Create Origin Git Ref via the API

Create a branch at an existing commit with POST https://api.cursor.com/v1/origin/repos/{ownerSlug}/{repoName}/git/refs. Official reference: Origin API and changelog (OpenAPI OriginService_CreateGitRef; added 2026-09-05).

Origin is in Early Beta and subject to change. Authenticate with an installation access token (oit_…) or a user access token that carries repository:contents:write. Availability: Early Beta per the API overview.

Only branch references can be created: send ref as refs/heads/<branch> or heads/<branch>. Tags and other namespaces return InvalidArgument (HTTP 400). sha must be the full hex SHA of a commit already in the repository. Creating a branch that already points at sha returns the existing reference; a branch that exists at another commit returns AlreadyExists (HTTP 409 Conflict). A create blocked by a push ruleset, or on a repository whose contents are mirrored from another host, returns FailedPrecondition (HTTP 400).

Cost: 5 points against the principal budget (ordinary write; changelog).

Path parameters

Param	Required	Meaning
ownerSlug	yes	Owning entity's unique slug
repoName	yes	Repo name, unique to the owner

Request body

Field	Required	Meaning
ref	yes	Branch as refs/heads/<branch> or heads/<branch>
sha	yes	Full hex SHA of an existing commit

curl --request POST \
  --url 'https://api.cursor.com/v1/origin/repos/OWNER_SLUG/REPO_NAME/git/refs' \
  --header 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ORIGIN_TOKEN' \
  --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data '{
  "ref": "refs/heads/feature/login",
  "sha": "9a41f0c3d2b8e7f6a5c4d3e2f1b0a9c8d7e6f5a4"
}'

Response

200 returns a GitRef: ref is the full branch name, and object has sha and type (commit for a branch).

{
  "ref": "refs/heads/feature/login",
  "object": {
    "sha": "9a41f0c3d2b8e7f6a5c4d3e2f1b0a9c8d7e6f5a4",
    "type": "commit"
  }
}

After the branch exists, advance it with Create Commit From Files or Git HTTPS push. Base URL: https://api.cursor.com/v1/origin.