SYNOPSIS
--------
[verse]
-'git-format-patch' [-k] [-o <dir> | --stdout] [--thread]
+'git format-patch' [-k] [-o <dir> | --stdout] [--thread]
[--attach[=<boundary>] | --inline[=<boundary>]]
[-s | --signoff] [<common diff options>]
[-n | --numbered | -N | --no-numbered]
Prepare each commit with its patch in
one file per commit, formatted to resemble UNIX mailbox format.
The output of this command is convenient for e-mail submission or
-for use with linkgit:git-am[1].
+for use with 'git-am'.
There are two ways to specify which commits to operate on.
REVISIONS" section in linkgit:git-rev-parse[1]) means the
commits in the specified range.
-A single commit, when interpreted as a <revision range>
-expression, means "everything that leads to that commit", but
-if you write 'git format-patch <commit>', the previous rule
-applies to that command line and you do not get "everything
-since the beginning of the time". If you want to format
-everything since project inception to one commit, say "git
-format-patch \--root <commit>" to make it clear that it is the
-latter case.
+The first rule takes precedence in the case of a single <commit>. To
+apply the second rule, i.e., format everything since the beginning of
+history up until <commit>, use the '\--root' option: "git format-patch
+\--root <commit>". If you want to format only <commit> itself, you
+can do this with "git format-patch -1 <commit>".
By default, each output file is numbered sequentially from 1, and uses the
first line of the commit message (massaged for pathname safety) as
If -o is specified, output files are created in <dir>. Otherwise
they are created in the current working directory.
-If -n is specified, instead of "[PATCH] Subject", the first line
-is formatted as "[PATCH n/m] Subject".
+By default, the subject of a single patch is "[PATCH] First Line" and
+the subject when multiple patches are output is "[PATCH n/m] First
+Line". To force 1/1 to be added for a single patch, use -n. To omit
+patch numbers from the subject, use -N
-If given --thread, git-format-patch will generate In-Reply-To and
+If given --thread, 'git-format-patch' will generate In-Reply-To and
References headers to make the second and subsequent patch mails appear
as replies to the first mail; this also generates a Message-Id header to
reference.
-<n>::
Limits the number of patches to prepare.
--o|--output-directory <dir>::
+-o <dir>::
+--output-directory <dir>::
Use <dir> to store the resulting files, instead of the
current working directory.
--n|--numbered::
- Name output in '[PATCH n/m]' format.
+-n::
+--numbered::
+ Name output in '[PATCH n/m]' format, even with a single patch.
--N|--no-numbered::
+-N::
+--no-numbered::
Name output in '[PATCH]' format.
--start-number <n>::
without the default first line of the commit appended.
Mutually exclusive with the --stdout option.
--k|--keep-subject::
+-k::
+--keep-subject::
Do not strip/add '[PATCH]' from the first line of the
commit log message.
--s|--signoff::
+-s::
+--signoff::
Add `Signed-off-by:` line to the commit message, using
the committer identity of yourself.
to any configured headers, and may be used multiple times.
--cover-letter::
- Generate a cover letter template. You still have to fill in
- a description, but the shortlog and the diffstat will be
- generated for you.
+ In addition to the patches, generate a cover letter file
+ containing the shortlog and the overall diffstat. You can
+ fill in a description in the file before sending it out.
--suffix=.<sfx>::
Instead of using `.patch` as the suffix for generated
the first letter does not have to be a dot. Leaving it empty would
not add any suffix.
+--no-binary::
+ Don't output contents of changes in binary files, just take note
+ that they differ. Note that this disable the patch to be properly
+ applied. By default the contents of changes in those files are
+ encoded in the patch.
+
+--root::
+ Treat the revision argument as a <revision range>, even if it
+ is just a single commit (that would normally be treated as a
+ <since>). Note that root commits included in the specified
+ range are always formatted as creation patches, independently
+ of this flag.
+
CONFIGURATION
-------------
You can specify extra mail header lines to be added to each message
------------
[format]
- headers = "Organization: git-foo\n"
- subjectprefix = CHANGE
- suffix = .txt
- numbered = auto
+ headers = "Organization: git-foo\n"
+ subjectprefix = CHANGE
+ suffix = .txt
+ numbered = auto
+ cc = <email>
------------
EXAMPLES
--------
-git-format-patch -k --stdout R1..R2 | git-am -3 -k::
- Extract commits between revisions R1 and R2, and apply
- them on top of the current branch using `git-am` to
- cherry-pick them.
-
-git-format-patch origin::
- Extract all commits which are in the current branch but
- not in the origin branch. For each commit a separate file
- is created in the current directory.
-
-git-format-patch \--root origin::
- Extract all commits that lead to 'origin' since the
- inception of the project.
-
-git-format-patch -M -B origin::
- The same as the previous one. Additionally, it detects
- and handles renames and complete rewrites intelligently to
- produce a renaming patch. A renaming patch reduces the
- amount of text output, and generally makes it easier to
- review it. Note that the "patch" program does not
- understand renaming patches, so use it only when you know
- the recipient uses git to apply your patch.
-
-git-format-patch -3::
- Extract three topmost commits from the current branch
- and format them as e-mailable patches.
-
-See Also
+* Extract commits between revisions R1 and R2, and apply them on top of
+the current branch using 'git-am' to cherry-pick them:
++
+------------
+$ git format-patch -k --stdout R1..R2 | git am -3 -k
+------------
+
+* Extract all commits which are in the current branch but not in the
+origin branch:
++
+------------
+$ git format-patch origin
+------------
++
+For each commit a separate file is created in the current directory.
+
+* Extract all commits that lead to 'origin' since the inception of the
+project:
++
+------------
+$ git format-patch --root origin
+------------
+
+* The same as the previous one:
++
+------------
+$ git format-patch -M -B origin
+------------
++
+Additionally, it detects and handles renames and complete rewrites
+intelligently to produce a renaming patch. A renaming patch reduces
+the amount of text output, and generally makes it easier to review it.
+Note that the "patch" program does not understand renaming patches, so
+use it only when you know the recipient uses git to apply your patch.
+
+* Extract three topmost commits from the current branch and format them
+as e-mailable patches:
++
+------------
+$ git format-patch -3
+------------
+
+SEE ALSO
--------
linkgit:git-am[1], linkgit:git-send-email[1]
Author
------
-Written by Junio C Hamano <junkio@cox.net>
+Written by Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Documentation
--------------
GIT
---
-Part of the linkgit:git[7] suite
+Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite