SYNOPSIS
--------
-'git-init-db'
+'git-init-db' [--template=<template_directory>] [--shared[=<permissions>]]
+
+
+OPTIONS
+-------
+
+--
+
+--template=<template_directory>::
+
+Provide the directory from which templates will be used. The default template
+directory is `/usr/share/git-core/templates`.
+
+When specified, `<template_directory>` is used as the source of the template
+files rather than the default. The template files include some directory
+structure, some suggested "exclude patterns", and copies of non-executing
+"hook" files. The suggested patterns and hook files are all modifiable and
+extensible.
+
+--shared[={false|true|umask|group|all|world|everybody}]::
+
+Specify that the git repository is to be shared amongst several users. This
+allows users belonging to the same group to push into that
+repository. When specified, the config variable "core.sharedRepository" is
+set so that files and directories under `$GIT_DIR` are created with the
+requested permissions. When not specified, git will use permissions reported
+by umask(2).
+
+The option can have the following values, defaulting to 'group' if no value
+is given:
+
+ - 'umask' (or 'false'): Use permissions reported by umask(2). The default,
+ when `--shared` is not specified.
+
+ - 'group' (or 'true'): Make the repository group-writable, (and g+sx, since
+ the git group may be not the primary group of all users).
+
+ - 'all' (or 'world' or 'everybody'): Same as 'group', but make the repository
+ readable by all users.
+
+--
+
DESCRIPTION
-----------
-This simply creates an empty git repository - basically a `.git` directory
-and `.git/object/??/`, `.git/refs/heads` and `.git/refs/tags` directories,
-and links `.git/HEAD` symbolically to `.git/refs/heads/master`.
+This command creates an empty git repository - basically a `.git` directory
+with subdirectories for `objects`, `refs/heads`, `refs/tags`, and
+template files.
+An initial `HEAD` file that references the HEAD of the master branch
+is also created.
-If the 'GIT_DIR' environment variable is set then it specifies a path
+If the `$GIT_DIR` environment variable is set then it specifies a path
to use instead of `./.git` for the base of the repository.
-If the object storage directory is specified via the 'GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY'
+If the object storage directory is specified via the `$GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY`
environment variable then the sha1 directories are created underneath -
otherwise the default `$GIT_DIR/objects` directory is used.
-"git-init-db" won't hurt an existing repository.
+Running `git-init-db` in an existing repository is safe. It will not overwrite
+things that are already there. The primary reason for rerunning `git-init-db`
+is to pick up newly added templates.
+
+
+
+EXAMPLES
+--------
+
+Start a new git repository for an existing code base::
++
+----------------
+$ cd /path/to/my/codebase
+$ git-init-db <1>
+$ git-add . <2>
+----------------
++
+<1> prepare /path/to/my/codebase/.git directory
+<2> add all existing file to the index
Author