SYNOPSIS
--------
[verse]
-'git shell' [-c <command> <argument>]
+'chsh' -s $(command -v git-shell) <user>
+'git clone' <user>`@localhost:/path/to/repo.git`
+'ssh' <user>`@localhost`
DESCRIPTION
-----------
-A login shell for SSH accounts to provide restricted Git access. When
-'-c' is given, the program executes <command> non-interactively;
-<command> can be one of 'git receive-pack', 'git upload-pack', 'git
-upload-archive', 'cvs server', or a command in COMMAND_DIR. The shell
-is started in interactive mode when no arguments are given; in this
-case, COMMAND_DIR must exist, and any of the executables in it can be
-invoked.
+This is a login shell for SSH accounts to provide restricted Git access.
+It permits execution only of server-side Git commands implementing the
+pull/push functionality, plus custom commands present in a subdirectory
+named `git-shell-commands` in the user's home directory.
-'cvs server' is a special command which executes git-cvsserver.
+COMMANDS
+--------
+
+'git shell' accepts the following commands after the '-c' option:
+
+'git receive-pack <argument>'::
+'git upload-pack <argument>'::
+'git upload-archive <argument>'::
+ Call the corresponding server-side command to support
+ the client's 'git push', 'git fetch', or 'git archive --remote'
+ request.
+'cvs server'::
+ Imitate a CVS server. See linkgit:git-cvsserver[1].
+
+If a `~/git-shell-commands` directory is present, 'git shell' will
+also handle other, custom commands by running
+"`git-shell-commands/<command> <arguments>`" from the user's home
+directory.
+
+INTERACTIVE USE
+---------------
+
+By default, the commands above can be executed only with the '-c'
+option; the shell is not interactive.
-COMMAND_DIR is the path "$HOME/git-shell-commands". The user must have
-read and execute permissions to the directory in order to execute the
-programs in it. The programs are executed with a cwd of $HOME, and
-<argument> is parsed as a command-line string.
+If a `~/git-shell-commands` directory is present, 'git shell'
+can also be run interactively (with no arguments). If a `help`
+command is present in the `git-shell-commands` directory, it is
+run to provide the user with an overview of allowed actions. Then a
+"git> " prompt is presented at which one can enter any of the
+commands from the `git-shell-commands` directory, or `exit` to close
+the connection.
+
+Generally this mode is used as an administrative interface to allow
+users to list repositories they have access to, create, delete, or
+rename repositories, or change repository descriptions and
+permissions.
+
+If a `no-interactive-login` command exists, then it is run and the
+interactive shell is aborted.
+
+EXAMPLE
+-------
+
+To disable interactive logins, displaying a greeting instead:
++
+----------------
+$ chsh -s /usr/bin/git-shell
+$ mkdir $HOME/git-shell-commands
+$ cat >$HOME/git-shell-commands/no-interactive-login <<\EOF
+#!/bin/sh
+printf '%s\n' "Hi $USER! You've successfully authenticated, but I do not"
+printf '%s\n' "provide interactive shell access."
+exit 128
+EOF
+$ chmod +x $HOME/git-shell-commands/no-interactive-login
+----------------
+
+SEE ALSO
+--------
+ssh(1),
+linkgit:git-daemon[1],
+contrib/git-shell-commands/README
GIT
---