Documentation / git.txton commit GIT 0.99.9k (93dcab2)
   1git(7)
   2======
   3
   4NAME
   5----
   6git - the stupid content tracker
   7
   8
   9SYNOPSIS
  10--------
  11'git' [--version] [--exec-path[=GIT_EXEC_PATH]] [--help] COMMAND [ARGS]
  12
  13DESCRIPTION
  14-----------
  15'git' is both a program and a directory content tracker system.
  16The program 'git' is just a wrapper to reach the core git programs
  17(or a potty if you like, as it's not exactly porcelain but still
  18brings your stuff to the plumbing).
  19
  20OPTIONS
  21-------
  22--version::
  23        prints the git suite version that the 'git' program came from.
  24
  25--help::
  26        prints the synopsis and a list of available commands.
  27        If a git command is named this option will bring up the
  28        man-page for that command.
  29
  30--exec-path::
  31        path to wherever your core git programs are installed.
  32        This can also be controlled by setting the GIT_EXEC_PATH
  33        environment variable. If no path is given 'git' will print
  34        the current setting and then exit.
  35
  36CORE GIT COMMANDS
  37-----------------
  38Before reading this cover to cover, you may want to take a look
  39at the link:tutorial.html[tutorial] document.
  40
  41The <<Discussion>> section below contains much useful definition and
  42clarification info - read that first.  And of the commands, I suggest
  43reading gitlink:git-update-index[1] and
  44gitlink:git-read-tree[1] first - I wish I had!
  45
  46If you are migrating from CVS, link:cvs-migration.html[cvs migration]
  47document may be helpful after you finish the tutorial.
  48
  49After you get the general feel from the tutorial and this
  50overview page, you may want to take a look at the
  51link:howto-index.html[howto] documents.
  52
  53
  54David Greaves <david@dgreaves.com>
  5508/05/05
  56
  57Updated by Junio C Hamano <junkio@cox.net> on 2005-05-05 to
  58reflect recent changes.
  59
  60Commands Overview
  61-----------------
  62The git commands can helpfully be split into those that manipulate
  63the repository, the index and the working fileset, those that
  64interrogate and compare them, and those that moves objects and
  65references between repositories.
  66
  67In addition, git itself comes with a spartan set of porcelain
  68commands.  They are usable but are not meant to compete with real
  69Porcelains.
  70
  71There are also some ancillary programs that can be viewed as useful
  72aids for using the core commands but which are unlikely to be used by
  73SCMs layered over git.
  74
  75Manipulation commands
  76~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  77gitlink:git-apply[1]::
  78        Reads a "diff -up1" or git generated patch file and
  79        applies it to the working tree.
  80
  81gitlink:git-checkout-index[1]::
  82        Copy files from the index to the working directory
  83
  84gitlink:git-commit-tree[1]::
  85        Creates a new commit object
  86
  87gitlink:git-hash-object[1]::
  88        Computes the object ID from a file.
  89
  90gitlink:git-index-pack[1]::
  91        Build pack index file for an existing packed archive.
  92
  93gitlink:git-init-db[1]::
  94        Creates an empty git object database
  95
  96gitlink:git-merge-index[1]::
  97        Runs a merge for files needing merging
  98
  99gitlink:git-mktag[1]::
 100        Creates a tag object
 101
 102gitlink:git-pack-objects[1]::
 103        Creates a packed archive of objects.
 104
 105gitlink:git-prune-packed[1]::
 106        Remove extra objects that are already in pack files.
 107
 108gitlink:git-read-tree[1]::
 109        Reads tree information into the directory index
 110
 111gitlink:git-repo-config[1]::
 112        Get and set options in .git/config.
 113
 114gitlink:git-unpack-objects[1]::
 115        Unpacks objects out of a packed archive.
 116
 117gitlink:git-update-index[1]::
 118        Modifies the index or directory cache
 119
 120gitlink:git-write-tree[1]::
 121        Creates a tree from the current index
 122
 123
 124Interrogation commands
 125~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 126
 127gitlink:git-cat-file[1]::
 128        Provide content or type information for repository objects
 129
 130gitlink:git-diff-index[1]::
 131        Compares content and mode of blobs between the index and repository
 132
 133gitlink:git-diff-files[1]::
 134        Compares files in the working tree and the index
 135
 136gitlink:git-diff-stages[1]::
 137        Compares two "merge stages" in the index file.
 138
 139gitlink:git-diff-tree[1]::
 140        Compares the content and mode of blobs found via two tree objects
 141
 142gitlink:git-fsck-objects[1]::
 143        Verifies the connectivity and validity of the objects in the database
 144
 145gitlink:git-ls-files[1]::
 146        Information about files in the index/working directory
 147
 148gitlink:git-ls-tree[1]::
 149        Displays a tree object in human readable form
 150
 151gitlink:git-merge-base[1]::
 152        Finds as good a common ancestor as possible for a merge
 153
 154gitlink:git-name-rev[1]::
 155        Find symbolic names for given revs
 156
 157gitlink:git-rev-list[1]::
 158        Lists commit objects in reverse chronological order
 159
 160gitlink:git-show-index[1]::
 161        Displays contents of a pack idx file.
 162
 163gitlink:git-tar-tree[1]::
 164        Creates a tar archive of the files in the named tree
 165
 166gitlink:git-unpack-file[1]::
 167        Creates a temporary file with a blob's contents
 168
 169gitlink:git-var[1]::
 170        Displays a git logical variable
 171
 172gitlink:git-verify-pack[1]::
 173        Validates packed git archive files
 174
 175The interrogate commands may create files - and you can force them to
 176touch the working file set - but in general they don't
 177
 178
 179Synching repositories
 180~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 181
 182gitlink:git-clone-pack[1]::
 183        Clones a repository into the current repository (engine
 184        for ssh and local transport)
 185
 186gitlink:git-fetch-pack[1]::
 187        Updates from a remote repository.
 188
 189gitlink:git-http-fetch[1]::
 190        Downloads a remote git repository via HTTP
 191
 192gitlink:git-local-fetch[1]::
 193        Duplicates another git repository on a local system
 194
 195gitlink:git-peek-remote[1]::
 196        Lists references on a remote repository using upload-pack protocol.
 197
 198gitlink:git-receive-pack[1]::
 199        Invoked by 'git-send-pack' to receive what is pushed to it.
 200
 201gitlink:git-send-pack[1]::
 202        Pushes to a remote repository, intelligently.
 203
 204gitlink:git-shell[1]::
 205        Restricted shell for GIT-only SSH access.
 206
 207gitlink:git-ssh-fetch[1]::
 208        Pulls from a remote repository over ssh connection
 209
 210gitlink:git-ssh-upload[1]::
 211        Helper "server-side" program used by git-ssh-fetch
 212
 213gitlink:git-update-server-info[1]::
 214        Updates auxiliary information on a dumb server to help
 215        clients discover references and packs on it.
 216
 217gitlink:git-upload-pack[1]::
 218        Invoked by 'git-clone-pack' and 'git-fetch-pack' to push
 219        what are asked for.
 220
 221
 222Porcelain-ish Commands
 223----------------------
 224
 225gitlink:git-add[1]::
 226        Add paths to the index file.
 227
 228gitlink:git-am[1]::
 229        Apply patches from a mailbox, but cooler.
 230
 231gitlink:git-applymbox[1]::
 232        Apply patches from a mailbox.
 233
 234gitlink:git-bisect[1]::
 235        Find the change that introduced a bug.
 236
 237gitlink:git-branch[1]::
 238        Create and Show branches.
 239
 240gitlink:git-checkout[1]::
 241        Checkout and switch to a branch.
 242
 243gitlink:git-cherry-pick[1]::
 244        Cherry-pick the effect of an existing commit.
 245
 246gitlink:git-clone[1]::
 247        Clones a repository into a new directory.
 248
 249gitlink:git-commit[1]::
 250        Record changes to the repository.
 251
 252gitlink:git-diff[1]::
 253        Show changes between commits, commit and working tree, etc.
 254
 255gitlink:git-fetch[1]::
 256        Download from a remote repository via various protocols.
 257
 258gitlink:git-format-patch[1]::
 259        Prepare patches for e-mail submission.
 260
 261gitlink:git-grep[1]::
 262        Print lines matching a pattern
 263
 264gitlink:git-log[1]::
 265        Shows commit logs.
 266
 267gitlink:git-ls-remote[1]::
 268        Shows references in a remote or local repository.
 269
 270gitlink:git-merge[1]::
 271        Grand unified merge driver.
 272
 273gitlink:git-mv[1]::
 274        Move or rename a file, a directory, or a symlink.
 275
 276gitlink:git-octopus[1]::
 277        Merge more than two commits.
 278
 279gitlink:git-pull[1]::
 280        Fetch from and merge with a remote repository.
 281
 282gitlink:git-push[1]::
 283        Update remote refs along with associated objects.
 284
 285gitlink:git-rebase[1]::
 286        Rebase local commits to new upstream head.
 287
 288gitlink:git-repack[1]::
 289        Pack unpacked objects in a repository.
 290
 291gitlink:git-reset[1]::
 292        Reset current HEAD to the specified state.
 293
 294gitlink:git-resolve[1]::
 295        Merge two commits.
 296
 297gitlink:git-revert[1]::
 298        Revert an existing commit.
 299
 300gitlink:git-shortlog[1]::
 301        Summarizes 'git log' output.
 302
 303gitlink:git-show-branch[1]::
 304        Show branches and their commits.
 305
 306gitlink:git-status[1]::
 307        Shows the working tree status.
 308
 309gitlink:git-verify-tag[1]::
 310        Check the GPG signature of tag.
 311
 312gitlink:git-whatchanged[1]::
 313        Shows commit logs and differences they introduce.
 314
 315
 316Ancillary Commands
 317------------------
 318Manipulators:
 319
 320gitlink:git-applypatch[1]::
 321        Apply one patch extracted from an e-mail.
 322
 323gitlink:git-archimport[1]::
 324        Import an arch repository into git.
 325
 326gitlink:git-convert-objects[1]::
 327        Converts old-style git repository
 328
 329gitlink:git-cvsimport[1]::
 330        Salvage your data out of another SCM people love to hate.
 331
 332gitlink:git-lost-found[1]::
 333        Recover lost refs that luckily have not yet been pruned.
 334
 335gitlink:git-merge-one-file[1]::
 336        The standard helper program to use with "git-merge-index"
 337
 338gitlink:git-prune[1]::
 339        Prunes all unreachable objects from the object database
 340
 341gitlink:git-relink[1]::
 342        Hardlink common objects in local repositories.
 343
 344gitlink:git-svnimport[1]::
 345        Import a SVN repository into git.
 346
 347gitlink:git-sh-setup[1]::
 348        Common git shell script setup code.
 349
 350gitlink:git-symbolic-ref[1]::
 351        Read and modify symbolic refs
 352
 353gitlink:git-tag[1]::
 354        An example script to create a tag object signed with GPG
 355
 356gitlink:git-update-ref[1]::
 357        Update the object name stored in a ref safely.
 358
 359
 360Interrogators:
 361
 362gitlink:git-check-ref-format[1]::
 363        Make sure ref name is well formed.
 364
 365gitlink:git-cherry[1]::
 366        Find commits not merged upstream.
 367
 368gitlink:git-count-objects[1]::
 369        Count unpacked number of objects and their disk consumption.
 370
 371gitlink:git-daemon[1]::
 372        A really simple server for git repositories.
 373
 374gitlink:git-get-tar-commit-id[1]::
 375        Extract commit ID from an archive created using git-tar-tree.
 376
 377gitlink:git-mailinfo[1]::
 378        Extracts patch from a single e-mail message.
 379
 380gitlink:git-mailsplit[1]::
 381        git-mailsplit.
 382
 383gitlink:git-patch-id[1]::
 384        Compute unique ID for a patch.
 385
 386gitlink:git-parse-remote[1]::
 387        Routines to help parsing $GIT_DIR/remotes/
 388
 389gitlink:git-request-pull[1]::
 390        git-request-pull.
 391
 392gitlink:git-rev-parse[1]::
 393        Pick out and massage parameters.
 394
 395gitlink:git-send-email[1]::
 396        Send patch e-mails out of "format-patch --mbox" output.
 397
 398gitlink:git-symbolic-refs[1]::
 399        Read and modify symbolic refs.
 400
 401gitlink:git-stripspace[1]::
 402        Filter out empty lines.
 403
 404
 405Commands not yet documented
 406---------------------------
 407
 408gitlink:gitk[1]::
 409        gitk.
 410
 411
 412Configuration Mechanism
 413-----------------------
 414
 415Starting from 0.99.9 (actually mid 0.99.8.GIT), .git/config file
 416is used to hold per-repository configuration options.  It is a
 417simple text file modelled after `.ini` format familiar to some
 418people.  Here is an example:
 419
 420------------
 421#
 422# This is the config file, and
 423# a '#' or ';' character indicates
 424# a comment
 425#
 426
 427; core variables
 428[core]
 429        ; Don't trust file modes
 430        filemode = false
 431
 432; user identity
 433[user]
 434        name = "Junio C Hamano"
 435        email = "junkio@twinsun.com"
 436
 437------------
 438
 439Various commands read from the configuration file and adjust
 440their operation accordingly.
 441
 442
 443Identifier Terminology
 444----------------------
 445<object>::
 446        Indicates the sha1 identifier for any type of object
 447
 448<blob>::
 449        Indicates a blob object sha1 identifier
 450
 451<tree>::
 452        Indicates a tree object sha1 identifier
 453
 454<commit>::
 455        Indicates a commit object sha1 identifier
 456
 457<tree-ish>::
 458        Indicates a tree, commit or tag object sha1 identifier.  A
 459        command that takes a <tree-ish> argument ultimately wants to
 460        operate on a <tree> object but automatically dereferences
 461        <commit> and <tag> objects that point at a <tree>.
 462
 463<type>::
 464        Indicates that an object type is required.
 465        Currently one of: blob/tree/commit/tag
 466
 467<file>::
 468        Indicates a filename - always relative to the root of
 469        the tree structure GIT_INDEX_FILE describes.
 470
 471Symbolic Identifiers
 472--------------------
 473Any git command accepting any <object> can also use the following
 474symbolic notation:
 475
 476HEAD::
 477        indicates the head of the repository (ie the contents of
 478        `$GIT_DIR/HEAD`)
 479<tag>::
 480        a valid tag 'name'+
 481        (ie the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/tags/<tag>`)
 482<head>::
 483        a valid head 'name'+
 484        (ie the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/heads/<head>`)
 485<snap>::
 486        a valid snapshot 'name'+
 487        (ie the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/snap/<snap>`)
 488
 489
 490File/Directory Structure
 491------------------------
 492
 493Please see link:repository-layout.html[repository layout] document.
 494
 495Higher level SCMs may provide and manage additional information in the
 496GIT_DIR.
 497
 498
 499Terminology
 500-----------
 501Please see link:glossary.html[glossary] document.
 502
 503
 504Environment Variables
 505---------------------
 506Various git commands use the following environment variables:
 507
 508The git Repository
 509~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 510These environment variables apply to 'all' core git commands. Nb: it
 511is worth noting that they may be used/overridden by SCMS sitting above
 512git so take care if using Cogito etc
 513
 514'GIT_INDEX_FILE'::
 515        This environment allows the specification of an alternate
 516        index file. If not specified, the default of `$GIT_DIR/index`
 517        is used.
 518
 519'GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY'::
 520        If the object storage directory is specified via this
 521        environment variable then the sha1 directories are created
 522        underneath - otherwise the default `$GIT_DIR/objects`
 523        directory is used.
 524
 525'GIT_ALTERNATE_OBJECT_DIRECTORIES'::
 526        Due to the immutable nature of git objects, old objects can be
 527        archived into shared, read-only directories. This variable
 528        specifies a ":" separated list of git object directories which
 529        can be used to search for git objects. New objects will not be
 530        written to these directories.
 531
 532'GIT_DIR'::
 533        If the 'GIT_DIR' environment variable is set then it specifies
 534        a path to use instead of `./.git` for the base of the
 535        repository.
 536
 537git Commits
 538~~~~~~~~~~~
 539'GIT_AUTHOR_NAME'::
 540'GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL'::
 541'GIT_AUTHOR_DATE'::
 542'GIT_COMMITTER_NAME'::
 543'GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL'::
 544        see gitlink:git-commit-tree[1]
 545
 546git Diffs
 547~~~~~~~~~
 548'GIT_DIFF_OPTS'::
 549'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF'::
 550        see the "generating patches" section in :
 551        gitlink:git-diff-index[1];
 552        gitlink:git-diff-files[1];
 553        gitlink:git-diff-tree[1]
 554
 555Discussion[[Discussion]]
 556------------------------
 557include::../README[]
 558
 559Authors
 560-------
 561        git's founding father is Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org>.
 562        The current git nurse is Junio C. Hamano <junkio@cox.net>.
 563        The git potty was written by Andres Ericsson <ae@op5.se>.
 564        General upbringing is handled by the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
 565
 566Documentation
 567--------------
 568Documentation by David Greaves, Junio C Hamano and the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
 569
 570GIT
 571---
 572Part of the gitlink:git[7] suite
 573