SYNOPSIS
--------
-'git init' [-q | --quiet] [--bare] [--template=<template_directory>] [--shared[=<permissions>]] [directory]
+[verse]
+'git init' [-q | --quiet] [--bare] [--template=<template_directory>]
+ [--separate-git-dir <git dir>]
+ [--shared[=<permissions>]] [directory]
+DESCRIPTION
+-----------
+
+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 `$GIT_DIR` environment variable is set then it specifies a path
+to use instead of `./.git` for the base of the repository.
+
+If the object storage directory is specified via the
+`$GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY` environment variable then the sha1 directories
+are created underneath - otherwise the default `$GIT_DIR/objects`
+directory is used.
+
+Running 'git init' in an existing repository is safe. It will not
+overwrite things that are already there. The primary reason for
+rerunning 'git init' is to pick up newly added templates (or to move
+the repository to another place if --separate-git-dir is given).
+
OPTIONS
-------
--template=<template_directory>::
-Provide the directory from which templates will be used. The default template
-directory is `/usr/share/git-core/templates`.
+Specify the directory from which templates will be used. (See the "TEMPLATE
+DIRECTORY" section below.)
+
+--separate-git-dir=<git dir>::
-When specified, `<template_directory>` is used as the source of the template
-files rather than the default. The template files include some directory
-structure, some suggested "exclude patterns", and copies of non-executing
-"hook" files. The suggested patterns and hook files are all modifiable and
-extensible.
+Instead of initializing the repository where it is supposed to be,
+place a filesytem-agnostic git symbolic link there, pointing to the
+specified git path, and initialize a git repository at the path. The
+result is git repository can be separated from working tree. If this
+is reinitialization, the repository will be moved to the specified
+path.
---shared[={false|true|umask|group|all|world|everybody|0xxx}]::
+--shared[=(false|true|umask|group|all|world|everybody|0xxx)]::
Specify that the git repository is to be shared amongst several users. This
allows users belonging to the same group to push into that
--
-DESCRIPTION
------------
-This command creates an empty git repository - basically a `.git` directory
-with subdirectories for `objects`, `refs/heads`, `refs/tags`, and
-template files.
-An initial `HEAD` file that references the HEAD of the master branch
-is also created.
+TEMPLATE DIRECTORY
+------------------
-If the `$GIT_DIR` environment variable is set then it specifies a path
-to use instead of `./.git` for the base of the repository.
+The template directory contains files and directories that will be copied to
+the `$GIT_DIR` after it is created.
+
+The template directory used will (in order):
-If the object storage directory is specified via the `$GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY`
-environment variable then the sha1 directories are created underneath -
-otherwise the default `$GIT_DIR/objects` directory is used.
+ - The argument given with the `--template` option.
-Running 'git init' in an existing repository is safe. It will not overwrite
-things that are already there. The primary reason for rerunning 'git init'
-is to pick up newly added templates.
+ - The contents of the `$GIT_TEMPLATE_DIR` environment variable.
-Note that 'git init' is the same as 'git init-db'. The command
-was primarily meant to initialize the object database, but over
-time it has become responsible for setting up the other aspects
-of the repository, such as installing the default hooks and
-setting the configuration variables. The old name is retained
-for backward compatibility reasons.
+ - The `init.templatedir` configuration variable.
+ - The default template directory: `/usr/share/git-core/templates`.
+
+The default template directory includes some directory structure, some
+suggested "exclude patterns", and copies of sample "hook" files.
+The suggested patterns and hook files are all modifiable and extensible.
EXAMPLES
--------
<1> prepare /path/to/my/codebase/.git directory
<2> add all existing file to the index
-
-Author
-------
-Written by Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org>
-
-Documentation
---------------
-Documentation by David Greaves, Junio C Hamano and the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
-
GIT
---
Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite