-git(1)
+git(7)
======
-v0.1, May 2005
+v0.99.5, Aug 2005
NAME
----
This is reference information for the core git commands.
-The link:README[] contains much useful definition and clarification
-info - read that first. And of the commands, I suggest reading
-'git-update-cache' and 'git-read-tree' first - I wish I had!
+Before reading this cover to cover, you may want to take a look
+at the link:tutorial.html[tutorial] document.
+
+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!
+
+After you get the general feel from the tutorial and this
+overview page, you may want to take a look at the
+link:howto-index.html[howto] documents.
+
David Greaves <david@dgreaves.com>
08/05/05
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.
+the repository, the cache and the working fileset, those that
+interrogate and compare them, and those that moves objects and
+references between repositories.
+
+In addition, git itself comes with a spartan set of porcelain
+commands. They are usable but are not meant to compete with real
+Porcelains.
-There are also some ancilliary programs that can be viewed as useful
+There are also some ancillary 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.
Manipulation commands
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+link:git-apply.html[git-apply]::
+ Reads a "diff -up1" or git generated patch file and
+ applies it to the working tree.
+
link:git-checkout-cache.html[git-checkout-cache]::
Copy files from the cache to the working directory
link:git-commit-tree.html[git-commit-tree]::
Creates a new commit object
+link:git-hash-object.html[git-hash-object]::
+ Computes the object ID from a file.
+
link:git-init-db.html[git-init-db]::
Creates an empty git object database
-link:git-merge-base.html[git-merge-base]::
- Finds as good a common ancestor as possible for a merge
+link:git-merge-cache.html[git-merge-cache]::
+ Runs a merge for files needing merging
link:git-mktag.html[git-mktag]::
Creates a tag object
+link:git-pack-objects.html[git-pack-objects]::
+ Creates a packed archive of objects.
+
+link:git-prune-packed.html[git-prune-packed]::
+ Remove extra objects that are already in pack files.
+
link:git-read-tree.html[git-read-tree]::
Reads tree information into the directory cache
+link:git-unpack-objects.html[git-unpack-objects]::
+ Unpacks objects out of a packed archive.
+
link:git-update-cache.html[git-update-cache]::
Modifies the index or directory cache
-link:git-write-blob.html[git-write-blob]::
- Creates a blob from a file
-
link:git-write-tree.html[git-write-tree]::
Creates a tree from the current cache
+
Interrogation commands
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
link:git-cat-file.html[git-cat-file]::
Provide content or type information for repository objects
-link:git-check-files.html[git-check-files]::
- Verify a list of files are up-to-date
-
link:git-diff-cache.html[git-diff-cache]::
Compares content and mode of blobs between the cache and repository
link:git-diff-files.html[git-diff-files]::
Compares files in the working tree and the cache
+link:git-diff-stages.html[git-diff-stages]::
+ Compares two "merge stages" in the index file.
+
link:git-diff-tree.html[git-diff-tree]::
Compares the content and mode of blobs found via two tree objects
link:git-ls-tree.html[git-ls-tree]::
Displays a tree object in human readable form
-link:git-merge-cache.html[git-merge-cache]::
- Runs a merge for files needing merging
+link:git-merge-base.html[git-merge-base]::
+ Finds as good a common ancestor as possible for a merge
link:git-rev-list.html[git-rev-list]::
Lists commit objects in reverse chronological order
link:git-rev-tree.html[git-rev-tree]::
Provides the revision tree for one or more commits
+link:git-show-index.html[git-show-index]::
+ Displays contents of a pack idx file.
+
link:git-tar-tree.html[git-tar-tree]::
Creates a tar archive of the files in the named tree
link:git-unpack-file.html[git-unpack-file]::
Creates a temporary file with a blob's contents
+link:git-var.html[git-var]::
+ Displays a git logical variable
+
+link:git-verify-pack.html[git-verify-pack]::
+ Validates packed GIT archive files
+
The interrogate commands may create files - and you can force them to
touch the working file set - but in general they don't
-Ancilliary Commands
--------------------
-Manipulators:
+Synching repositories
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-link:git-apply-patch-script.html[git-apply-patch-script]::
- Sample script to apply the diffs from git-diff-*
+link:git-clone-pack.html[git-clone-pack]::
+ Clones a repository into the current repository (engine
+ for ssh and local transport)
-link:git-convert-cache.html[git-convert-cache]::
- Converts old-style GIT repository
+link:git-fetch-pack.html[git-fetch-pack]::
+ Updates from a remote repository.
link:git-http-pull.html[git-http-pull]::
Downloads a remote GIT repository via HTTP
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"
+link:git-peek-remote.html[git-peek-remote]::
+ Lists references on a remote repository using upload-pack protocol.
+
+link:git-receive-pack.html[git-receive-pack]::
+ Invoked by 'git-send-pack' to receive what is pushed to it.
+
+link:git-send-pack.html[git-send-pack]::
+ Pushes to a remote repository, intelligently.
+
+link:git-ssh-pull.html[git-ssh-pull]::
+ Pulls from a remote repository over ssh connection
+
+link:git-ssh-push.html[git-ssh-push]::
+ Helper "server-side" program used by git-ssh-pull
+
+link:git-update-server-info.html[git-update-server-info]::
+ Updates auxiliary information on a dumb server to help
+ clients discover references and packs on it.
+
+link:git-upload-pack.html[git-upload-pack]::
+ Invoked by 'git-clone-pack' and 'git-fetch-pack' to push
+ what are asked for.
+
+
+Porcelain-ish Commands
+----------------------
+
+link:git-add-script.html[git-add-script]::
+ Add paths to the index file.
+
+link:git-applymbox.html[git-applymbox]::
+ Apply patches from a mailbox.
+
+link:git-bisect-script.html[git-bisect-script]::
+ Find the change that introduced a bug.
+
+link:git-branch-script.html[git-branch-script]::
+ Create and Show branches.
+
+link:git-cherry-pick-script.html[git-cherry-pick-script]::
+ Cherry-pick the effect of an existing commit.
+
+link:git-clone-script.html[git-clone-script]::
+ Clones a repository into a new directory.
+
+link:git-commit-script.html[git-commit-script]::
+ Record changes to the repository.
+
+link:git-fetch-script.html[git-fetch-script]::
+ Download from a remote repository via various protocols.
+
+link:git-log-script.html[git-log-script]::
+ Shows commit logs.
+
+link:git-ls-remote-script.html[git-ls-remote-script]::
+ Shows references in a remote or local repository.
+
+link:git-octopus-script.html[git-octopus-script]::
+ Merge more than two commits.
link:git-pull-script.html[git-pull-script]::
- Script used by Linus to pull and merge a remote repository
+ Fetch from and merge with a remote repository.
+
+link:git-push-script.html[git-push-script]::
+ Update remote refs along with associated objects.
+
+link:git-rebase-script.html[git-rebase-script]::
+ Rebase local commits to new upstream head.
+
+link:git-rename-script.html[git-rename]::
+ Rename files and directories.
+
+link:git-repack-script.html[git-repack-script]::
+ Pack unpacked objects in a repository.
+
+link:git-resolve-script.html[git-resolve-script]::
+ Merge two commits.
+
+link:git-revert-script.html[git-revert-script]::
+ Revert an existing commit.
+
+link:git-shortlog.html[git-shortlog]::
+ Summarizes 'git log' output.
+
+link:git-show-branch.html[git-show-branch]::
+ Show branches and their commits.
+
+link:git-status-script.html[git-status-script]::
+ Shows the working tree status.
+
+link:git-verify-tag-script.html[git-verify-tag-script]::
+ Check the GPG signature of tag.
+
+link:git-whatchanged.html[git-whatchanged]::
+ Shows commit logs and differences they introduce.
+
+
+Ancillary Commands
+------------------
+Manipulators:
+
+link:git-applypatch.html[git-applypatch]::
+ Apply one patch extracted from an e-mail.
+
+link:git-convert-cache.html[git-convert-cache]::
+ Converts old-style GIT repository
+
+link:git-cvsimport-script.html[git-cvsimport-script]::
+ Salvage your data out of another SCM people love to hate.
+
+link:git-merge-one-file-script.html[git-merge-one-file-script]::
+ The standard helper program to use with "git-merge-cache"
link:git-prune-script.html[git-prune-script]::
Prunes all unreachable objects from the object database
-link:git-resolve-script.html[git-resolve-script]::
- Script used to merge two trees
+link:git-relink-script.html[git-relink-script]::
+ Hardlink common objects in local repositories.
+
+link:git-sh-setup-script.html[git-sh-setup-script]::
+ Common git shell script setup code.
link:git-tag-script.html[git-tag-script]::
An example script to create a tag object signed with GPG
-link:git-rpull.html[git-rpull]::
- Pulls from a remote repository over ssh connection
-Interogators:
+Interrogators:
+
+link:git-cherry.html[git-cherry]::
+ Find commits not merged upstream.
+
+link:git-count-objects-script.html[git-count-objects-script]::
+ Count unpacked number of objects and their disk consumption.
-link:git-diff-tree-helper.html[git-diff-tree-helper]::
+link:git-diff-helper.html[git-diff-helper]::
Generates patch format output for git-diff-*
-link:git-rpush.html[git-rpush]::
- Helper "server-side" program used by git-rpull
+link:git-mailinfo.html[git-mailinfo]::
+ Extracts patch from a single e-mail message.
+link:git-mailsplit.html[git-mailsplit]::
+ git-mailsplit.
+link:git-patch-id.html[git-patch-id]::
+ Compute unique ID for a patch.
-Terminology
------------
-see README for description
+link:git-send-email-script.html[git-send-email]::
+ Send patch e-mails out of "format-patch --mbox" output.
+
+
+Commands not yet documented
+---------------------------
+
+link:git-build-rev-cache.html[git-build-rev-cache]::
+ git-build-rev-cache.
+
+link:git-checkout-script.html[git-checkout-script]::
+ git-checkout-script.
+
+link:git-clone-dumb-http.html[git-clone-dumb-http]::
+ git-clone-dumb-http.
+
+link:git-daemon.html[git-daemon]::
+ git-daemon.
+
+link:git-diff-script.html[git-diff-script]::
+ git-diff-script.
-Identifier terminology
+link:git-format-patch-script.html[git-format-patch-script]::
+ git-format-patch-script.
+
+link:git-get-tar-commit-id.html[git-get-tar-commit-id]::
+ git-get-tar-commit-id.
+
+link:git-request-pull-script.html[git-request-pull-script]::
+ git-request-pull-script.
+
+link:git-reset-script.html[git-reset-script]::
+ git-reset-script.
+
+link:git-rev-parse.html[git-rev-parse]::
+ git-rev-parse.
+
+link:git-show-rev-cache.html[git-show-rev-cache]::
+ git-show-rev-cache.
+
+link:git-stripspace.html[git-stripspace]::
+ git-stripspace.
+
+link:gitk.html[gitk]::
+ gitk.
+
+
+Identifier Terminology
----------------------
<object>::
- Indicates any object sha1 identifier
+ Indicates the sha1 identifier for any type of object
<blob>::
Indicates a blob object sha1 identifier
Indicates a commit object sha1 identifier
<tree-ish>::
- Indicates a tree, commit or tag object sha1 identifier.
- A command that takes a <tree-ish> argument ultimately
- wants to operate on a <tree> object but automatically
- dereferences <commit> and <tag> that points at a
- <tree>.
+ Indicates a tree, commit or tag object sha1 identifier. 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>.
<type>::
Indicates that an object type is required.
Symbolic Identifiers
--------------------
-Any git comand accepting any <object> can also use the following symbolic notation:
+Any git command accepting any <object> can also use the following
+symbolic notation:
HEAD::
- indicates the head of the repository (ie the contents of `$GIT_DIR/HEAD`)
+ indicates the head of the repository (ie the contents of
+ `$GIT_DIR/HEAD`)
<tag>::
a valid tag 'name'+
(ie the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/tags/<tag>`)
.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:
+ ??/ 'First 2 chars of object' directories.
+ pack/ Packed archives.
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>
+ */ Any other subdirectory of refs/ can be used to store
+ files similar to what are under refs/heads/.
+ HEAD Symlink to refs/heads/<current-branch-name>
Higher level SCMs may provide and manage additional information in the
GIT_DIR.
Terminology
-----------
-Each line contains terms used interchangeably
-
- object database, .git directory
- directory cache, index
- id, sha1, sha1-id, sha1 hash
- type, tag
- blob, blob object
- tree, tree object
- commit, commit object
- parent
- root object
- changeset
+Please see link:glossary.html[glossary] document.
Environment Variables
'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 Diffs
~~~~~~~~~
-GIT_DIFF_OPTS::
-GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF::
+'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]
+Discussion
+----------
+include::../README[]
+
Author
------
-Written by Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org>
+Written by Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org> and the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
Documentation
--------------