Documentation / git-send-email.txton commit documentation: trivial whitespace cleanups (240ae2b)
   1git-send-email(1)
   2=================
   3
   4NAME
   5----
   6git-send-email - Send a collection of patches as emails
   7
   8
   9SYNOPSIS
  10--------
  11[verse]
  12'git send-email' [options] <file|directory|rev-list options>...
  13
  14
  15DESCRIPTION
  16-----------
  17Takes the patches given on the command line and emails them out.
  18Patches can be specified as files, directories (which will send all
  19files in the directory), or directly as a revision list.  In the
  20last case, any format accepted by linkgit:git-format-patch[1] can
  21be passed to git send-email.
  22
  23The header of the email is configurable by command line options.  If not
  24specified on the command line, the user will be prompted with a ReadLine
  25enabled interface to provide the necessary information.
  26
  27There are two formats accepted for patch files:
  28
  291. mbox format files
  30+
  31This is what linkgit:git-format-patch[1] generates.  Most headers and MIME
  32formatting are ignored.
  33
  342. The original format used by Greg Kroah-Hartman's 'send_lots_of_email.pl'
  35script
  36+
  37This format expects the first line of the file to contain the "Cc:" value
  38and the "Subject:" of the message as the second line.
  39
  40
  41OPTIONS
  42-------
  43
  44Composing
  45~~~~~~~~~
  46
  47--annotate::
  48        Review and edit each patch you're about to send. See the
  49        CONFIGURATION section for 'sendemail.multiedit'.
  50
  51--bcc=<address>::
  52        Specify a "Bcc:" value for each email. Default is the value of
  53        'sendemail.bcc'.
  54+
  55The --bcc option must be repeated for each user you want on the bcc list.
  56
  57--cc=<address>::
  58        Specify a starting "Cc:" value for each email.
  59        Default is the value of 'sendemail.cc'.
  60+
  61The --cc option must be repeated for each user you want on the cc list.
  62
  63--compose::
  64        Invoke a text editor (see GIT_EDITOR in linkgit:git-var[1])
  65        to edit an introductory message for the patch series.
  66+
  67When '--compose' is used, git send-email will use the From, Subject, and
  68In-Reply-To headers specified in the message. If the body of the message
  69(what you type after the headers and a blank line) only contains blank
  70(or Git: prefixed) lines the summary won't be sent, but From, Subject,
  71and In-Reply-To headers will be used unless they are removed.
  72+
  73Missing From or In-Reply-To headers will be prompted for.
  74+
  75See the CONFIGURATION section for 'sendemail.multiedit'.
  76
  77--from=<address>::
  78        Specify the sender of the emails.  If not specified on the command line,
  79        the value of the 'sendemail.from' configuration option is used.  If
  80        neither the command line option nor 'sendemail.from' are set, then the
  81        user will be prompted for the value.  The default for the prompt will be
  82        the value of GIT_AUTHOR_IDENT, or GIT_COMMITTER_IDENT if that is not
  83        set, as returned by "git var -l".
  84
  85--in-reply-to=<identifier>::
  86        Make the first mail (or all the mails with `--no-thread`) appear as a
  87        reply to the given Message-Id, which avoids breaking threads to
  88        provide a new patch series.
  89        The second and subsequent emails will be sent as replies according to
  90        the `--[no]-chain-reply-to` setting.
  91+
  92So for example when `--thread` and `--no-chain-reply-to` are specified, the
  93second and subsequent patches will be replies to the first one like in the
  94illustration below where `[PATCH v2 0/3]` is in reply to `[PATCH 0/2]`:
  95+
  96  [PATCH 0/2] Here is what I did...
  97    [PATCH 1/2] Clean up and tests
  98    [PATCH 2/2] Implementation
  99    [PATCH v2 0/3] Here is a reroll
 100      [PATCH v2 1/3] Clean up
 101      [PATCH v2 2/3] New tests
 102      [PATCH v2 3/3] Implementation
 103+
 104Only necessary if --compose is also set.  If --compose
 105is not set, this will be prompted for.
 106
 107--subject=<string>::
 108        Specify the initial subject of the email thread.
 109        Only necessary if --compose is also set.  If --compose
 110        is not set, this will be prompted for.
 111
 112--to=<address>::
 113        Specify the primary recipient of the emails generated. Generally, this
 114        will be the upstream maintainer of the project involved. Default is the
 115        value of the 'sendemail.to' configuration value; if that is unspecified,
 116        and --to-cmd is not specified, this will be prompted for.
 117+
 118The --to option must be repeated for each user you want on the to list.
 119
 120--8bit-encoding=<encoding>::
 121        When encountering a non-ASCII message or subject that does not
 122        declare its encoding, add headers/quoting to indicate it is
 123        encoded in <encoding>.  Default is the value of the
 124        'sendemail.assume8bitEncoding'; if that is unspecified, this
 125        will be prompted for if any non-ASCII files are encountered.
 126+
 127Note that no attempts whatsoever are made to validate the encoding.
 128
 129--compose-encoding=<encoding>::
 130        Specify encoding of compose message. Default is the value of the
 131        'sendemail.composeencoding'; if that is unspecified, UTF-8 is assumed.
 132
 133
 134Sending
 135~~~~~~~
 136
 137--envelope-sender=<address>::
 138        Specify the envelope sender used to send the emails.
 139        This is useful if your default address is not the address that is
 140        subscribed to a list. In order to use the 'From' address, set the
 141        value to "auto". If you use the sendmail binary, you must have
 142        suitable privileges for the -f parameter.  Default is the value of the
 143        'sendemail.envelopesender' configuration variable; if that is
 144        unspecified, choosing the envelope sender is left to your MTA.
 145
 146--smtp-encryption=<encryption>::
 147        Specify the encryption to use, either 'ssl' or 'tls'.  Any other
 148        value reverts to plain SMTP.  Default is the value of
 149        'sendemail.smtpencryption'.
 150
 151--smtp-domain=<FQDN>::
 152        Specifies the Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) used in the
 153        HELO/EHLO command to the SMTP server.  Some servers require the
 154        FQDN to match your IP address.  If not set, git send-email attempts
 155        to determine your FQDN automatically.  Default is the value of
 156        'sendemail.smtpdomain'.
 157
 158--smtp-pass[=<password>]::
 159        Password for SMTP-AUTH. The argument is optional: If no
 160        argument is specified, then the empty string is used as
 161        the password. Default is the value of 'sendemail.smtppass',
 162        however '--smtp-pass' always overrides this value.
 163+
 164Furthermore, passwords need not be specified in configuration files
 165or on the command line. If a username has been specified (with
 166'--smtp-user' or a 'sendemail.smtpuser'), but no password has been
 167specified (with '--smtp-pass' or 'sendemail.smtppass'), then the
 168user is prompted for a password while the input is masked for privacy.
 169
 170--smtp-server=<host>::
 171        If set, specifies the outgoing SMTP server to use (e.g.
 172        `smtp.example.com` or a raw IP address).  Alternatively it can
 173        specify a full pathname of a sendmail-like program instead;
 174        the program must support the `-i` option.  Default value can
 175        be specified by the 'sendemail.smtpserver' configuration
 176        option; the built-in default is `/usr/sbin/sendmail` or
 177        `/usr/lib/sendmail` if such program is available, or
 178        `localhost` otherwise.
 179
 180--smtp-server-port=<port>::
 181        Specifies a port different from the default port (SMTP
 182        servers typically listen to smtp port 25, but may also listen to
 183        submission port 587, or the common SSL smtp port 465);
 184        symbolic port names (e.g. "submission" instead of 587)
 185        are also accepted. The port can also be set with the
 186        'sendemail.smtpserverport' configuration variable.
 187
 188--smtp-server-option=<option>::
 189        If set, specifies the outgoing SMTP server option to use.
 190        Default value can be specified by the 'sendemail.smtpserveroption'
 191        configuration option.
 192+
 193The --smtp-server-option option must be repeated for each option you want
 194to pass to the server. Likewise, different lines in the configuration files
 195must be used for each option.
 196
 197--smtp-ssl::
 198        Legacy alias for '--smtp-encryption ssl'.
 199
 200--smtp-user=<user>::
 201        Username for SMTP-AUTH. Default is the value of 'sendemail.smtpuser';
 202        if a username is not specified (with '--smtp-user' or 'sendemail.smtpuser'),
 203        then authentication is not attempted.
 204
 205--smtp-debug=0|1::
 206        Enable (1) or disable (0) debug output. If enabled, SMTP
 207        commands and replies will be printed. Useful to debug TLS
 208        connection and authentication problems.
 209
 210Automating
 211~~~~~~~~~~
 212
 213--to-cmd=<command>::
 214        Specify a command to execute once per patch file which
 215        should generate patch file specific "To:" entries.
 216        Output of this command must be single email address per line.
 217        Default is the value of 'sendemail.tocmd' configuration value.
 218
 219--cc-cmd=<command>::
 220        Specify a command to execute once per patch file which
 221        should generate patch file specific "Cc:" entries.
 222        Output of this command must be single email address per line.
 223        Default is the value of 'sendemail.cccmd' configuration value.
 224
 225--[no-]chain-reply-to::
 226        If this is set, each email will be sent as a reply to the previous
 227        email sent.  If disabled with "--no-chain-reply-to", all emails after
 228        the first will be sent as replies to the first email sent.  When using
 229        this, it is recommended that the first file given be an overview of the
 230        entire patch series. Disabled by default, but the 'sendemail.chainreplyto'
 231        configuration variable can be used to enable it.
 232
 233--identity=<identity>::
 234        A configuration identity. When given, causes values in the
 235        'sendemail.<identity>' subsection to take precedence over
 236        values in the 'sendemail' section. The default identity is
 237        the value of 'sendemail.identity'.
 238
 239--[no-]signed-off-by-cc::
 240        If this is set, add emails found in Signed-off-by: or Cc: lines to the
 241        cc list. Default is the value of 'sendemail.signedoffbycc' configuration
 242        value; if that is unspecified, default to --signed-off-by-cc.
 243
 244--suppress-cc=<category>::
 245        Specify an additional category of recipients to suppress the
 246        auto-cc of:
 247+
 248--
 249- 'author' will avoid including the patch author
 250- 'self' will avoid including the sender
 251- 'cc' will avoid including anyone mentioned in Cc lines in the patch header
 252  except for self (use 'self' for that).
 253- 'bodycc' will avoid including anyone mentioned in Cc lines in the
 254  patch body (commit message) except for self (use 'self' for that).
 255- 'sob' will avoid including anyone mentioned in Signed-off-by lines except
 256   for self (use 'self' for that).
 257- 'cccmd' will avoid running the --cc-cmd.
 258- 'body' is equivalent to 'sob' + 'bodycc'
 259- 'all' will suppress all auto cc values.
 260--
 261+
 262Default is the value of 'sendemail.suppresscc' configuration value; if
 263that is unspecified, default to 'self' if --suppress-from is
 264specified, as well as 'body' if --no-signed-off-cc is specified.
 265
 266--[no-]suppress-from::
 267        If this is set, do not add the From: address to the cc: list.
 268        Default is the value of 'sendemail.suppressfrom' configuration
 269        value; if that is unspecified, default to --no-suppress-from.
 270
 271--[no-]thread::
 272        If this is set, the In-Reply-To and References headers will be
 273        added to each email sent.  Whether each mail refers to the
 274        previous email (`deep` threading per 'git format-patch'
 275        wording) or to the first email (`shallow` threading) is
 276        governed by "--[no-]chain-reply-to".
 277+
 278If disabled with "--no-thread", those headers will not be added
 279(unless specified with --in-reply-to).  Default is the value of the
 280'sendemail.thread' configuration value; if that is unspecified,
 281default to --thread.
 282+
 283It is up to the user to ensure that no In-Reply-To header already
 284exists when 'git send-email' is asked to add it (especially note that
 285'git format-patch' can be configured to do the threading itself).
 286Failure to do so may not produce the expected result in the
 287recipient's MUA.
 288
 289
 290Administering
 291~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 292
 293--confirm=<mode>::
 294        Confirm just before sending:
 295+
 296--
 297- 'always' will always confirm before sending
 298- 'never' will never confirm before sending
 299- 'cc' will confirm before sending when send-email has automatically
 300  added addresses from the patch to the Cc list
 301- 'compose' will confirm before sending the first message when using --compose.
 302- 'auto' is equivalent to 'cc' + 'compose'
 303--
 304+
 305Default is the value of 'sendemail.confirm' configuration value; if that
 306is unspecified, default to 'auto' unless any of the suppress options
 307have been specified, in which case default to 'compose'.
 308
 309--dry-run::
 310        Do everything except actually send the emails.
 311
 312--[no-]format-patch::
 313        When an argument may be understood either as a reference or as a file name,
 314        choose to understand it as a format-patch argument ('--format-patch')
 315        or as a file name ('--no-format-patch'). By default, when such a conflict
 316        occurs, git send-email will fail.
 317
 318--quiet::
 319        Make git-send-email less verbose.  One line per email should be
 320        all that is output.
 321
 322--[no-]validate::
 323        Perform sanity checks on patches.
 324        Currently, validation means the following:
 325+
 326--
 327                *       Warn of patches that contain lines longer than 998 characters; this
 328                        is due to SMTP limits as described by http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2821.txt.
 329--
 330+
 331Default is the value of 'sendemail.validate'; if this is not set,
 332default to '--validate'.
 333
 334--force::
 335        Send emails even if safety checks would prevent it.
 336
 337
 338CONFIGURATION
 339-------------
 340
 341sendemail.aliasesfile::
 342        To avoid typing long email addresses, point this to one or more
 343        email aliases files.  You must also supply 'sendemail.aliasfiletype'.
 344
 345sendemail.aliasfiletype::
 346        Format of the file(s) specified in sendemail.aliasesfile. Must be
 347        one of 'mutt', 'mailrc', 'pine', 'elm', or 'gnus'.
 348
 349sendemail.multiedit::
 350        If true (default), a single editor instance will be spawned to edit
 351        files you have to edit (patches when '--annotate' is used, and the
 352        summary when '--compose' is used). If false, files will be edited one
 353        after the other, spawning a new editor each time.
 354
 355sendemail.confirm::
 356        Sets the default for whether to confirm before sending. Must be
 357        one of 'always', 'never', 'cc', 'compose', or 'auto'. See '--confirm'
 358        in the previous section for the meaning of these values.
 359
 360EXAMPLE
 361-------
 362Use gmail as the smtp server
 363~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 364To use 'git send-email' to send your patches through the GMail SMTP server,
 365edit ~/.gitconfig to specify your account settings:
 366
 367        [sendemail]
 368                smtpencryption = tls
 369                smtpserver = smtp.gmail.com
 370                smtpuser = yourname@gmail.com
 371                smtpserverport = 587
 372
 373Once your commits are ready to be sent to the mailing list, run the
 374following commands:
 375
 376        $ git format-patch --cover-letter -M origin/master -o outgoing/
 377        $ edit outgoing/0000-*
 378        $ git send-email outgoing/*
 379
 380Note: the following perl modules are required
 381      Net::SMTP::SSL, MIME::Base64 and Authen::SASL
 382
 383SEE ALSO
 384--------
 385linkgit:git-format-patch[1], linkgit:git-imap-send[1], mbox(5)
 386
 387GIT
 388---
 389Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite