NAME
----
-git-shell - Restricted login shell for GIT-only SSH access
+git-shell - Restricted login shell for Git-only SSH access
SYNOPSIS
--------
-'$(git --exec-path)/git-shell' -c <command> <argument>
+[verse]
+'git shell' [-c <command> <argument>]
DESCRIPTION
-----------
-This is meant to be used as a login shell for SSH accounts you want
-to restrict to GIT pull/push access only. It permits execution only
-of server-side GIT commands implementing the pull/push functionality.
-The commands can be executed only by the '-c' option; the shell is not
-interactive.
-
-Currently, only four commands are permitted to be called, 'git-receive-pack'
-'git-upload-pack' and 'git-upload-archive' with a single required argument, or
-'cvs server' (to invoke 'git-cvsserver').
-
-Author
-------
-Written by Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org>
-
-Documentation
---------------
-Documentation by Petr Baudis and the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
+
+A login shell for SSH accounts to provide restricted Git access. When
+'-c' is given, the program executes <command> non-interactively;
+<command> can be one of 'git receive-pack', 'git upload-pack', 'git
+upload-archive', 'cvs server', or a command in COMMAND_DIR. The shell
+is started in interactive mode when no arguments are given; in this
+case, COMMAND_DIR must exist, and any of the executables in it can be
+invoked.
+
+'cvs server' is a special command which executes git-cvsserver.
+
+COMMAND_DIR is the path "$HOME/git-shell-commands". The user must have
+read and execute permissions to the directory in order to execute the
+programs in it. The programs are executed with a cwd of $HOME, and
+<argument> is parsed as a command-line string.
GIT
---