NAME
----
-git-describe - Describe a commit using the most recent tag reachable from it
-
+git-describe - Give an object a human readable name based on an available ref
SYNOPSIS
--------
[verse]
'git describe' [--all] [--tags] [--contains] [--abbrev=<n>] [<commit-ish>...]
'git describe' [--all] [--tags] [--contains] [--abbrev=<n>] --dirty[=<mark>]
+'git describe' <blob>
DESCRIPTION
-----------
commit. If the tag points to the commit, then only the tag is
shown. Otherwise, it suffixes the tag name with the number of
additional commits on top of the tagged object and the
-abbreviated object name of the most recent commit.
+abbreviated object name of the most recent commit. The result
+is a "human-readable" object name which can also be used to
+identify the commit to other git commands.
By default (without --all or --tags) `git describe` only shows
annotated tags. For more information about creating annotated tags
see the -a and -s options to linkgit:git-tag[1].
+If the given object refers to a blob, it will be described
+as `<commit-ish>:<path>`, such that the blob can be found
+at `<path>` in the `<commit-ish>`, which itself describes the
+first commit in which this blob occurs in a reverse revision walk
+from HEAD.
+
OPTIONS
-------
<commit-ish>...::
--match <pattern>::
Only consider tags matching the given `glob(7)` pattern,
- excluding the "refs/tags/" prefix. This can be used to avoid
- leaking private tags from the repository. If given multiple times, a
- list of patterns will be accumulated, and tags matching any of the
- patterns will be considered. Use `--no-match` to clear and reset the
- list of patterns.
+ excluding the "refs/tags/" prefix. If used with `--all`, it also
+ considers local branches and remote-tracking references matching the
+ pattern, excluding respectively "refs/heads/" and "refs/remotes/"
+ prefix; references of other types are never considered. If given
+ multiple times, a list of patterns will be accumulated, and tags
+ matching any of the patterns will be considered. Use `--no-match` to
+ clear and reset the list of patterns.
--exclude <pattern>::
Do not consider tags matching the given `glob(7)` pattern, excluding
- the "refs/tags/" prefix. This can be used to narrow the tag space and
- find only tags matching some meaningful criteria. If given multiple
- times, a list of patterns will be accumulated and tags matching any
- of the patterns will be excluded. When combined with --match a tag will
- be considered when it matches at least one --match pattern and does not
+ the "refs/tags/" prefix. If used with `--all`, it also does not consider
+ local branches and remote-tracking references matching the pattern,
+ excluding respectively "refs/heads/" and "refs/remotes/" prefix;
+ references of other types are never considered. If given multiple times,
+ a list of patterns will be accumulated and tags matching any of the
+ patterns will be excluded. When combined with --match a tag will be
+ considered when it matches at least one --match pattern and does not
match any of the --exclude patterns. Use `--no-exclude` to clear and
reset the list of patterns.
the number of commits which would be shown by `git log tag..input`
will be the smallest number of commits possible.
+BUGS
+----
+
+Tree objects as well as tag objects not pointing at commits, cannot be described.
+When describing blobs, the lightweight tags pointing at blobs are ignored,
+but the blob is still described as <committ-ish>:<path> despite the lightweight
+tag being favorable.
+
GIT
---
Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite