NAME
----
-git-format-patch - Some git command not yet documented.
+git-format-patch - Prepare patches for e-mail submission.
SYNOPSIS
--------
-'git-format-patch' [ --option ] <args>...
+[verse]
+'git-format-patch' [-n | -k] [-o <dir> | --stdout] [-s] [-c]
+ [--diff-options] <his> [<mine>]
DESCRIPTION
-----------
-Does something not yet documented.
+Prepare each commit with its patch since <mine> head forked from
+<his> head, one file per patch formatted to resemble UNIX mailbox
+format, for e-mail submission or use with gitlink:git-am[1].
+
+Each output file is numbered sequentially from 1, and uses the
+first line of the commit message (massaged for pathname safety)
+as the filename.
+
+When -o is specified, output files are created in <dir>; otherwise
+they are created in the current working directory. This option
+is ignored if --stdout is specified.
+
+When -n is specified, instead of "[PATCH] Subject", the first
+line is formatted as "[PATCH N/M] Subject", unless you have only
+one patch.
OPTIONS
-------
---option::
- Some option not yet documented.
+-o|--output-directory <dir>::
+ Use <dir> to store the resulting files, instead of the
+ current working directory.
+
+-n|--numbered::
+ Name output in '[PATCH n/m]' format.
+
+-k|--keep-subject::
+ Do not strip/add '[PATCH]' from the first line of the
+ commit log message.
+
+-s|--signoff::
+ Add `Signed-off-by:` line to the commit message, using
+ the committer identity of yourself.
+
+-c|--check::
+ Display suspicious lines in the patch. The definition
+ of 'suspicious lines' is currently the lines that has
+ trailing whitespaces, and the lines whose indentation
+ has a SP character immediately followed by a TAB
+ character.
+
+--stdout::
+ This flag generates the mbox formatted output to the
+ standard output, instead of saving them into a file per
+ patch and implies --mbox.
-<args>...::
- Some argument not yet documented.
+
+EXAMPLES
+--------
+
+git-format-patch -k --stdout R1..R2 | git-am -3 -k::
+ Extract commits between revisions R1 and R2, and apply
+ them on top of the current branch using `git-am` to
+ cherry-pick them.
+
+git-format-patch origin::
+ Extract commits the current branch accumulated since it
+ pulled from origin the last time in a patch form for
+ e-mail submission.
+
+git-format-patch -M -B origin::
+ The same as the previous one, except detect and handle
+ renames and complete rewrites intelligently to produce
+ renaming patch. A renaming patch reduces the amount of
+ text output, and generally makes it easier to review
+ it. Note that the "patch" program does not understand
+ renaming patch well, so use it only when you know the
+ recipient uses git to apply your patch.
+
+
+See Also
+--------
+gitlink:git-am[1], gitlink:git-send-email[1]
Author
GIT
---
-Part of the link:git.html[git] suite
+Part of the gitlink:git[7] suite