1[[def_alternate_object_database]]alternate object database:: 2 Via the alternates mechanism, a <<def_repository,repository>> 3 can inherit part of its <<def_object_database,object database>> 4 from another object database, which is called an "alternate". 5 6[[def_bare_repository]]bare repository:: 7 A bare repository is normally an appropriately 8 named <<def_directory,directory>> with a `.git` suffix that does not 9 have a locally checked-out copy of any of the files under 10 revision control. That is, all of the Git 11 administrative and control files that would normally be present in the 12 hidden `.git` sub-directory are directly present in the 13 `repository.git` directory instead, 14 and no other files are present and checked out. Usually publishers of 15 public repositories make bare repositories available. 16 17[[def_blob_object]]blob object:: 18 Untyped <<def_object,object>>, e.g. the contents of a file. 19 20[[def_branch]]branch:: 21 A "branch" is an active line of development. The most recent 22 <<def_commit,commit>> on a branch is referred to as the tip of 23 that branch. The tip of the branch is referenced by a branch 24 <<def_head,head>>, which moves forward as additional development 25 is done on the branch. A single Git 26 <<def_repository,repository>> can track an arbitrary number of 27 branches, but your <<def_working_tree,working tree>> is 28 associated with just one of them (the "current" or "checked out" 29 branch), and <<def_HEAD,HEAD>> points to that branch. 30 31[[def_cache]]cache:: 32 Obsolete for: <<def_index,index>>. 33 34[[def_chain]]chain:: 35 A list of objects, where each <<def_object,object>> in the list contains 36 a reference to its successor (for example, the successor of a 37 <<def_commit,commit>> could be one of its <<def_parent,parents>>). 38 39[[def_changeset]]changeset:: 40 BitKeeper/cvsps speak for "<<def_commit,commit>>". Since Git does not 41 store changes, but states, it really does not make sense to use the term 42 "changesets" with Git. 43 44[[def_checkout]]checkout:: 45 The action of updating all or part of the 46 <<def_working_tree,working tree>> with a <<def_tree_object,tree object>> 47 or <<def_blob_object,blob>> from the 48 <<def_object_database,object database>>, and updating the 49 <<def_index,index>> and <<def_HEAD,HEAD>> if the whole working tree has 50 been pointed at a new <<def_branch,branch>>. 51 52[[def_cherry-picking]]cherry-picking:: 53 In <<def_SCM,SCM>> jargon, "cherry pick" means to choose a subset of 54 changes out of a series of changes (typically commits) and record them 55 as a new series of changes on top of a different codebase. In Git, this is 56 performed by the "git cherry-pick" command to extract the change introduced 57 by an existing <<def_commit,commit>> and to record it based on the tip 58 of the current <<def_branch,branch>> as a new commit. 59 60[[def_clean]]clean:: 61 A <<def_working_tree,working tree>> is clean, if it 62 corresponds to the <<def_revision,revision>> referenced by the current 63 <<def_head,head>>. Also see "<<def_dirty,dirty>>". 64 65[[def_commit]]commit:: 66 As a noun: A single point in the 67 Git history; the entire history of a project is represented as a 68 set of interrelated commits. The word "commit" is often 69 used by Git in the same places other revision control systems 70 use the words "revision" or "version". Also used as a short 71 hand for <<def_commit_object,commit object>>. 72+ 73As a verb: The action of storing a new snapshot of the project's 74state in the Git history, by creating a new commit representing the current 75state of the <<def_index,index>> and advancing <<def_HEAD,HEAD>> 76to point at the new commit. 77 78[[def_commit_object]]commit object:: 79 An <<def_object,object>> which contains the information about a 80 particular <<def_revision,revision>>, such as <<def_parent,parents>>, committer, 81 author, date and the <<def_tree_object,tree object>> which corresponds 82 to the top <<def_directory,directory>> of the stored 83 revision. 84 85[[def_commit-ish]]commit-ish (also committish):: 86 A <<def_commit_object,commit object>> or an 87 <<def_object,object>> that can be recursively dereferenced to 88 a commit object. 89 The following are all commit-ishes: 90 a commit object, 91 a <<def_tag_object,tag object>> that points to a commit 92 object, 93 a tag object that points to a tag object that points to a 94 commit object, 95 etc. 96 97[[def_core_git]]core Git:: 98 Fundamental data structures and utilities of Git. Exposes only limited 99 source code management tools. 100 101[[def_DAG]]DAG:: 102 Directed acyclic graph. The <<def_commit_object,commit objects>> form a 103 directed acyclic graph, because they have parents (directed), and the 104 graph of commit objects is acyclic (there is no <<def_chain,chain>> 105 which begins and ends with the same <<def_object,object>>). 106 107[[def_dangling_object]]dangling object:: 108 An <<def_unreachable_object,unreachable object>> which is not 109 <<def_reachable,reachable>> even from other unreachable objects; a 110 dangling object has no references to it from any 111 reference or <<def_object,object>> in the <<def_repository,repository>>. 112 113[[def_detached_HEAD]]detached HEAD:: 114 Normally the <<def_HEAD,HEAD>> stores the name of a 115 <<def_branch,branch>>, and commands that operate on the 116 history HEAD represents operate on the history leading to the 117 tip of the branch the HEAD points at. However, Git also 118 allows you to <<def_checkout,check out>> an arbitrary 119 <<def_commit,commit>> that isn't necessarily the tip of any 120 particular branch. The HEAD in such a state is called 121 "detached". 122+ 123Note that commands that operate on the history of the current branch 124(e.g. `git commit` to build a new history on top of it) still work 125while the HEAD is detached. They update the HEAD to point at the tip 126of the updated history without affecting any branch. Commands that 127update or inquire information _about_ the current branch (e.g. `git 128branch --set-upstream-to` that sets what remote-tracking branch the 129current branch integrates with) obviously do not work, as there is no 130(real) current branch to ask about in this state. 131 132[[def_directory]]directory:: 133 The list you get with "ls" :-) 134 135[[def_dirty]]dirty:: 136 A <<def_working_tree,working tree>> is said to be "dirty" if 137 it contains modifications which have not been <<def_commit,committed>> to the current 138 <<def_branch,branch>>. 139 140[[def_evil_merge]]evil merge:: 141 An evil merge is a <<def_merge,merge>> that introduces changes that 142 do not appear in any <<def_parent,parent>>. 143 144[[def_fast_forward]]fast-forward:: 145 A fast-forward is a special type of <<def_merge,merge>> where you have a 146 <<def_revision,revision>> and you are "merging" another 147 <<def_branch,branch>>'s changes that happen to be a descendant of what 148 you have. In such a case, you do not make a new <<def_merge,merge>> 149 <<def_commit,commit>> but instead just update to his 150 revision. This will happen frequently on a 151 <<def_remote_tracking_branch,remote-tracking branch>> of a remote 152 <<def_repository,repository>>. 153 154[[def_fetch]]fetch:: 155 Fetching a <<def_branch,branch>> means to get the 156 branch's <<def_head_ref,head ref>> from a remote 157 <<def_repository,repository>>, to find out which objects are 158 missing from the local <<def_object_database,object database>>, 159 and to get them, too. See also linkgit:git-fetch[1]. 160 161[[def_file_system]]file system:: 162 Linus Torvalds originally designed Git to be a user space file system, 163 i.e. the infrastructure to hold files and directories. That ensured the 164 efficiency and speed of Git. 165 166[[def_git_archive]]Git archive:: 167 Synonym for <<def_repository,repository>> (for arch people). 168 169[[def_gitfile]]gitfile:: 170 A plain file `.git` at the root of a working tree that 171 points at the directory that is the real repository. 172 173[[def_grafts]]grafts:: 174 Grafts enables two otherwise different lines of development to be joined 175 together by recording fake ancestry information for commits. This way 176 you can make Git pretend the set of <<def_parent,parents>> a <<def_commit,commit>> has 177 is different from what was recorded when the commit was 178 created. Configured via the `.git/info/grafts` file. 179+ 180Note that the grafts mechanism is outdated and can lead to problems 181transferring objects between repositories; see linkgit:git-replace[1] 182for a more flexible and robust system to do the same thing. 183 184[[def_hash]]hash:: 185 In Git's context, synonym for <<def_object_name,object name>>. 186 187[[def_head]]head:: 188 A <<def_ref,named reference>> to the <<def_commit,commit>> at the tip of a 189 <<def_branch,branch>>. Heads are stored in a file in 190 `$GIT_DIR/refs/heads/` directory, except when using packed refs. (See 191 linkgit:git-pack-refs[1].) 192 193[[def_HEAD]]HEAD:: 194 The current <<def_branch,branch>>. In more detail: Your <<def_working_tree, 195 working tree>> is normally derived from the state of the tree 196 referred to by HEAD. HEAD is a reference to one of the 197 <<def_head,heads>> in your repository, except when using a 198 <<def_detached_HEAD,detached HEAD>>, in which case it directly 199 references an arbitrary commit. 200 201[[def_head_ref]]head ref:: 202 A synonym for <<def_head,head>>. 203 204[[def_hook]]hook:: 205 During the normal execution of several Git commands, call-outs are made 206 to optional scripts that allow a developer to add functionality or 207 checking. Typically, the hooks allow for a command to be pre-verified 208 and potentially aborted, and allow for a post-notification after the 209 operation is done. The hook scripts are found in the 210 `$GIT_DIR/hooks/` directory, and are enabled by simply 211 removing the `.sample` suffix from the filename. In earlier versions 212 of Git you had to make them executable. 213 214[[def_index]]index:: 215 A collection of files with stat information, whose contents are stored 216 as objects. The index is a stored version of your 217 <<def_working_tree,working tree>>. Truth be told, it can also contain a second, and even 218 a third version of a working tree, which are used 219 when <<def_merge,merging>>. 220 221[[def_index_entry]]index entry:: 222 The information regarding a particular file, stored in the 223 <<def_index,index>>. An index entry can be unmerged, if a 224 <<def_merge,merge>> was started, but not yet finished (i.e. if 225 the index contains multiple versions of that file). 226 227[[def_master]]master:: 228 The default development <<def_branch,branch>>. Whenever you 229 create a Git <<def_repository,repository>>, a branch named 230 "master" is created, and becomes the active branch. In most 231 cases, this contains the local development, though that is 232 purely by convention and is not required. 233 234[[def_merge]]merge:: 235 As a verb: To bring the contents of another 236 <<def_branch,branch>> (possibly from an external 237 <<def_repository,repository>>) into the current branch. In the 238 case where the merged-in branch is from a different repository, 239 this is done by first <<def_fetch,fetching>> the remote branch 240 and then merging the result into the current branch. This 241 combination of fetch and merge operations is called a 242 <<def_pull,pull>>. Merging is performed by an automatic process 243 that identifies changes made since the branches diverged, and 244 then applies all those changes together. In cases where changes 245 conflict, manual intervention may be required to complete the 246 merge. 247+ 248As a noun: unless it is a <<def_fast_forward,fast-forward>>, a 249successful merge results in the creation of a new <<def_commit,commit>> 250representing the result of the merge, and having as 251<<def_parent,parents>> the tips of the merged <<def_branch,branches>>. 252This commit is referred to as a "merge commit", or sometimes just a 253"merge". 254 255[[def_object]]object:: 256 The unit of storage in Git. It is uniquely identified by the 257 <<def_SHA1,SHA-1>> of its contents. Consequently, an 258 object cannot be changed. 259 260[[def_object_database]]object database:: 261 Stores a set of "objects", and an individual <<def_object,object>> is 262 identified by its <<def_object_name,object name>>. The objects usually 263 live in `$GIT_DIR/objects/`. 264 265[[def_object_identifier]]object identifier:: 266 Synonym for <<def_object_name,object name>>. 267 268[[def_object_name]]object name:: 269 The unique identifier of an <<def_object,object>>. The 270 object name is usually represented by a 40 character 271 hexadecimal string. Also colloquially called <<def_SHA1,SHA-1>>. 272 273[[def_object_type]]object type:: 274 One of the identifiers "<<def_commit_object,commit>>", 275 "<<def_tree_object,tree>>", "<<def_tag_object,tag>>" or 276 "<<def_blob_object,blob>>" describing the type of an 277 <<def_object,object>>. 278 279[[def_octopus]]octopus:: 280 To <<def_merge,merge>> more than two <<def_branch,branches>>. 281 282[[def_origin]]origin:: 283 The default upstream <<def_repository,repository>>. Most projects have 284 at least one upstream project which they track. By default 285 'origin' is used for that purpose. New upstream updates 286 will be fetched into <<def_remote_tracking_branch,remote-tracking branches>> named 287 origin/name-of-upstream-branch, which you can see using 288 `git branch -r`. 289 290[[def_overlay]]overlay:: 291 Only update and add files to the working directory, but don't 292 delete them, similar to how 'cp -R' would update the contents 293 in the destination directory. This is the default mode in a 294 <<def_checkout,checkout>> when checking out files from the 295 <<def_index,index>> or a <<def_tree-ish,tree-ish>>. In 296 contrast, no-overlay mode also deletes tracked files not 297 present in the source, similar to 'rsync --delete'. 298 299[[def_pack]]pack:: 300 A set of objects which have been compressed into one file (to save space 301 or to transmit them efficiently). 302 303[[def_pack_index]]pack index:: 304 The list of identifiers, and other information, of the objects in a 305 <<def_pack,pack>>, to assist in efficiently accessing the contents of a 306 pack. 307 308[[def_pathspec]]pathspec:: 309 Pattern used to limit paths in Git commands. 310+ 311Pathspecs are used on the command line of "git ls-files", "git 312ls-tree", "git add", "git grep", "git diff", "git checkout", 313and many other commands to 314limit the scope of operations to some subset of the tree or 315worktree. See the documentation of each command for whether 316paths are relative to the current directory or toplevel. The 317pathspec syntax is as follows: 318+ 319-- 320 321* any path matches itself 322* the pathspec up to the last slash represents a 323 directory prefix. The scope of that pathspec is 324 limited to that subtree. 325* the rest of the pathspec is a pattern for the remainder 326 of the pathname. Paths relative to the directory 327 prefix will be matched against that pattern using fnmatch(3); 328 in particular, '*' and '?' _can_ match directory separators. 329 330-- 331+ 332For example, Documentation/*.jpg will match all .jpg files 333in the Documentation subtree, 334including Documentation/chapter_1/figure_1.jpg. 335+ 336A pathspec that begins with a colon `:` has special meaning. In the 337short form, the leading colon `:` is followed by zero or more "magic 338signature" letters (which optionally is terminated by another colon `:`), 339and the remainder is the pattern to match against the path. 340The "magic signature" consists of ASCII symbols that are neither 341alphanumeric, glob, regex special characters nor colon. 342The optional colon that terminates the "magic signature" can be 343omitted if the pattern begins with a character that does not belong to 344"magic signature" symbol set and is not a colon. 345+ 346In the long form, the leading colon `:` is followed by an open 347parenthesis `(`, a comma-separated list of zero or more "magic words", 348and a close parentheses `)`, and the remainder is the pattern to match 349against the path. 350+ 351A pathspec with only a colon means "there is no pathspec". This form 352should not be combined with other pathspec. 353+ 354-- 355top;; 356 The magic word `top` (magic signature: `/`) makes the pattern 357 match from the root of the working tree, even when you are 358 running the command from inside a subdirectory. 359 360literal;; 361 Wildcards in the pattern such as `*` or `?` are treated 362 as literal characters. 363 364icase;; 365 Case insensitive match. 366 367glob;; 368 Git treats the pattern as a shell glob suitable for 369 consumption by fnmatch(3) with the FNM_PATHNAME flag: 370 wildcards in the pattern will not match a / in the pathname. 371 For example, "Documentation/{asterisk}.html" matches 372 "Documentation/git.html" but not "Documentation/ppc/ppc.html" 373 or "tools/perf/Documentation/perf.html". 374+ 375Two consecutive asterisks ("`**`") in patterns matched against 376full pathname may have special meaning: 377 378 - A leading "`**`" followed by a slash means match in all 379 directories. For example, "`**/foo`" matches file or directory 380 "`foo`" anywhere, the same as pattern "`foo`". "`**/foo/bar`" 381 matches file or directory "`bar`" anywhere that is directly 382 under directory "`foo`". 383 384 - A trailing "`/**`" matches everything inside. For example, 385 "`abc/**`" matches all files inside directory "abc", relative 386 to the location of the `.gitignore` file, with infinite depth. 387 388 - A slash followed by two consecutive asterisks then a slash 389 matches zero or more directories. For example, "`a/**/b`" 390 matches "`a/b`", "`a/x/b`", "`a/x/y/b`" and so on. 391 392 - Other consecutive asterisks are considered invalid. 393+ 394Glob magic is incompatible with literal magic. 395 396attr;; 397After `attr:` comes a space separated list of "attribute 398requirements", all of which must be met in order for the 399path to be considered a match; this is in addition to the 400usual non-magic pathspec pattern matching. 401See linkgit:gitattributes[5]. 402+ 403Each of the attribute requirements for the path takes one of 404these forms: 405 406- "`ATTR`" requires that the attribute `ATTR` be set. 407 408- "`-ATTR`" requires that the attribute `ATTR` be unset. 409 410- "`ATTR=VALUE`" requires that the attribute `ATTR` be 411 set to the string `VALUE`. 412 413- "`!ATTR`" requires that the attribute `ATTR` be 414 unspecified. 415+ 416Note that when matching against a tree object, attributes are still 417obtained from working tree, not from the given tree object. 418 419exclude;; 420 After a path matches any non-exclude pathspec, it will be run 421 through all exclude pathspecs (magic signature: `!` or its 422 synonym `^`). If it matches, the path is ignored. When there 423 is no non-exclude pathspec, the exclusion is applied to the 424 result set as if invoked without any pathspec. 425-- 426 427[[def_parent]]parent:: 428 A <<def_commit_object,commit object>> contains a (possibly empty) list 429 of the logical predecessor(s) in the line of development, i.e. its 430 parents. 431 432[[def_pickaxe]]pickaxe:: 433 The term <<def_pickaxe,pickaxe>> refers to an option to the diffcore 434 routines that help select changes that add or delete a given text 435 string. With the `--pickaxe-all` option, it can be used to view the full 436 <<def_changeset,changeset>> that introduced or removed, say, a 437 particular line of text. See linkgit:git-diff[1]. 438 439[[def_plumbing]]plumbing:: 440 Cute name for <<def_core_git,core Git>>. 441 442[[def_porcelain]]porcelain:: 443 Cute name for programs and program suites depending on 444 <<def_core_git,core Git>>, presenting a high level access to 445 core Git. Porcelains expose more of a <<def_SCM,SCM>> 446 interface than the <<def_plumbing,plumbing>>. 447 448[[def_per_worktree_ref]]per-worktree ref:: 449 Refs that are per-<<def_working_tree,worktree>>, rather than 450 global. This is presently only <<def_HEAD,HEAD>> and any refs 451 that start with `refs/bisect/`, but might later include other 452 unusual refs. 453 454[[def_pseudoref]]pseudoref:: 455 Pseudorefs are a class of files under `$GIT_DIR` which behave 456 like refs for the purposes of rev-parse, but which are treated 457 specially by git. Pseudorefs both have names that are all-caps, 458 and always start with a line consisting of a 459 <<def_SHA1,SHA-1>> followed by whitespace. So, HEAD is not a 460 pseudoref, because it is sometimes a symbolic ref. They might 461 optionally contain some additional data. `MERGE_HEAD` and 462 `CHERRY_PICK_HEAD` are examples. Unlike 463 <<def_per_worktree_ref,per-worktree refs>>, these files cannot 464 be symbolic refs, and never have reflogs. They also cannot be 465 updated through the normal ref update machinery. Instead, 466 they are updated by directly writing to the files. However, 467 they can be read as if they were refs, so `git rev-parse 468 MERGE_HEAD` will work. 469 470[[def_pull]]pull:: 471 Pulling a <<def_branch,branch>> means to <<def_fetch,fetch>> it and 472 <<def_merge,merge>> it. See also linkgit:git-pull[1]. 473 474[[def_push]]push:: 475 Pushing a <<def_branch,branch>> means to get the branch's 476 <<def_head_ref,head ref>> from a remote <<def_repository,repository>>, 477 find out if it is an ancestor to the branch's local 478 head ref, and in that case, putting all 479 objects, which are <<def_reachable,reachable>> from the local 480 head ref, and which are missing from the remote 481 repository, into the remote 482 <<def_object_database,object database>>, and updating the remote 483 head ref. If the remote <<def_head,head>> is not an 484 ancestor to the local head, the push fails. 485 486[[def_reachable]]reachable:: 487 All of the ancestors of a given <<def_commit,commit>> are said to be 488 "reachable" from that commit. More 489 generally, one <<def_object,object>> is reachable from 490 another if we can reach the one from the other by a <<def_chain,chain>> 491 that follows <<def_tag,tags>> to whatever they tag, 492 <<def_commit_object,commits>> to their parents or trees, and 493 <<def_tree_object,trees>> to the trees or <<def_blob_object,blobs>> 494 that they contain. 495 496[[def_rebase]]rebase:: 497 To reapply a series of changes from a <<def_branch,branch>> to a 498 different base, and reset the <<def_head,head>> of that branch 499 to the result. 500 501[[def_ref]]ref:: 502 A name that begins with `refs/` (e.g. `refs/heads/master`) 503 that points to an <<def_object_name,object name>> or another 504 ref (the latter is called a <<def_symref,symbolic ref>>). 505 For convenience, a ref can sometimes be abbreviated when used 506 as an argument to a Git command; see linkgit:gitrevisions[7] 507 for details. 508 Refs are stored in the <<def_repository,repository>>. 509+ 510The ref namespace is hierarchical. 511Different subhierarchies are used for different purposes (e.g. the 512`refs/heads/` hierarchy is used to represent local branches). 513+ 514There are a few special-purpose refs that do not begin with `refs/`. 515The most notable example is `HEAD`. 516 517[[def_reflog]]reflog:: 518 A reflog shows the local "history" of a ref. In other words, 519 it can tell you what the 3rd last revision in _this_ repository 520 was, and what was the current state in _this_ repository, 521 yesterday 9:14pm. See linkgit:git-reflog[1] for details. 522 523[[def_refspec]]refspec:: 524 A "refspec" is used by <<def_fetch,fetch>> and 525 <<def_push,push>> to describe the mapping between remote 526 <<def_ref,ref>> and local ref. 527 528[[def_remote]]remote repository:: 529 A <<def_repository,repository>> which is used to track the same 530 project but resides somewhere else. To communicate with remotes, 531 see <<def_fetch,fetch>> or <<def_push,push>>. 532 533[[def_remote_tracking_branch]]remote-tracking branch:: 534 A <<def_ref,ref>> that is used to follow changes from another 535 <<def_repository,repository>>. It typically looks like 536 'refs/remotes/foo/bar' (indicating that it tracks a branch named 537 'bar' in a remote named 'foo'), and matches the right-hand-side of 538 a configured fetch <<def_refspec,refspec>>. A remote-tracking 539 branch should not contain direct modifications or have local 540 commits made to it. 541 542[[def_repository]]repository:: 543 A collection of <<def_ref,refs>> together with an 544 <<def_object_database,object database>> containing all objects 545 which are <<def_reachable,reachable>> from the refs, possibly 546 accompanied by meta data from one or more <<def_porcelain,porcelains>>. A 547 repository can share an object database with other repositories 548 via <<def_alternate_object_database,alternates mechanism>>. 549 550[[def_resolve]]resolve:: 551 The action of fixing up manually what a failed automatic 552 <<def_merge,merge>> left behind. 553 554[[def_revision]]revision:: 555 Synonym for <<def_commit,commit>> (the noun). 556 557[[def_rewind]]rewind:: 558 To throw away part of the development, i.e. to assign the 559 <<def_head,head>> to an earlier <<def_revision,revision>>. 560 561[[def_SCM]]SCM:: 562 Source code management (tool). 563 564[[def_SHA1]]SHA-1:: 565 "Secure Hash Algorithm 1"; a cryptographic hash function. 566 In the context of Git used as a synonym for <<def_object_name,object name>>. 567 568[[def_shallow_clone]]shallow clone:: 569 Mostly a synonym to <<def_shallow_repository,shallow repository>> 570 but the phrase makes it more explicit that it was created by 571 running `git clone --depth=...` command. 572 573[[def_shallow_repository]]shallow repository:: 574 A shallow <<def_repository,repository>> has an incomplete 575 history some of whose <<def_commit,commits>> have <<def_parent,parents>> cauterized away (in other 576 words, Git is told to pretend that these commits do not have the 577 parents, even though they are recorded in the <<def_commit_object,commit 578 object>>). This is sometimes useful when you are interested only in the 579 recent history of a project even though the real history recorded in the 580 upstream is much larger. A shallow repository 581 is created by giving the `--depth` option to linkgit:git-clone[1], and 582 its history can be later deepened with linkgit:git-fetch[1]. 583 584[[def_stash]]stash entry:: 585 An <<def_object,object>> used to temporarily store the contents of a 586 <<def_dirty,dirty>> working directory and the index for future reuse. 587 588[[def_submodule]]submodule:: 589 A <<def_repository,repository>> that holds the history of a 590 separate project inside another repository (the latter of 591 which is called <<def_superproject, superproject>>). 592 593[[def_superproject]]superproject:: 594 A <<def_repository,repository>> that references repositories 595 of other projects in its working tree as <<def_submodule,submodules>>. 596 The superproject knows about the names of (but does not hold 597 copies of) commit objects of the contained submodules. 598 599[[def_symref]]symref:: 600 Symbolic reference: instead of containing the <<def_SHA1,SHA-1>> 601 id itself, it is of the format 'ref: refs/some/thing' and when 602 referenced, it recursively dereferences to this reference. 603 '<<def_HEAD,HEAD>>' is a prime example of a symref. Symbolic 604 references are manipulated with the linkgit:git-symbolic-ref[1] 605 command. 606 607[[def_tag]]tag:: 608 A <<def_ref,ref>> under `refs/tags/` namespace that points to an 609 object of an arbitrary type (typically a tag points to either a 610 <<def_tag_object,tag>> or a <<def_commit_object,commit object>>). 611 In contrast to a <<def_head,head>>, a tag is not updated by 612 the `commit` command. A Git tag has nothing to do with a Lisp 613 tag (which would be called an <<def_object_type,object type>> 614 in Git's context). A tag is most typically used to mark a particular 615 point in the commit ancestry <<def_chain,chain>>. 616 617[[def_tag_object]]tag object:: 618 An <<def_object,object>> containing a <<def_ref,ref>> pointing to 619 another object, which can contain a message just like a 620 <<def_commit_object,commit object>>. It can also contain a (PGP) 621 signature, in which case it is called a "signed tag object". 622 623[[def_topic_branch]]topic branch:: 624 A regular Git <<def_branch,branch>> that is used by a developer to 625 identify a conceptual line of development. Since branches are very easy 626 and inexpensive, it is often desirable to have several small branches 627 that each contain very well defined concepts or small incremental yet 628 related changes. 629 630[[def_tree]]tree:: 631 Either a <<def_working_tree,working tree>>, or a <<def_tree_object,tree 632 object>> together with the dependent <<def_blob_object,blob>> and tree objects 633 (i.e. a stored representation of a working tree). 634 635[[def_tree_object]]tree object:: 636 An <<def_object,object>> containing a list of file names and modes along 637 with refs to the associated blob and/or tree objects. A 638 <<def_tree,tree>> is equivalent to a <<def_directory,directory>>. 639 640[[def_tree-ish]]tree-ish (also treeish):: 641 A <<def_tree_object,tree object>> or an <<def_object,object>> 642 that can be recursively dereferenced to a tree object. 643 Dereferencing a <<def_commit_object,commit object>> yields the 644 tree object corresponding to the <<def_revision,revision>>'s 645 top <<def_directory,directory>>. 646 The following are all tree-ishes: 647 a <<def_commit-ish,commit-ish>>, 648 a tree object, 649 a <<def_tag_object,tag object>> that points to a tree object, 650 a tag object that points to a tag object that points to a tree 651 object, 652 etc. 653 654[[def_unmerged_index]]unmerged index:: 655 An <<def_index,index>> which contains unmerged 656 <<def_index_entry,index entries>>. 657 658[[def_unreachable_object]]unreachable object:: 659 An <<def_object,object>> which is not <<def_reachable,reachable>> from a 660 <<def_branch,branch>>, <<def_tag,tag>>, or any other reference. 661 662[[def_upstream_branch]]upstream branch:: 663 The default <<def_branch,branch>> that is merged into the branch in 664 question (or the branch in question is rebased onto). It is configured 665 via branch.<name>.remote and branch.<name>.merge. If the upstream branch 666 of 'A' is 'origin/B' sometimes we say "'A' is tracking 'origin/B'". 667 668[[def_working_tree]]working tree:: 669 The tree of actual checked out files. The working tree normally 670 contains the contents of the <<def_HEAD,HEAD>> commit's tree, 671 plus any local changes that you have made but not yet committed.