e51d7e60eb841d1a4832641543fbe13cefb6e35e
   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 "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_core_git]]core git::
  86        Fundamental data structures and utilities of git. Exposes only limited
  87        source code management tools.
  88
  89[[def_DAG]]DAG::
  90        Directed acyclic graph. The <<def_commit_object,commit objects>> form a
  91        directed acyclic graph, because they have parents (directed), and the
  92        graph of commit objects is acyclic (there is no <<def_chain,chain>>
  93        which begins and ends with the same <<def_object,object>>).
  94
  95[[def_dangling_object]]dangling object::
  96        An <<def_unreachable_object,unreachable object>> which is not
  97        <<def_reachable,reachable>> even from other unreachable objects; a
  98        dangling object has no references to it from any
  99        reference or <<def_object,object>> in the <<def_repository,repository>>.
 100
 101[[def_detached_HEAD]]detached HEAD::
 102        Normally the <<def_HEAD,HEAD>> stores the name of a
 103        <<def_branch,branch>>.  However, git also allows you to <<def_checkout,check out>>
 104        an arbitrary <<def_commit,commit>> that isn't necessarily the tip of any
 105        particular branch.  In this case HEAD is said to be "detached".
 106
 107[[def_dircache]]dircache::
 108        You are *waaaaay* behind. See <<def_index,index>>.
 109
 110[[def_directory]]directory::
 111        The list you get with "ls" :-)
 112
 113[[def_dirty]]dirty::
 114        A <<def_working_tree,working tree>> is said to be "dirty" if
 115        it contains modifications which have not been <<def_commit,committed>> to the current
 116        <<def_branch,branch>>.
 117
 118[[def_ent]]ent::
 119        Favorite synonym to "<<def_tree-ish,tree-ish>>" by some total geeks. See
 120        `http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ent_(Middle-earth)` for an in-depth
 121        explanation. Avoid this term, not to confuse people.
 122
 123[[def_evil_merge]]evil merge::
 124        An evil merge is a <<def_merge,merge>> that introduces changes that
 125        do not appear in any <<def_parent,parent>>.
 126
 127[[def_fast_forward]]fast-forward::
 128        A fast-forward is a special type of <<def_merge,merge>> where you have a
 129        <<def_revision,revision>> and you are "merging" another
 130        <<def_branch,branch>>'s changes that happen to be a descendant of what
 131        you have. In such these cases, you do not make a new <<def_merge,merge>>
 132        <<def_commit,commit>> but instead just update to his
 133        revision. This will happen frequently on a
 134        <<def_remote_tracking_branch,remote-tracking branch>> of a remote
 135        <<def_repository,repository>>.
 136
 137[[def_fetch]]fetch::
 138        Fetching a <<def_branch,branch>> means to get the
 139        branch's <<def_head_ref,head ref>> from a remote
 140        <<def_repository,repository>>, to find out which objects are
 141        missing from the local <<def_object_database,object database>>,
 142        and to get them, too.  See also linkgit:git-fetch[1].
 143
 144[[def_file_system]]file system::
 145        Linus Torvalds originally designed git to be a user space file system,
 146        i.e. the infrastructure to hold files and directories. That ensured the
 147        efficiency and speed of git.
 148
 149[[def_git_archive]]git archive::
 150        Synonym for <<def_repository,repository>> (for arch people).
 151
 152[[def_grafts]]grafts::
 153        Grafts enables two otherwise different lines of development to be joined
 154        together by recording fake ancestry information for commits. This way
 155        you can make git pretend the set of <<def_parent,parents>> a <<def_commit,commit>> has
 156        is different from what was recorded when the commit was
 157        created. Configured via the `.git/info/grafts` file.
 158
 159[[def_hash]]hash::
 160        In git's context, synonym to <<def_object_name,object name>>.
 161
 162[[def_head]]head::
 163        A <<def_ref,named reference>> to the <<def_commit,commit>> at the tip of a
 164        <<def_branch,branch>>.  Heads are stored in
 165        `$GIT_DIR/refs/heads/`, except when using packed refs. (See
 166        linkgit:git-pack-refs[1].)
 167
 168[[def_HEAD]]HEAD::
 169        The current <<def_branch,branch>>.  In more detail: Your <<def_working_tree,
 170        working tree>> is normally derived from the state of the tree
 171        referred to by HEAD.  HEAD is a reference to one of the
 172        <<def_head,heads>> in your repository, except when using a
 173        <<def_detached_HEAD,detached HEAD>>, in which case it may
 174        reference an arbitrary commit.
 175
 176[[def_head_ref]]head ref::
 177        A synonym for <<def_head,head>>.
 178
 179[[def_hook]]hook::
 180        During the normal execution of several git commands, call-outs are made
 181        to optional scripts that allow a developer to add functionality or
 182        checking. Typically, the hooks allow for a command to be pre-verified
 183        and potentially aborted, and allow for a post-notification after the
 184        operation is done. The hook scripts are found in the
 185        `$GIT_DIR/hooks/` directory, and are enabled by simply
 186        removing the `.sample` suffix from the filename. In earlier versions
 187        of git you had to make them executable.
 188
 189[[def_index]]index::
 190        A collection of files with stat information, whose contents are stored
 191        as objects. The index is a stored version of your
 192        <<def_working_tree,working tree>>. Truth be told, it can also contain a second, and even
 193        a third version of a working tree, which are used
 194        when <<def_merge,merging>>.
 195
 196[[def_index_entry]]index entry::
 197        The information regarding a particular file, stored in the
 198        <<def_index,index>>. An index entry can be unmerged, if a
 199        <<def_merge,merge>> was started, but not yet finished (i.e. if
 200        the index contains multiple versions of that file).
 201
 202[[def_master]]master::
 203        The default development <<def_branch,branch>>. Whenever you
 204        create a git <<def_repository,repository>>, a branch named
 205        "master" is created, and becomes the active branch. In most
 206        cases, this contains the local development, though that is
 207        purely by convention and is not required.
 208
 209[[def_merge]]merge::
 210        As a verb: To bring the contents of another
 211        <<def_branch,branch>> (possibly from an external
 212        <<def_repository,repository>>) into the current branch.  In the
 213        case where the merged-in branch is from a different repository,
 214        this is done by first <<def_fetch,fetching>> the remote branch
 215        and then merging the result into the current branch.  This
 216        combination of fetch and merge operations is called a
 217        <<def_pull,pull>>.  Merging is performed by an automatic process
 218        that identifies changes made since the branches diverged, and
 219        then applies all those changes together.  In cases where changes
 220        conflict, manual intervention may be required to complete the
 221        merge.
 222+
 223As a noun: unless it is a <<def_fast_forward,fast-forward>>, a
 224successful merge results in the creation of a new <<def_commit,commit>>
 225representing the result of the merge, and having as
 226<<def_parent,parents>> the tips of the merged <<def_branch,branches>>.
 227This commit is referred to as a "merge commit", or sometimes just a
 228"merge".
 229
 230[[def_object]]object::
 231        The unit of storage in git. It is uniquely identified by the
 232        <<def_SHA1,SHA1>> of its contents. Consequently, an
 233        object can not be changed.
 234
 235[[def_object_database]]object database::
 236        Stores a set of "objects", and an individual <<def_object,object>> is
 237        identified by its <<def_object_name,object name>>. The objects usually
 238        live in `$GIT_DIR/objects/`.
 239
 240[[def_object_identifier]]object identifier::
 241        Synonym for <<def_object_name,object name>>.
 242
 243[[def_object_name]]object name::
 244        The unique identifier of an <<def_object,object>>. The <<def_hash,hash>>
 245        of the object's contents using the Secure Hash Algorithm
 246        1 and usually represented by the 40 character hexadecimal encoding of
 247        the <<def_hash,hash>> of the object.
 248
 249[[def_object_type]]object type::
 250        One of the identifiers "<<def_commit_object,commit>>",
 251        "<<def_tree_object,tree>>", "<<def_tag_object,tag>>" or
 252        "<<def_blob_object,blob>>" describing the type of an
 253        <<def_object,object>>.
 254
 255[[def_octopus]]octopus::
 256        To <<def_merge,merge>> more than two <<def_branch,branches>>. Also denotes an
 257        intelligent predator.
 258
 259[[def_origin]]origin::
 260        The default upstream <<def_repository,repository>>. Most projects have
 261        at least one upstream project which they track. By default
 262        'origin' is used for that purpose. New upstream updates
 263        will be fetched into remote <<def_remote_tracking_branch,remote-tracking branches>> named
 264        origin/name-of-upstream-branch, which you can see using
 265        `git branch -r`.
 266
 267[[def_pack]]pack::
 268        A set of objects which have been compressed into one file (to save space
 269        or to transmit them efficiently).
 270
 271[[def_pack_index]]pack index::
 272        The list of identifiers, and other information, of the objects in a
 273        <<def_pack,pack>>, to assist in efficiently accessing the contents of a
 274        pack.
 275
 276[[def_pathspec]]pathspec::
 277       Pattern used to specify paths.
 278+
 279Pathspecs are used on the command line of "git ls-files", "git
 280ls-tree", "git add", "git grep", "git diff", "git checkout",
 281and many other commands to
 282limit the scope of operations to some subset of the tree or
 283worktree.  See the documentation of each command for whether
 284paths are relative to the current directory or toplevel.  The
 285pathspec syntax is as follows:
 286
 287* any path matches itself
 288* the pathspec up to the last slash represents a
 289  directory prefix.  The scope of that pathspec is
 290  limited to that subtree.
 291* the rest of the pathspec is a pattern for the remainder
 292  of the pathname.  Paths relative to the directory
 293  prefix will be matched against that pattern using fnmatch(3);
 294  in particular, '*' and '?' _can_ match directory separators.
 295+
 296For example, Documentation/*.jpg will match all .jpg files
 297in the Documentation subtree,
 298including Documentation/chapter_1/figure_1.jpg.
 299
 300+
 301A pathspec that begins with a colon `:` has special meaning.  In the
 302short form, the leading colon `:` is followed by zero or more "magic
 303signature" letters (which optionally is terminated by another colon `:`),
 304and the remainder is the pattern to match against the path. The optional
 305colon that terminates the "magic signature" can be omitted if the pattern
 306begins with a character that cannot be a "magic signature" and is not a
 307colon.
 308+
 309In the long form, the leading colon `:` is followed by a open
 310parenthesis `(`, a comma-separated list of zero or more "magic words",
 311and a close parentheses `)`, and the remainder is the pattern to match
 312against the path.
 313+
 314The "magic signature" consists of an ASCII symbol that is not
 315alphanumeric.
 316+
 317--
 318top `/`;;
 319        The magic word `top` (mnemonic: `/`) makes the pattern match
 320        from the root of the working tree, even when you are running
 321        the command from inside a subdirectory.
 322--
 323+
 324Currently only the slash `/` is recognized as the "magic signature",
 325but it is envisioned that we will support more types of magic in later
 326versions of git.
 327
 328[[def_parent]]parent::
 329        A <<def_commit_object,commit object>> contains a (possibly empty) list
 330        of the logical predecessor(s) in the line of development, i.e. its
 331        parents.
 332
 333[[def_pickaxe]]pickaxe::
 334        The term <<def_pickaxe,pickaxe>> refers to an option to the diffcore
 335        routines that help select changes that add or delete a given text
 336        string. With the `--pickaxe-all` option, it can be used to view the full
 337        <<def_changeset,changeset>> that introduced or removed, say, a
 338        particular line of text. See linkgit:git-diff[1].
 339
 340[[def_plumbing]]plumbing::
 341        Cute name for <<def_core_git,core git>>.
 342
 343[[def_porcelain]]porcelain::
 344        Cute name for programs and program suites depending on
 345        <<def_core_git,core git>>, presenting a high level access to
 346        core git. Porcelains expose more of a <<def_SCM,SCM>>
 347        interface than the <<def_plumbing,plumbing>>.
 348
 349[[def_pull]]pull::
 350        Pulling a <<def_branch,branch>> means to <<def_fetch,fetch>> it and
 351        <<def_merge,merge>> it.  See also linkgit:git-pull[1].
 352
 353[[def_push]]push::
 354        Pushing a <<def_branch,branch>> means to get the branch's
 355        <<def_head_ref,head ref>> from a remote <<def_repository,repository>>,
 356        find out if it is a direct ancestor to the branch's local
 357        head ref, and in that case, putting all
 358        objects, which are <<def_reachable,reachable>> from the local
 359        head ref, and which are missing from the remote
 360        repository, into the remote
 361        <<def_object_database,object database>>, and updating the remote
 362        head ref. If the remote <<def_head,head>> is not an
 363        ancestor to the local head, the push fails.
 364
 365[[def_reachable]]reachable::
 366        All of the ancestors of a given <<def_commit,commit>> are said to be
 367        "reachable" from that commit. More
 368        generally, one <<def_object,object>> is reachable from
 369        another if we can reach the one from the other by a <<def_chain,chain>>
 370        that follows <<def_tag,tags>> to whatever they tag,
 371        <<def_commit_object,commits>> to their parents or trees, and
 372        <<def_tree_object,trees>> to the trees or <<def_blob_object,blobs>>
 373        that they contain.
 374
 375[[def_rebase]]rebase::
 376        To reapply a series of changes from a <<def_branch,branch>> to a
 377        different base, and reset the <<def_head,head>> of that branch
 378        to the result.
 379
 380[[def_ref]]ref::
 381        A 40-byte hex representation of a <<def_SHA1,SHA1>> or a name that
 382        denotes a particular <<def_object,object>>. These may be stored in
 383        `$GIT_DIR/refs/`.
 384
 385[[def_reflog]]reflog::
 386        A reflog shows the local "history" of a ref.  In other words,
 387        it can tell you what the 3rd last revision in _this_ repository
 388        was, and what was the current state in _this_ repository,
 389        yesterday 9:14pm.  See linkgit:git-reflog[1] for details.
 390
 391[[def_refspec]]refspec::
 392        A "refspec" is used by <<def_fetch,fetch>> and
 393        <<def_push,push>> to describe the mapping between remote
 394        <<def_ref,ref>> and local ref. They are combined with a colon in
 395        the format <src>:<dst>, preceded by an optional plus sign, +.
 396        For example: `git fetch $URL
 397        refs/heads/master:refs/heads/origin` means "grab the master
 398        <<def_branch,branch>> <<def_head,head>> from the $URL and store
 399        it as my origin branch head". And `git push
 400        $URL refs/heads/master:refs/heads/to-upstream` means "publish my
 401        master branch head as to-upstream branch at $URL". See also
 402        linkgit:git-push[1].
 403
 404[[def_remote_tracking_branch]]remote-tracking branch::
 405        A regular git <<def_branch,branch>> that is used to follow changes from
 406        another <<def_repository,repository>>. A remote-tracking
 407        branch should not contain direct modifications or have local commits
 408        made to it. A remote-tracking branch can usually be
 409        identified as the right-hand-side <<def_ref,ref>> in a Pull:
 410        <<def_refspec,refspec>>.
 411
 412[[def_repository]]repository::
 413        A collection of <<def_ref,refs>> together with an
 414        <<def_object_database,object database>> containing all objects
 415        which are <<def_reachable,reachable>> from the refs, possibly
 416        accompanied by meta data from one or more <<def_porcelain,porcelains>>. A
 417        repository can share an object database with other repositories
 418        via <<def_alternate_object_database,alternates mechanism>>.
 419
 420[[def_resolve]]resolve::
 421        The action of fixing up manually what a failed automatic
 422        <<def_merge,merge>> left behind.
 423
 424[[def_revision]]revision::
 425        A particular state of files and directories which was stored in the
 426        <<def_object_database,object database>>. It is referenced by a
 427        <<def_commit_object,commit object>>.
 428
 429[[def_rewind]]rewind::
 430        To throw away part of the development, i.e. to assign the
 431        <<def_head,head>> to an earlier <<def_revision,revision>>.
 432
 433[[def_SCM]]SCM::
 434        Source code management (tool).
 435
 436[[def_SHA1]]SHA1::
 437        Synonym for <<def_object_name,object name>>.
 438
 439[[def_shallow_repository]]shallow repository::
 440        A shallow <<def_repository,repository>> has an incomplete
 441        history some of whose <<def_commit,commits>> have <<def_parent,parents>> cauterized away (in other
 442        words, git is told to pretend that these commits do not have the
 443        parents, even though they are recorded in the <<def_commit_object,commit
 444        object>>). This is sometimes useful when you are interested only in the
 445        recent history of a project even though the real history recorded in the
 446        upstream is much larger. A shallow repository
 447        is created by giving the `--depth` option to linkgit:git-clone[1], and
 448        its history can be later deepened with linkgit:git-fetch[1].
 449
 450[[def_symref]]symref::
 451        Symbolic reference: instead of containing the <<def_SHA1,SHA1>>
 452        id itself, it is of the format 'ref: refs/some/thing' and when
 453        referenced, it recursively dereferences to this reference.
 454        '<<def_HEAD,HEAD>>' is a prime example of a symref. Symbolic
 455        references are manipulated with the linkgit:git-symbolic-ref[1]
 456        command.
 457
 458[[def_tag]]tag::
 459        A <<def_ref,ref>> pointing to a <<def_tag_object,tag>> or
 460        <<def_commit_object,commit object>>. In contrast to a <<def_head,head>>,
 461        a tag is not changed by a <<def_commit,commit>>. Tags (not
 462        <<def_tag_object,tag objects>>) are stored in `$GIT_DIR/refs/tags/`. A
 463        git tag has nothing to do with a Lisp tag (which would be
 464        called an <<def_object_type,object type>> in git's context). A
 465        tag is most typically used to mark a particular point in the
 466        commit ancestry <<def_chain,chain>>.
 467
 468[[def_tag_object]]tag object::
 469        An <<def_object,object>> containing a <<def_ref,ref>> pointing to
 470        another object, which can contain a message just like a
 471        <<def_commit_object,commit object>>. It can also contain a (PGP)
 472        signature, in which case it is called a "signed tag object".
 473
 474[[def_topic_branch]]topic branch::
 475        A regular git <<def_branch,branch>> that is used by a developer to
 476        identify a conceptual line of development. Since branches are very easy
 477        and inexpensive, it is often desirable to have several small branches
 478        that each contain very well defined concepts or small incremental yet
 479        related changes.
 480
 481[[def_tree]]tree::
 482        Either a <<def_working_tree,working tree>>, or a <<def_tree_object,tree
 483        object>> together with the dependent <<def_blob_object,blob>> and tree objects
 484        (i.e. a stored representation of a working tree).
 485
 486[[def_tree_object]]tree object::
 487        An <<def_object,object>> containing a list of file names and modes along
 488        with refs to the associated blob and/or tree objects. A
 489        <<def_tree,tree>> is equivalent to a <<def_directory,directory>>.
 490
 491[[def_tree-ish]]tree-ish::
 492        A <<def_ref,ref>> pointing to either a <<def_commit_object,commit
 493        object>>, a <<def_tree_object,tree object>>, or a <<def_tag_object,tag
 494        object>> pointing to a tag or commit or tree object.
 495
 496[[def_unmerged_index]]unmerged index::
 497        An <<def_index,index>> which contains unmerged
 498        <<def_index_entry,index entries>>.
 499
 500[[def_unreachable_object]]unreachable object::
 501        An <<def_object,object>> which is not <<def_reachable,reachable>> from a
 502        <<def_branch,branch>>, <<def_tag,tag>>, or any other reference.
 503
 504[[def_upstream_branch]]upstream branch::
 505        The default <<def_branch,branch>> that is merged into the branch in
 506        question (or the branch in question is rebased onto). It is configured
 507        via branch.<name>.remote and branch.<name>.merge. If the upstream branch
 508        of 'A' is 'origin/B' sometimes we say "'A' is tracking 'origin/B'".
 509
 510[[def_working_tree]]working tree::
 511        The tree of actual checked out files.  The working tree normally
 512        contains the contents of the <<def_HEAD,HEAD>> commit's tree,
 513        plus any local changes that you have made but not yet committed.