rc::Rc};
@@ -19,19 +20,24 @@ pub(crate) fn init_args() -> Vec<Arg> {
 
 pub(crate) struct Checkout;
 impl OpTrait for Checkout {
-    fn get_action(&self, _target: &ItemData) -> Option<Action> {
+    fn get_action(&self, target: &ItemData) -> Option<Action> {
+        let default_ref = target.to_ref_kind();
+
         Some(Rc::new(move |app: &mut App, term: &mut Term| {
-            let rev = app.prompt(
-                term,
-                &PromptParams {
-                    prompt: "Checkout",
-                    create_default_value: Box::new(selected_rev),
-                    ..Default::default()
+            // Allow custom input to support checking out other revisions not in the list
+            let picker = PickerState::for_branches_and_tags(
+                "Checkout",
+                &app.state.repo,
+                BranchesAndTagsOptions {
+                    exclude_head: true,
+                    allow_custom_input: true,
+                    default: default_ref.clone(),
                 },
             )?;
-
-            checkout(app, term, &rev)?;
-            Ok(())
+            match app.picker(term, picker)? {
+                Some(data) => checkout(app, term, data.display()),
+                None => Ok(()), // picker got cancelled
+            }
         }))
     }
 
@@ -53,15 +59,32 @@ pub(crate) struct CheckoutNewBranch;
 impl OpTrait for CheckoutNewBranch {
     fn get_action(&self, _target: &ItemData) -> Option<Action> {
         Some(Rc::new(|app: &mut App, term: &mut Term| {
+            let start_point_picker = PickerState::for_branches_and_tags(
+                "Create branch starting at",
+                &app.state.repo,
+                BranchesAndTagsOptions {
+                    exclude_head: false,
+                    allow_custom_input: true,
+                    default: {
+                        let head = app.state.repo.head().map_err(Error::GetHead)?;
+                        RefKind::from_reference(&head)
+                    },
+                },
+            )?;
+
+            let Some(starting_point) = app.picker(term, start_point_picker)? else {
+                return Ok(());
+            };
+
             let branch_name = app.prompt(
                 term,
                 &PromptParams {
-                    prompt: "Create and checkout branch:",
+                    prompt: "Create and checkout branch",
                     ..Default::default()
                 },
             )?;
 
-            checkout_new_branch_prompt_update(app, term, &branch_name)?;
+            checkout_new_branch_prompt_update(app, term, &branch_name, starting_point.display())?;
             Ok(())
         }))
     }
@@ -71,9 +94,14 @@ impl OpTrait for CheckoutNewBranch {
     }
 }
 
-fn checkout_new_branch_prompt_update(app: &mut App, term: &mut Term, branch_name: &str) -> Res<()> {
+fn checkout_new_branch_prompt_update(
+    app: &mut App,
+    term: &mut Term,
+    branch_name: &str,
+    starting_point: &str,
+) -> Res<()> {
     let mut cmd = Command::new("git");
-    cmd.args(["checkout", "-b", branch_name]);
+    cmd.args(["checkout", "-b", branch_name, starting_point]);
 
     app.close_menu();
     app.run_cmd(term, &[], cmd)?;

src/ops/merge.rs

@@ -1,12 +1,10 @@
 use super::{Action, OpTrait};
-use crate::item_data::RefKind;
 use crate::{
     Res,
     app::{App, State},
-    error::Error,
     item_data::ItemData,
     menu::arg::Arg,
-    picker::PickerState,
+    picker::{BranchesAndTagsOptions, PickerState},
     term::Term,
 };
 
@@ -70,47 +68,20 @@ pub(crate) struct Merge;
 impl OpTrait for Merge {
     fn get_action(&self, target: &ItemData) -> Option<Action> {
         // Extract default ref from target if it's a Reference
-        let default_ref = if let ItemData::Reference { kind, .. } = target {
-            Some(kind.clone())
-        } else {
-            None
-        };
+        let default_ref = target.to_ref_kind();
 
         Some(Rc::new(move |app: &mut App, term: &mut Term| {
-            // Get current HEAD reference to exclude it from picker
-            let exclude_ref = {
-                let head = app.state.repo.head().map_err(Error::GetHead)?;
-                RefKind::from_reference(&head)
-            };
-
-            // Collect all branches (local and remote)
-            let branches = app
-                .state
-                .repo
-                .branches(None)
-                .map_err(Error::ListGitReferences)?
-                .filter_map(|branch| {
-                    let (branch, _) = branch.ok()?;
-                    RefKind::from_reference(branch.get())
-                });
-
-            // Collect all tags
-            let tags: Vec<RefKind> = app
-                .state
-                .repo
-                .tag_names(None)
-                .map_err(Error::ListGitReferences)?
-                .into_iter()
-                .flatten()
-                .map(|tag_name| RefKind::Tag(tag_name.to_string()))
-                .collect();
-
-            let all_refs: Vec<RefKind> = branches.chain(tags).collect();
-
             // Allow custom input to support commit hashes, relative refs (e.g., HEAD~3),
             // and other git revisions not in the predefined list
-            let picker =
-                PickerState::with_refs("Merge", all_refs, exclude_ref, default_ref.clone(), true);
+            let picker = PickerState::for_branches_and_tags(
+                "Merge",
+                &app.state.repo,
+                BranchesAndTagsOptions {
+                    exclude_head: true,
+                    allow_custom_input: true,
+                    default: default_ref.clone(),
+                },
+            )?;
             let result = app.picker(term, picker)?;
 
             if let Some(data) = result {

src/picker.rs

@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
+use crate::error::Error;
 use fuzzy_matcher::FuzzyMatcher;
 use fuzzy_matcher::skim::SkimMatcherV2;
+use git2::Repository;
 use std::borrow::Cow;
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 use tui_prompts::State as _;
@@ -65,6 +67,12 @@ pub enum PickerStatus {
     Cancelled,
 }
 
+pub(crate) struct BranchesAndTagsOptions {
+    pub exclude_head: bool,
+    pub allow_custom_input: bool,
+    pub default: Option<RefKind>,
+}
+
 /// State of the picker component
 pub struct PickerState {
     /// All available items (excluding custom input)
@@ -109,6 +117,57 @@ impl PickerState {
         state
     }
 
+    /// Create a picker to select from existing branches or tags.
+    ///
+    /// The default option, if provided, will be displayed at the top and
+    /// is selected by default.
+    ///
+    /// Custom user input can be enabled to select arbitrary revisions, such as
+    /// HEAD~2.
+    pub(crate) fn for_branches_and_tags(
+        prompt: impl Into<Cow<'static, str>>,
+        repo: &Repository,
+        options: BranchesAndTagsOptions,
+    ) -> Result<Self, Error> {
+        // Get current HEAD reference to exclude it from picker
+        let exclude_ref = if options.exclude_head {
+            let head = repo.head().map_err(Error::GetHead)?;
+            RefKind::from_reference(&head)
+        } else {
+            None
+        };
+        // Ignore default if it's excluded.
+        let default = if options.default == exclude_ref {
+            None
+        } else {
+            options.default
+        };
+
+        let branches = repo
+            .branches(None)
+            .map_err(Error::ListGitReferences)?
+            .filter_map(|branch| {
+                let (branch, _) = branch.ok()?;
+                RefKind::from_reference(branch.get())
+            });
+
+        let tags = repo.tag_names(None).map_err(Error::ListGitReferences)?;
+        let tags = tags
+            .into_iter()
+            .flatten()
+            .map(|tag_name| RefKind::Tag(tag_name.to_string()));
+
+        let all_refs: Vec<RefKind> = branches.chain(tags).collect();
+
+        Ok(Self::with_refs(
+            prompt,
+            all_refs,
+            exclude_ref,
+            default,
+            options.allow_custom_input,
+        ))
+    }
+
     /// Create a picker from RefKinds, automatically handling duplicates and sorting
     ///
     /// Items are sorted as: default (if provided) -> branches -> tags -> remotes

src/tests/branch.rs

@@ -23,9 +23,34 @@ fn switch_branch_input() {
     snapshot!(setup(setup_clone!()), "Ybbmerged<enter>");
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn switch_branch_picker() {
+    snapshot!(setup(setup_clone!()), "bb");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn switch_branch_selected_revision_picker() {
+    snapshot!(setup(setup_clone!()), "Yjjbb");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn checkout_new_branch_starting_point_picker() {
+    snapshot!(setup(setup_clone!()), "bc");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn checkout_new_branch_starting_point_picker_from_selected_rev() {
+    snapshot!(setup(setup_clone!()), "Yjjbc");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn checkout_new_branch_name_prompt() {
+    snapshot!(setup(setup_clone!()), "bc<enter>");
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn checkout_new_branch() {
-    snapshot!(setup(setup_clone!()), "bcnew<enter>");
+    snapshot!(setup(setup_clone!()), "bc<enter>new<enter>");
 }
 
 #[test]

src/tests/snapshots/gitu__tests__branch__checkout_new_branch.snap

@@ -20,6 +20,6 @@ expression: ctx.redact_buffer()
                                                                                 |
                                                                                 |
 ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────|
-$ git checkout -b new                                                           |
+$ git checkout -b new main                                                      |
 Switched to a new branch 'new'                                                  |
-styles_hash: 2afc72138214b087
+styles_hash: 51d00da50a627344

src/tests/snapshots/gitu__tests__branch__checkout_new_branch_name_prompt.snap

@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+---
+source: src/tests/branch.rs
+expression: ctx.redact_buffer()
+---
+▌On branch main                                                                 |
+▌Your branch is up to date with 'origin/main'.                                  |
+                                                                                |
+ Recent commits                                                                 |
+ b66a0bf main merged origin/main add initial-file                               |
+                                                                                |
+                                                                                |
+                                                                                |
+                                                                                |
+                                                                                |
+                                                                                |
+                                                                                |
+                                                                                |
+                                                                                |
+                                                                                |
+                                                                                |
+                                                                                |
+                                                                                |
+────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────|
+? Create and checkout branch: › █                                               |
+styles_hash: 5475e2883a3b1774

src/tests/snapshots/gitu__tests__branch__checkout_new_branch_starting_point_picker.snap

@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+---
+source: src/tests/branch.rs
+expression: ctx.redact_buffer()
+---
+ On branch main                                                                 |
+ Your branch is up to date with 'origin/main'.                                  |
+                                                                                |
+ Recent commits                                                                 |
+ b66a0bf main merged origin/main add initial-file                               |
+                                                                                |
+                                                                                |
+                                                                                |
+────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────|
+ 5/5   Create branch starting at › █                                            |
+▌main                                                                           |
+ merged                                                                         |
+ unmerged                                                                       |
+ origin/HEAD                                                                    |
+ origin/main                                                                    |
+                                                                                |
+                                                                                |
+                                                                                |
+                                                                                |
+                                                                                |
+styles_hash: 106946388e06558f