git(7)
======
-May 2005
NAME
----
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.
-This is reference information for the core git commands.
+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].
+link:user-manual.html[Git User's Manual] is still work in
+progress, but when finished hopefully it will guide a new user
+in a coherent way to git enlightenment ;-).
-The Discussion section below contains much useful definition and
-clarification info - read that first. And of the commands, I suggest
-reading link:git-update-cache.html[git-update-cache] and
-link:git-read-tree.html[git-read-tree] first - I wish I had!
+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]).
-David Greaves <david@dgreaves.com>
-08/05/05
+ifdef::stalenotes[]
+[NOTE]
+============
+You are reading the documentation for the latest version of git.
+Documentation for older releases are available here:
-Updated by Junio C Hamano <junkio@cox.net> on 2005-05-05 to
-reflect recent changes.
+* link:RelNotes-1.5.1.txt[release notes for 1.5.1]
-Commands Overview
------------------
-The git commands can helpfully be split into those that manipulate
-the repository, the cache and the working fileset and those that
-interrogate and compare them.
+* link:v1.5.0.7/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.0.7]
-There are also some ancilliary 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.
+* link:RelNotes-1.5.0.7.txt[release notes for 1.5.0.7]
-Manipulation commands
-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-link:git-checkout-cache.html[git-checkout-cache]::
- Copy files from the cache to the working directory
+* link:RelNotes-1.5.0.6.txt[release notes for 1.5.0.6]
-link:git-commit-tree.html[git-commit-tree]::
- Creates a new commit object
+* link:RelNotes-1.5.0.5.txt[release notes for 1.5.0.5]
-link:git-init-db.html[git-init-db]::
- Creates an empty git object database
+* link:RelNotes-1.5.0.3.txt[release notes for 1.5.0.3]
-link:git-merge-base.html[git-merge-base]::
- Finds as good a common ancestor as possible for a merge
+* link:RelNotes-1.5.0.2.txt[release notes for 1.5.0.2]
-link:git-mktag.html[git-mktag]::
- Creates a tag object
+* link:RelNotes-1.5.0.1.txt[release notes for 1.5.0.1]
-link:git-read-tree.html[git-read-tree]::
- Reads tree information into the directory cache
+* link:RelNotes-1.5.0.txt[release notes for 1.5.0]
-link:git-update-cache.html[git-update-cache]::
- Modifies the index or directory cache
+* link:v1.4.4.4/git.html[documentation for release 1.4.4.4]
-link:git-write-blob.html[git-write-blob]::
- Creates a blob from a file
+* link:v1.3.3/git.html[documentation for release 1.3.3]
-link:git-write-tree.html[git-write-tree]::
- Creates a tree from the current cache
+* link:v1.2.6/git.html[documentation for release 1.2.6]
-Interrogation commands
-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-link:git-cat-file.html[git-cat-file]::
- Provide content or type information for repository objects
+* link:v1.0.13/git.html[documentation for release 1.0.13]
+
+============
+
+endif::stalenotes[]
-link:git-check-files.html[git-check-files]::
- Verify a list of files are up-to-date
+OPTIONS
+-------
+--version::
+ Prints the git suite version that the 'git' program came from.
-link:git-diff-cache.html[git-diff-cache]::
- Compares content and mode of blobs between the cache and repository
+--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.
-link:git-diff-files.html[git-diff-files]::
- Compares files in the working tree and the cache
+--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.
-link:git-diff-tree.html[git-diff-tree]::
- Compares the content and mode of blobs found via two tree objects
+-p|--paginate::
+ Pipe all output into 'less' (or if set, $PAGER).
-link:git-export.html[git-export]::
- Exports each commit and a diff against each of its parents
+--git-dir=<path>::
+ Set the path to the repository. This can also be controlled by
+ setting the GIT_DIR environment variable.
-link:git-fsck-cache.html[git-fsck-cache]::
- Verifies the connectivity and validity of the objects in the database
+--bare::
+ Same as --git-dir=`pwd`.
-link:git-ls-files.html[git-ls-files]::
- Information about files in the cache/working directory
+FURTHER DOCUMENTATION
+---------------------
+
+See the references above to get started using git. The following is
+probably more detail than necessary for a first-time user.
-link:git-ls-tree.html[git-ls-tree]::
- Displays a tree object in human readable form
+The <<Discussion,Discussion>> section below and the
+link:core-tutorial.html[Core tutorial] both provide introductions to the
+underlying git architecture.
-link:git-merge-cache.html[git-merge-cache]::
- Runs a merge for files needing merging
+See also the link:howto-index.html[howto] documents for some useful
+examples.
-link:git-rev-list.html[git-rev-list]::
- Lists commit objects in reverse chronological order
+GIT COMMANDS
+------------
-link:git-rev-tree.html[git-rev-tree]::
- Provides the revision tree for one or more commits
+We divide git into high level ("porcelain") commands and low level
+("plumbing") commands.
-link:git-tar-tree.html[git-tar-tree]::
- Creates a tar archive of the files in the named tree
+High-level commands (porcelain)
+-------------------------------
-link:git-unpack-file.html[git-unpack-file]::
- Creates a temporary file with a blob's contents
+We separate the porcelain commands into the main commands and some
+ancillary user utilities.
-The interrogate commands may create files - and you can force them to
-touch the working file set - but in general they don't
+Main porcelain commands
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+include::cmds-mainporcelain.txt[]
-Ancilliary Commands
--------------------
+Ancillary Commands
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Manipulators:
-link:git-apply-patch-script.html[git-apply-patch-script]::
- Sample script to apply the diffs from git-diff-*
+include::cmds-ancillarymanipulators.txt[]
+
+Interrogators:
+
+include::cmds-ancillaryinterrogators.txt[]
+
+
+Interacting with Others
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+These commands are to interact with foreign SCM and with other
+people via patch over e-mail.
+
+include::cmds-foreignscminterface.txt[]
+
+
+Low-level commands (plumbing)
+-----------------------------
+
+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].
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+
+Manipulation commands
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+include::cmds-plumbingmanipulators.txt[]
+
+
+Interrogation commands
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+include::cmds-plumbinginterrogators.txt[]
+
+In general, the interrogate commands do not touch the files in
+the working tree.
+
+
+Synching repositories
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+include::cmds-synchingrepositories.txt[]
-link:git-convert-cache.html[git-convert-cache]::
- Converts old-style GIT repository
+The following are helper programs used by the above; end users
+typically do not use them directly.
-link:git-http-pull.html[git-http-pull]::
- Downloads a remote GIT repository via HTTP
+include::cmds-synchelpers.txt[]
-link:git-local-pull.html[git-local-pull]::
- Duplicates another GIT repository on a local system
-link:git-merge-one-file-script.html[git-merge-one-file-script]::
- The standard helper program to use with "git-merge-cache"
+Internal helper commands
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-link:git-pull-script.html[git-pull-script]::
- Script used by Linus to pull and merge a remote repository
+These are internal helper commands used by other commands; end
+users typically do not use them directly.
-link:git-prune-script.html[git-prune-script]::
- Prunes all unreachable objects from the object database
+include::cmds-purehelpers.txt[]
-link:git-resolve-script.html[git-resolve-script]::
- Script used to merge two trees
-link:git-tag-script.html[git-tag-script]::
- An example script to create a tag object signed with GPG
+Configuration Mechanism
+-----------------------
-link:git-ssh-pull.html[git-ssh-pull]::
- Pulls from a remote repository over ssh connection
+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 modeled after `.ini` format familiar to some
+people. Here is an example:
-Interogators:
+------------
+#
+# A '#' or ';' character indicates a comment.
+#
-link:git-diff-helper.html[git-diff-helper]::
- Generates patch format output for git-diff-*
+; core variables
+[core]
+ ; Don't trust file modes
+ filemode = false
-link:git-ssh-push.html[git-ssh-push]::
- Helper "server-side" program used by git-ssh-pull
+; user identity
+[user]
+ name = "Junio C Hamano"
+ email = "junkio@twinsun.com"
+------------
+
+Various commands read from the configuration file and adjust
+their operation accordingly.
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>.
+<commit-ish>::
+ Indicates a commit or tag object name. A
+ command that takes a <commit-ish> argument ultimately wants to
+ operate on a <commit> object but automatically dereferences
+ <tag> objects that point at a <commit>.
+
<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
--------------------
-Any git comand accepting any <object> can also use the following
+Any git command accepting any <object> can also use the following
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
------------------------
-The git-core manipulates the following areas in the directory:
-
- .git/ The base (overridden with $GIT_DIR)
- objects/ The object base (overridden with $GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY)
- ??/ 'First 2 chars of object' directories
-It can interrogate (but never updates) the following areas:
+Please see link:repository-layout.html[repository layout] document.
- refs/ Directories containing symbolic names for objects
- (each file contains the hex SHA1 + newline)
- heads/ Commits which are heads of various sorts
- tags/ Tags, by the tag name (or some local renaming of it)
- snap/ ????
- ... Everything else isn't shared
- HEAD Symlink to refs/heads/<something>
+Read link:hooks.html[hooks] for more details about each hook.
Higher level SCMs may provide and manage additional information in the
-GIT_DIR.
+`$GIT_DIR`.
+
Terminology
-----------
-Each line contains terms which you may see used interchangeably
-
- object database, .git directory
- directory cache, index
- id, sha1, sha1-id, sha1 hash
- type, tag
+Please see link:glossary.html[glossary] document.
Environment Variables
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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
'GIT_ALTERNATE_OBJECT_DIRECTORIES'::
Due to the immutable nature of git objects, old objects can be
archived into shared, read-only directories. This variable
- specifies a ":" seperated list of git object directories which
+ specifies a ":" separated list of git object directories which
can be used to search for git objects. New objects will not be
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_AUTHOR_DATE'::
'GIT_COMMITTER_NAME'::
'GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL'::
- see link:git-commit-tree.html[git-commit-tree]
+ see gitlink:git-commit-tree[1]
git Diffs
~~~~~~~~~
'GIT_DIFF_OPTS'::
-'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF'::
- see the "generating patches" section in :
- link:git-diff-cache.html[git-diff-cache];
- link:git-diff-files.html[git-diff-files];
- link:git-diff-tree.html[git-diff-tree]
+ 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.
-Discussion
-----------
-include::../README[]
+'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF'::
+ 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::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
---
-Part of the link:git.html[git] suite
+Part of the gitlink:git[7] suite