SYNOPSIS
--------
-'git-<command>' <args>
+[verse]
+'git' [--version] [--exec-path[=GIT_EXEC_PATH]] [-p|--paginate]
+ [--bare] [--git-dir=GIT_DIR] [--help] COMMAND [ARGS]
DESCRIPTION
-----------
+Git is a fast, scalable, distributed revision control system with an
+unusually rich command set that provides both high-level operations
+and full access to internals.
+
+See this link:tutorial.html[tutorial] to get started, then see
+link:everyday.html[Everyday Git] for a useful minimum set of commands, and
+"man git-commandname" for documentation of each command. CVS users may
+also want to read link:cvs-migration.html[CVS migration].
+
+The COMMAND is either a name of a Git command (see below) or an alias
+as defined in the configuration file (see gitlink:git-config[1]).
+
+OPTIONS
+-------
+--version::
+ Prints the git suite version that the 'git' program came from.
+
+--help::
+ Prints the synopsis and a list of the most commonly used
+ commands. If a git command is named this option will bring up
+ the man-page for that command. If the option '--all' or '-a' is
+ given then all available commands are printed.
+
+--exec-path::
+ Path to wherever your core git programs are installed.
+ This can also be controlled by setting the GIT_EXEC_PATH
+ environment variable. If no path is given 'git' will print
+ the current setting and then exit.
+
+-p|--paginate::
+ Pipe all output into 'less' (or if set, $PAGER).
+
+--git-dir=<path>::
+ Set the path to the repository. This can also be controlled by
+ setting the GIT_DIR environment variable.
+
+--bare::
+ Same as --git-dir=`pwd`.
+
+FURTHER DOCUMENTATION
+---------------------
-This is reference information for the core git commands.
+See the references above to get started using git. The following is
+probably more detail than necessary for a first-time user.
-Before reading this cover to cover, you may want to take a look
-at the link:tutorial.html[tutorial] document.
+The <<Discussion,Discussion>> section below and the
+link:core-tutorial.html[Core tutorial] both provide introductions to the
+underlying git architecture.
-The <<Discussion>> section below contains much useful definition and
-clarification info - read that first. And of the commands, I suggest
-reading gitlink:git-update-index[1] and
-gitlink:git-read-tree[1] first - I wish I had!
+See also the link:howto-index.html[howto] documents for some useful
+examples.
-If you are migrating from CVS, link:cvs-migration.html[cvs migration]
-document may be helpful after you finish the tutorial.
+GIT COMMANDS
+------------
-After you get the general feel from the tutorial and this
-overview page, you may want to take a look at the
-link:howto-index.html[howto] documents.
+We divide git into high level ("porcelain") commands and low level
+("plumbing") commands.
+High-level commands (porcelain)
+-------------------------------
-David Greaves <david@dgreaves.com>
-08/05/05
+We separate the porcelain commands into the main commands and some
+ancillary user utilities.
-Updated by Junio C Hamano <junkio@cox.net> on 2005-05-05 to
-reflect recent changes.
+Main porcelain commands
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-Commands Overview
------------------
-The git commands can helpfully be split into those that manipulate
-the repository, the cache and the working fileset, those that
-interrogate and compare them, and those that moves objects and
-references between repositories.
+include::cmds-mainporcelain.txt[]
-In addition, git itself comes with a spartan set of porcelain
-commands. They are usable but are not meant to compete with real
-Porcelains.
+Ancillary Commands
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+Manipulators:
-There are also some ancillary programs that can be viewed as useful
-aids for using the core commands but which are unlikely to be used by
-SCMs layered over git.
+include::cmds-ancillarymanipulators.txt[]
-Manipulation commands
-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-gitlink:git-apply[1]::
- Reads a "diff -up1" or git generated patch file and
- applies it to the working tree.
+Interrogators:
-gitlink:git-checkout-index[1]::
- Copy files from the cache to the working directory
+include::cmds-ancillaryinterrogators.txt[]
-gitlink:git-commit-tree[1]::
- Creates a new commit object
-gitlink:git-hash-object[1]::
- Computes the object ID from a file.
+Interacting with Others
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-gitlink:git-index-pack.html[1]::
- Build pack index file for an existing packed archive.
+These commands are to interact with foreign SCM and with other
+people via patch over e-mail.
-gitlink:git-init-db[1]::
- Creates an empty git object database
+include::cmds-foreignscminterface.txt[]
-gitlink:git-merge-index[1]::
- Runs a merge for files needing merging
-gitlink:git-mktag[1]::
- Creates a tag object
+Low-level commands (plumbing)
+-----------------------------
-gitlink:git-pack-objects[1]::
- Creates a packed archive of objects.
+Although git includes its
+own porcelain layer, its low-level commands are sufficient to support
+development of alternative porcelains. Developers of such porcelains
+might start by reading about gitlink:git-update-index[1] and
+gitlink:git-read-tree[1].
-gitlink:git-prune-packed[1]::
- Remove extra objects that are already in pack files.
+The interface (input, output, set of options and the semantics)
+to these low-level commands are meant to be a lot more stable
+than Porcelain level commands, because these commands are
+primarily for scripted use. The interface to Porcelain commands
+on the other hand are subject to change in order to improve the
+end user experience.
-gitlink:git-read-tree[1]::
- Reads tree information into the directory cache
+The following description divides
+the low-level commands into commands that manipulate objects (in
+the repository, index, and working tree), commands that interrogate and
+compare objects, and commands that move objects and references between
+repositories.
-gitlink:git-unpack-objects[1]::
- Unpacks objects out of a packed archive.
-gitlink:git-update-index[1]::
- Modifies the index or directory cache
+Manipulation commands
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-gitlink:git-write-tree[1]::
- Creates a tree from the current cache
+include::cmds-plumbingmanipulators.txt[]
Interrogation commands
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-gitlink:git-cat-file[1]::
- Provide content or type information for repository objects
-
-gitlink:git-diff-index[1]::
- Compares content and mode of blobs between the cache and repository
-
-gitlink:git-diff-files[1]::
- Compares files in the working tree and the cache
-
-gitlink:git-diff-stages[1]::
- Compares two "merge stages" in the index file.
-
-gitlink:git-diff-tree[1]::
- Compares the content and mode of blobs found via two tree objects
+include::cmds-plumbinginterrogators.txt[]
-gitlink:git-fsck-objects[1]::
- Verifies the connectivity and validity of the objects in the database
-
-gitlink:git-ls-files[1]::
- Information about files in the cache/working directory
-
-gitlink:git-ls-tree[1]::
- Displays a tree object in human readable form
-
-gitlink:git-merge-base[1]::
- Finds as good a common ancestor as possible for a merge
-
-gitlink:git-name-rev[1]::
- Find symbolic names for given revs
-
-gitlink:git-rev-list[1]::
- Lists commit objects in reverse chronological order
-
-gitlink:git-show-index[1]::
- Displays contents of a pack idx file.
-
-gitlink:git-tar-tree[1]::
- Creates a tar archive of the files in the named tree
-
-gitlink:git-unpack-file[1]::
- Creates a temporary file with a blob's contents
-
-gitlink:git-var[1]::
- Displays a git logical variable
-
-gitlink:git-verify-pack[1]::
- Validates packed git archive files
-
-The interrogate commands may create files - and you can force them to
-touch the working file set - but in general they don't
+In general, the interrogate commands do not touch the files in
+the working tree.
Synching repositories
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-gitlink:git-clone-pack[1]::
- Clones a repository into the current repository (engine
- for ssh and local transport)
-
-gitlink:git-fetch-pack[1]::
- Updates from a remote repository.
-
-gitlink:git-http-fetch[1]::
- Downloads a remote git repository via HTTP
-
-gitlink:git-local-fetch[1]::
- Duplicates another git repository on a local system
-
-gitlink:git-peek-remote[1]::
- Lists references on a remote repository using upload-pack protocol.
-
-gitlink:git-receive-pack[1]::
- Invoked by 'git-send-pack' to receive what is pushed to it.
-
-gitlink:git-send-pack[1]::
- Pushes to a remote repository, intelligently.
-
-gitlink:git-shell[1]::
- Restricted shell for GIT-only SSH access.
-
-gitlink:git-ssh-fetch[1]::
- Pulls from a remote repository over ssh connection
-
-gitlink:git-ssh-upload[1]::
- Helper "server-side" program used by git-ssh-fetch
-
-gitlink:git-update-server-info[1]::
- Updates auxiliary information on a dumb server to help
- clients discover references and packs on it.
-
-gitlink:git-upload-pack[1]::
- Invoked by 'git-clone-pack' and 'git-fetch-pack' to push
- what are asked for.
-
-
-Porcelain-ish Commands
-----------------------
-
-gitlink:git-add[1]::
- Add paths to the index file.
-
-gitlink:git-am[1]::
- Apply patches from a mailbox, but cooler.
-
-gitlink:git-applymbox[1]::
- Apply patches from a mailbox.
-
-gitlink:git-bisect[1]::
- Find the change that introduced a bug.
-
-gitlink:git-branch[1]::
- Create and Show branches.
-
-gitlink:git-checkout[1]::
- Checkout and switch to a branch.
-
-gitlink:git-cherry-pick[1]::
- Cherry-pick the effect of an existing commit.
-
-gitlink:git-clone[1]::
- Clones a repository into a new directory.
-
-gitlink:git-commit[1]::
- Record changes to the repository.
-
-gitlink:git-diff[1]::
- Show changes between commits, commit and working tree, etc.
-
-gitlink:git-fetch[1]::
- Download from a remote repository via various protocols.
-
-gitlink:git-format-patch[1]::
- Prepare patches for e-mail submission.
-
-gitlink:git-grep[1]::
- Print lines matching a pattern
-
-gitlink:git-log[1]::
- Shows commit logs.
+include::cmds-synchingrepositories.txt[]
-gitlink:git-ls-remote[1]::
- Shows references in a remote or local repository.
+The following are helper programs used by the above; end users
+typically do not use them directly.
-gitlink:git-merge[1]::
- Grand unified merge driver.
+include::cmds-synchelpers.txt[]
-gitlink:git-mv[1]::
- Move or rename a file, a directory, or a symlink.
-gitlink:git-octopus[1]::
- Merge more than two commits.
+Internal helper commands
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-gitlink:git-pull[1]::
- Fetch from and merge with a remote repository.
+These are internal helper commands used by other commands; end
+users typically do not use them directly.
-gitlink:git-push[1]::
- Update remote refs along with associated objects.
-
-gitlink:git-rebase[1]::
- Rebase local commits to new upstream head.
-
-gitlink:git-rename[1]::
- Rename files and directories.
-
-gitlink:git-repack[1]::
- Pack unpacked objects in a repository.
-
-gitlink:git-reset[1]::
- Reset current HEAD to the specified state.
-
-gitlink:git-resolve[1]::
- Merge two commits.
-
-gitlink:git-revert[1]::
- Revert an existing commit.
-
-gitlink:git-shortlog[1]::
- Summarizes 'git log' output.
-
-gitlink:git-show-branch[1]::
- Show branches and their commits.
-
-gitlink:git-status[1]::
- Shows the working tree status.
-
-gitlink:git-verify-tag[1]::
- Check the GPG signature of tag.
-
-gitlink:git-whatchanged[1]::
- Shows commit logs and differences they introduce.
-
-
-Ancillary Commands
-------------------
-Manipulators:
-
-gitlink:git-applypatch[1]::
- Apply one patch extracted from an e-mail.
-
-gitlink:git-archimport[1]::
- Import an arch repository into git.
-
-gitlink:git-convert-objects[1]::
- Converts old-style git repository
-
-gitlink:git-cvsimport[1]::
- Salvage your data out of another SCM people love to hate.
-
-gitlink:git-merge-one-file[1]::
- The standard helper program to use with "git-merge-index"
-
-gitlink:git-prune[1]::
- Prunes all unreachable objects from the object database
-
-gitlink:git-relink[1]::
- Hardlink common objects in local repositories.
-
-gitlink:git-svnimport[1]::
- Import a SVN repository into git.
-
-gitlink:git-sh-setup[1]::
- Common git shell script setup code.
-
-gitlink:git-symbolic-ref[1]::
- Read and modify symbolic refs
-
-gitlink:git-tag[1]::
- An example script to create a tag object signed with GPG
-
-gitlink:git-update-ref[1]::
- Update the object name stored in a ref safely.
-
-
-Interrogators:
-
-gitlink:git-check-ref-format[1]::
- Make sure ref name is well formed.
-
-gitlink:git-cherry[1]::
- Find commits not merged upstream.
-
-gitlink:git-count-objects[1]::
- Count unpacked number of objects and their disk consumption.
-
-gitlink:git-daemon[1]::
- A really simple server for git repositories.
-
-gitlink:git-get-tar-commit-id[1]::
- Extract commit ID from an archive created using git-tar-tree.
-
-gitlink:git-mailinfo[1]::
- Extracts patch from a single e-mail message.
-
-gitlink:git-mailsplit[1]::
- git-mailsplit.
-
-gitlink:git-patch-id[1]::
- Compute unique ID for a patch.
-
-gitlink:git-parse-remote[1]::
- Routines to help parsing $GIT_DIR/remotes/
-
-gitlink:git-request-pull[1]::
- git-request-pull.
-
-gitlink:git-rev-parse[1]::
- Pick out and massage parameters.
-
-gitlink:git-send-email[1]::
- Send patch e-mails out of "format-patch --mbox" output.
-
-gitlink:git-symbolic-refs[1]::
- Read and modify symbolic refs.
-
-gitlink:git-stripspace[1]::
- Filter out empty lines.
-
-
-Commands not yet documented
----------------------------
-
-gitlink:gitk[1]::
- gitk.
+include::cmds-purehelpers.txt[]
Configuration Mechanism
-----------------------
-Starting from 0.99.9 (actually mid 0.99.8.GIT), .git/config file
+Starting from 0.99.9 (actually mid 0.99.8.GIT), `.git/config` file
is used to hold per-repository configuration options. It is a
-simple text file modelled after `.ini` format familiar to some
+simple text file modeled after `.ini` format familiar to some
people. Here is an example:
------------
#
-# This is the config file, and
-# a '#' or ';' character indicates
-# a comment
+# A '#' or ';' character indicates a comment.
#
; core variables
Identifier Terminology
----------------------
<object>::
- Indicates the sha1 identifier for any type of object
+ Indicates the object name for any type of object.
<blob>::
- Indicates a blob object sha1 identifier
+ Indicates a blob object name.
<tree>::
- Indicates a tree object sha1 identifier
+ Indicates a tree object name.
<commit>::
- Indicates a commit object sha1 identifier
+ Indicates a commit object name.
<tree-ish>::
- Indicates a tree, commit or tag object sha1 identifier. A
+ Indicates a tree, commit or tag object name. A
command that takes a <tree-ish> argument ultimately wants to
operate on a <tree> object but automatically dereferences
<commit> and <tag> objects that point at a <tree>.
<type>::
Indicates that an object type is required.
- Currently one of: blob/tree/commit/tag
+ Currently one of: `blob`, `tree`, `commit`, or `tag`.
<file>::
- Indicates a filename - always relative to the root of
- the tree structure GIT_INDEX_FILE describes.
+ Indicates a filename - almost always relative to the
+ root of the tree structure `GIT_INDEX_FILE` describes.
Symbolic Identifiers
--------------------
symbolic notation:
HEAD::
- indicates the head of the repository (ie the contents of
- `$GIT_DIR/HEAD`)
+ indicates the head of the current branch (i.e. the
+ contents of `$GIT_DIR/HEAD`).
+
<tag>::
- a valid tag 'name'+
- (ie the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/tags/<tag>`)
+ a valid tag 'name'
+ (i.e. the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/tags/<tag>`).
+
<head>::
- a valid head 'name'+
- (ie the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/heads/<head>`)
-<snap>::
- a valid snapshot 'name'+
- (ie the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/snap/<snap>`)
+ a valid head 'name'
+ (i.e. the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/heads/<head>`).
+
+For a more complete list of ways to spell object names, see
+"SPECIFYING REVISIONS" section in gitlink:git-rev-parse[1].
File/Directory Structure
Please see link:repository-layout.html[repository layout] document.
+Read link:hooks.html[hooks] for more details about each hook.
+
Higher level SCMs may provide and manage additional information in the
-GIT_DIR.
+`$GIT_DIR`.
Terminology
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
These environment variables apply to 'all' core git commands. Nb: it
is worth noting that they may be used/overridden by SCMS sitting above
-git so take care if using Cogito etc
+git so take care if using Cogito etc.
'GIT_INDEX_FILE'::
This environment allows the specification of an alternate
- cache/index file. If not specified, the default of
- `$GIT_DIR/index` is used.
+ index file. If not specified, the default of `$GIT_DIR/index`
+ is used.
'GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY'::
If the object storage directory is specified via this
written to these directories.
'GIT_DIR'::
- If the 'GIT_DIR' environment variable is set then it specifies
- a path to use instead of `./.git` for the base of the
- repository.
+ If the 'GIT_DIR' environment variable is set then it
+ specifies a path to use instead of the default `.git`
+ for the base of the repository.
git Commits
~~~~~~~~~~~
git Diffs
~~~~~~~~~
'GIT_DIFF_OPTS'::
+ Only valid setting is "--unified=??" or "-u??" to set the
+ number of context lines shown when a unified diff is created.
+ This takes precedence over any "-U" or "--unified" option
+ value passed on the git diff command line.
+
'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF'::
- see the "generating patches" section in :
- gitlink:git-diff-index[1];
- gitlink:git-diff-files[1];
- gitlink:git-diff-tree[1]
+ When the environment variable 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' is set, the
+ program named by it is called, instead of the diff invocation
+ described above. For a path that is added, removed, or modified,
+ 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' is called with 7 parameters:
+
+ path old-file old-hex old-mode new-file new-hex new-mode
++
+where:
+
+ <old|new>-file:: are files GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF can use to read the
+ contents of <old|new>,
+ <old|new>-hex:: are the 40-hexdigit SHA1 hashes,
+ <old|new>-mode:: are the octal representation of the file modes.
+
++
+The file parameters can point at the user's working file
+(e.g. `new-file` in "git-diff-files"), `/dev/null` (e.g. `old-file`
+when a new file is added), or a temporary file (e.g. `old-file` in the
+index). 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' should not worry about unlinking the
+temporary file --- it is removed when 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' exits.
++
+For a path that is unmerged, 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' is called with 1
+parameter, <path>.
+
+other
+~~~~~
+'GIT_PAGER'::
+ This environment variable overrides `$PAGER`.
+
+'GIT_TRACE'::
+ If this variable is set to "1", "2" or "true" (comparison
+ is case insensitive), git will print `trace:` messages on
+ stderr telling about alias expansion, built-in command
+ execution and external command execution.
+ If this variable is set to an integer value greater than 1
+ and lower than 10 (strictly) then git will interpret this
+ value as an open file descriptor and will try to write the
+ trace messages into this file descriptor.
+ Alternatively, if this variable is set to an absolute path
+ (starting with a '/' character), git will interpret this
+ as a file path and will try to write the trace messages
+ into it.
Discussion[[Discussion]]
------------------------
-include::../README[]
+include::core-intro.txt[]
-Author
-------
-Written by Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org> and the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
+Authors
+-------
+* git's founding father is Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org>.
+* The current git nurse is Junio C Hamano <junkio@cox.net>.
+* The git potty was written by Andres Ericsson <ae@op5.se>.
+* General upbringing is handled by the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
Documentation
--------------
-Documentation by David Greaves, Junio C Hamano and the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
+The documentation for git suite was started by David Greaves
+<david@dgreaves.com>, and later enhanced greatly by the
+contributors on the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
GIT
---