SYNOPSIS
--------
-'git-<command>' <args>
+'git' [--version] [--exec-path[=GIT_EXEC_PATH]] [--help] COMMAND [ARGS]
DESCRIPTION
-----------
+Git is a fast, scalable, distributed revision control system with an
+unusually rich command set that provides both high-level operations
+and full access to internals.
+
+See this link:tutorial.html[tutorial] to get started, then see
+link:everyday.html[Everyday Git] for a useful minimum set of commands, and
+"man git-commandname" for documentation of each command. CVS users may
+also want to read link:cvs-migration.html[CVS migration].
+
+OPTIONS
+-------
+--version::
+ Prints the git suite version that the 'git' program came from.
+
+--help::
+ Prints the synopsis and a list of the most commonly used
+ commands. If a git command is named this option will bring up
+ the man-page for that command. If the option '--all' or '-a' is
+ given then all available commands are printed.
+
+--exec-path::
+ Path to wherever your core git programs are installed.
+ This can also be controlled by setting the GIT_EXEC_PATH
+ environment variable. If no path is given 'git' will print
+ the current setting and then exit.
+
+
+FURTHER DOCUMENTATION
+---------------------
-This is reference information for the core git commands.
-
-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 gitlink:git-update-index[1] and
-gitlink:git-read-tree[1] first - I wish I had!
-
-If you are migrating from CVS, link:cvs-migration.html[cvs migration]
-document may be helpful after you finish the tutorial.
+See the references above to get started using git. The following is
+probably more detail than necessary for a first-time user.
-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.
+The <<Discussion,Discussion>> section below and the
+link:core-tutorial.html[Core tutorial] both provide introductions to the
+underlying git architecture.
+See also the link:howto-index.html[howto] documents for some useful
+examples.
-David Greaves <david@dgreaves.com>
-08/05/05
+GIT COMMANDS
+------------
-Updated by Junio C Hamano <junkio@cox.net> on 2005-05-05 to
-reflect recent changes.
+We divide git into high level ("porcelain") commands and low level
+("plumbing") commands.
-Commands Overview
------------------
-The git commands can helpfully be split into those that manipulate
-the repository, the cache and the working fileset, those that
-interrogate and compare them, and those that moves objects and
-references between repositories.
+Low-level commands (plumbing)
+-----------------------------
-In addition, git itself comes with a spartan set of porcelain
-commands. They are usable but are not meant to compete with real
-Porcelains.
+Although git includes its
+own porcelain layer, its low-level commands are sufficient to support
+development of alternative porcelains. Developers of such porcelains
+might start by reading about gitlink:git-update-index[1] and
+gitlink:git-read-tree[1].
-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.
+We divide the low-level commands into commands that manipulate objects (in
+the repository, index, and working tree), commands that interrogate and
+compare objects, and commands that move objects and references between
+repositories.
Manipulation commands
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
applies it to the working tree.
gitlink:git-checkout-index[1]::
- Copy files from the cache to the working directory
- Previously this command was known as git-checkout-cache.
+ Copy files from the index to the working tree.
gitlink:git-commit-tree[1]::
- Creates a new commit object
+ Creates a new commit object.
gitlink:git-hash-object[1]::
Computes the object ID from a file.
-gitlink:git-index-pack.html[1]::
- Build pack index file for an existing packed archive.
+gitlink:git-index-pack[1]::
+ Build pack idx file for an existing packed archive.
gitlink:git-init-db[1]::
- Creates an empty git object database
+ Creates an empty git object database, or reinitialize an
+ existing one.
gitlink:git-merge-index[1]::
- Runs a merge for files needing merging
- Previously this command was known as git-merge-cache.
+ Runs a merge for files needing merging.
gitlink:git-mktag[1]::
- Creates a tag object
+ Creates a tag object.
gitlink:git-pack-objects[1]::
Creates a packed archive of objects.
Remove extra objects that are already in pack files.
gitlink:git-read-tree[1]::
- Reads tree information into the directory cache
+ Reads tree information into the index.
+
+gitlink:git-repo-config[1]::
+ Get and set options in .git/config.
gitlink:git-unpack-objects[1]::
Unpacks objects out of a packed archive.
gitlink:git-update-index[1]::
- Modifies the index or directory cache
- Previously this command was known as git-update-cache.
+ Registers files in the working tree to the index.
gitlink:git-write-tree[1]::
- Creates a tree from the current cache
+ Creates a tree from the index.
Interrogation commands
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
gitlink:git-cat-file[1]::
- Provide content or type information for repository objects
+ Provide content or type/size information for repository objects.
+
+gitlink:git-describe[1]::
+ Show the most recent tag that is reachable from a commit.
gitlink:git-diff-index[1]::
- Compares content and mode of blobs between the cache and repository
- Previously this command was known as git-diff-cache.
+ Compares content and mode of blobs between the index and repository.
gitlink:git-diff-files[1]::
- Compares files in the working tree and the cache
+ Compares files in the working tree and the index.
gitlink:git-diff-stages[1]::
- Compares two "merge stages" in the index file.
+ Compares two "merge stages" in the index.
gitlink:git-diff-tree[1]::
- Compares the content and mode of blobs found via two tree objects
+ Compares the content and mode of blobs found via two tree objects.
gitlink:git-fsck-objects[1]::
- Verifies the connectivity and validity of the objects in the database
- Previously this command was known as git-fsck-cache.
+ Verifies the connectivity and validity of the objects in the database.
gitlink:git-ls-files[1]::
- Information about files in the cache/working directory
+ Information about files in the index and the working tree.
gitlink:git-ls-tree[1]::
- Displays a tree object in human readable form
+ Displays a tree object in human readable form.
gitlink:git-merge-base[1]::
- Finds as good a common ancestor as possible for a merge
+ Finds as good common ancestors as possible for a merge.
+
+gitlink:git-name-rev[1]::
+ Find symbolic names for given revs.
+
+gitlink:git-pack-redundant[1]::
+ Find redundant pack files.
gitlink:git-rev-list[1]::
- Lists commit objects in reverse chronological order
+ Lists commit objects in reverse chronological order.
gitlink:git-show-index[1]::
Displays contents of a pack idx file.
gitlink:git-tar-tree[1]::
- Creates a tar archive of the files in the named tree
+ Creates a tar archive of the files in the named tree object.
gitlink:git-unpack-file[1]::
- Creates a temporary file with a blob's contents
+ Creates a temporary file with a blob's contents.
gitlink:git-var[1]::
- Displays a git logical variable
+ Displays a git logical variable.
gitlink:git-verify-pack[1]::
- Validates packed git archive files
+ 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
+In general, the interrogate commands do not touch the files in
+the working tree.
Synching repositories
gitlink:git-clone-pack[1]::
Clones a repository into the current repository (engine
- for ssh and local transport)
+ for ssh and local transport).
gitlink:git-fetch-pack[1]::
- Updates from a remote repository.
+ Updates from a remote repository (engine for ssh and
+ local transport).
gitlink:git-http-fetch[1]::
- Downloads a remote git repository via HTTP
- Previously this command was known as git-http-pull.
+ Downloads a remote git repository via HTTP by walking
+ commit chain.
gitlink:git-local-fetch[1]::
- Duplicates another git repository on a local system
- Previously this command was known as git-local-pull.
+ Duplicates another git repository on a local system by
+ walking commit chain.
gitlink:git-peek-remote[1]::
- Lists references on a remote repository using upload-pack protocol.
+ Lists references on a remote repository using
+ upload-pack protocol (engine for ssh and local
+ transport).
gitlink:git-receive-pack[1]::
Invoked by 'git-send-pack' to receive what is pushed to it.
gitlink:git-send-pack[1]::
Pushes to a remote repository, intelligently.
+gitlink:git-http-push[1]::
+ Push missing objects using HTTP/DAV.
+
+gitlink:git-shell[1]::
+ Restricted shell for GIT-only SSH access.
+
gitlink:git-ssh-fetch[1]::
- Pulls from a remote repository over ssh connection
- Previously this command was known as git-ssh-pull.
+ Pulls from a remote repository over ssh connection by
+ walking commit chain.
gitlink:git-ssh-upload[1]::
- Helper "server-side" program used by git-ssh-fetch
- Previously this command was known as git-ssh-push.
+ Helper "server-side" program used by git-ssh-fetch.
gitlink:git-update-server-info[1]::
Updates auxiliary information on a dumb server to help
what are asked for.
-Porcelain-ish Commands
-----------------------
+High-level commands (porcelain)
+-------------------------------
+
+We separate the porcelain commands into the main commands and some
+ancillary user utilities.
+
+Main porcelain commands
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
gitlink:git-add[1]::
- Add paths to the index file.
- Previously this command was known as git-add-script.
+ Add paths to the index.
+
+gitlink:git-am[1]::
+ Apply patches from a mailbox, but cooler.
gitlink:git-applymbox[1]::
- Apply patches from a mailbox.
+ Apply patches from a mailbox, original version by Linus.
gitlink:git-bisect[1]::
- Find the change that introduced a bug.
- Previously this command was known as git-bisect-script.
+ Find the change that introduced a bug by binary search.
gitlink:git-branch[1]::
Create and Show branches.
- Previously this command was known as git-branch-script.
gitlink:git-checkout[1]::
Checkout and switch to a branch.
- Previously this command was known as git-checkout-script.
gitlink:git-cherry-pick[1]::
Cherry-pick the effect of an existing commit.
- Previously this command was known as git-cherry-pick-script.
gitlink:git-clone[1]::
Clones a repository into a new directory.
- Previously this command was known as git-clone-script.
gitlink:git-commit[1]::
Record changes to the repository.
- Previously this command was known as git-commit-script.
gitlink:git-diff[1]::
Show changes between commits, commit and working tree, etc.
- Previously this command was known as git-diff-script.
gitlink:git-fetch[1]::
Download from a remote repository via various protocols.
- Previously this command was known as git-fetch-script.
gitlink:git-format-patch[1]::
Prepare patches for e-mail submission.
- Previously this command was known as git-format-patch-script.
gitlink:git-grep[1]::
- Print lines matching a pattern
+ Print lines matching a pattern.
gitlink:git-log[1]::
Shows commit logs.
- Previously this command was known as git-log-script.
gitlink:git-ls-remote[1]::
Shows references in a remote or local repository.
- Previously this command was known as git-ls-remote-script.
gitlink:git-merge[1]::
Grand unified merge driver.
-gitlink:git-octopus[1]::
- Merge more than two commits.
- Previously this command was known as git-octopus-script.
+gitlink:git-mv[1]::
+ Move or rename a file, a directory, or a symlink.
gitlink:git-pull[1]::
Fetch from and merge with a remote repository.
- Previously this command was known as git-pull-script.
gitlink:git-push[1]::
Update remote refs along with associated objects.
- Previously this command was known as git-push-script.
gitlink:git-rebase[1]::
- Rebase local commits to new upstream head.
- Previously this command was known as git-rebase-script.
-
-gitlink:git-rename[1]::
- Rename files and directories.
- Previously this command was known as git-rename-script.
+ Rebase local commits to the updated upstream head.
gitlink:git-repack[1]::
Pack unpacked objects in a repository.
- Previously this command was known as git-repack-script.
+
+gitlink:git-rerere[1]::
+ Reuse recorded resolution of conflicted merges.
gitlink:git-reset[1]::
Reset current HEAD to the specified state.
- Previously this command was known as git-reset-script.
gitlink:git-resolve[1]::
Merge two commits.
- Previously this command was known as git-resolve-script.
gitlink:git-revert[1]::
Revert an existing commit.
- Previously this command was known as git-revert-script.
gitlink:git-shortlog[1]::
Summarizes 'git log' output.
+gitlink:git-show[1]::
+ Show one commit log and its diff.
+
gitlink:git-show-branch[1]::
Show branches and their commits.
gitlink:git-status[1]::
Shows the working tree status.
- Previously this command was known as git-status-script.
gitlink:git-verify-tag[1]::
Check the GPG signature of tag.
- Previously this command was known as git-verify-tag-script.
gitlink:git-whatchanged[1]::
Shows commit logs and differences they introduce.
Ancillary Commands
-------------------
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Manipulators:
gitlink:git-applypatch[1]::
gitlink:git-archimport[1]::
Import an arch repository into git.
- Previously this command was known as git-archimport-script.
gitlink:git-convert-objects[1]::
- Converts old-style git repository
- Previously this command was known as git-convert-cache.
+ Converts old-style git repository.
gitlink:git-cvsimport[1]::
Salvage your data out of another SCM people love to hate.
- Previously this command was known as git-cvsimport-script.
+
+gitlink:git-cvsexportcommit[1]::
+ Export a single commit to a CVS checkout.
+
+gitlink:git-lost-found[1]::
+ Recover lost refs that luckily have not yet been pruned.
gitlink:git-merge-one-file[1]::
- The standard helper program to use with "git-merge-index"
- Previously this command was known as git-merge-one-file-script.
+ The standard helper program to use with `git-merge-index`.
gitlink:git-prune[1]::
- Prunes all unreachable objects from the object database
- Previously this command was known as git-prune-script.
+ Prunes all unreachable objects from the object database.
gitlink:git-relink[1]::
Hardlink common objects in local repositories.
- Previously this command was known as git-relink-script.
+
+gitlink:git-svnimport[1]::
+ Import a SVN repository into git.
gitlink:git-sh-setup[1]::
Common git shell script setup code.
- Previously this command was known as git-sh-setup-script.
+
+gitlink:git-symbolic-ref[1]::
+ Read and modify symbolic refs.
gitlink:git-tag[1]::
- An example script to create a tag object signed with GPG
- Previously this command was known as git-tag-script.
+ An example script to create a tag object signed with GPG.
+
+gitlink:git-update-ref[1]::
+ Update the object name stored in a ref safely.
Interrogators:
+gitlink:git-check-ref-format[1]::
+ Make sure ref name is well formed.
+
gitlink:git-cherry[1]::
Find commits not merged upstream.
gitlink:git-count-objects[1]::
Count unpacked number of objects and their disk consumption.
- Previously this command was known as git-count-objects-script.
gitlink:git-daemon[1]::
A really simple server for git repositories.
Extract commit ID from an archive created using git-tar-tree.
gitlink:git-mailinfo[1]::
- Extracts patch from a single e-mail message.
+ Extracts patch and authorship information from a single
+ e-mail message, optionally transliterating the commit
+ message into utf-8.
gitlink:git-mailsplit[1]::
- git-mailsplit.
+ A stupid program to split UNIX mbox format mailbox into
+ individual pieces of e-mail.
gitlink:git-patch-id[1]::
Compute unique ID for a patch.
gitlink:git-parse-remote[1]::
- Routines to help parsing $GIT_DIR/remotes/
- Previously this command was known as git-parse-remote-script.
+ Routines to help parsing `$GIT_DIR/remotes/` files.
gitlink:git-request-pull[1]::
git-request-pull.
- Previously this command was known as git-request-pull-script.
gitlink:git-rev-parse[1]::
Pick out and massage parameters.
gitlink:git-send-email[1]::
Send patch e-mails out of "format-patch --mbox" output.
- Previously this command was known as git-send-email-script.
+
+gitlink:git-symbolic-ref[1]::
+ Read and modify symbolic refs.
gitlink:git-stripspace[1]::
Filter out empty lines.
---------------------------
gitlink:gitk[1]::
- gitk.
+ The gitk repository browser.
+
+
+Configuration Mechanism
+-----------------------
+
+Starting from 0.99.9 (actually mid 0.99.8.GIT), `.git/config` file
+is used to hold per-repository configuration options. It is a
+simple text file modelled after `.ini` format familiar to some
+people. Here is an example:
+
+------------
+#
+# A '#' or ';' character indicates a comment.
+#
+
+; core variables
+[core]
+ ; Don't trust file modes
+ filemode = false
+
+; user identity
+[user]
+ name = "Junio C Hamano"
+ email = "junkio@twinsun.com"
+
+------------
+
+Various commands read from the configuration file and adjust
+their operation accordingly.
Identifier Terminology
----------------------
<object>::
- Indicates the sha1 identifier for any type of object
+ Indicates the object name for any type of object.
<blob>::
- Indicates a blob object sha1 identifier
+ Indicates a blob object name.
<tree>::
- Indicates a tree object sha1 identifier
+ Indicates a tree object name.
<commit>::
- Indicates a commit object sha1 identifier
+ Indicates a commit object name.
<tree-ish>::
- Indicates a tree, commit or tag object sha1 identifier. A
+ Indicates a tree, commit or tag object name. 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.
- Currently one of: blob/tree/commit/tag
+ Currently one of: `blob`, `tree`, `commit`, or `tag`.
<file>::
- Indicates a filename - always relative to the root of
- the tree structure GIT_INDEX_FILE describes.
+ Indicates a filename - almost always relative to the
+ root of the tree structure `GIT_INDEX_FILE` describes.
Symbolic Identifiers
--------------------
symbolic notation:
HEAD::
- indicates the head of the repository (ie the contents of
- `$GIT_DIR/HEAD`)
+ indicates the head of the current branch (i.e. the
+ contents of `$GIT_DIR/HEAD`).
+
<tag>::
- a valid tag 'name'+
- (ie the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/tags/<tag>`)
+ a valid tag 'name'
+ (i.e. the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/tags/<tag>`).
+
<head>::
- a valid head 'name'+
- (ie the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/heads/<head>`)
-<snap>::
- a valid snapshot 'name'+
- (ie the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/snap/<snap>`)
+ a valid head 'name'
+ (i.e. the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/heads/<head>`).
File/Directory Structure
Please see link:repository-layout.html[repository layout] document.
+Read link:hooks.html[hooks] for more details about each hook.
+
Higher level SCMs may provide and manage additional information in the
-GIT_DIR.
+`$GIT_DIR`.
Terminology
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
These environment variables apply to 'all' core git commands. Nb: it
is worth noting that they may be used/overridden by SCMS sitting above
-git so take care if using Cogito etc
+git so take care if using Cogito etc.
'GIT_INDEX_FILE'::
This environment allows the specification of an alternate
- cache/index file. If not specified, the default of
- `$GIT_DIR/index` is used.
+ index file. If not specified, the default of `$GIT_DIR/index`
+ is used.
'GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY'::
If the object storage directory is specified via this
written to these directories.
'GIT_DIR'::
- 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 'GIT_DIR' environment variable is set then it
+ specifies a path to use instead of the default `.git`
+ for the base of the repository.
git Commits
~~~~~~~~~~~
Discussion[[Discussion]]
------------------------
-include::../README[]
+include::README[]
-Author
-------
-Written by Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org> and the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
+Authors
+-------
+* git's founding father is Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org>.
+* The current git nurse is Junio C Hamano <junkio@cox.net>.
+* The git potty was written by Andres Ericsson <ae@op5.se>.
+* General upbringing is handled by the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
Documentation
--------------
-Documentation by David Greaves, Junio C Hamano and the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
+The documentation for git suite was started by David Greaves
+<david@dgreaves.com>, and later enhanced greatly by the
+contributors on the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
GIT
---