1 git-format-patch(1)
2 ===================
4 NAME
5 ----
6 git-format-patch - Prepare patches for e-mail submission
9 SYNOPSIS
10 --------
11 [verse]
12 'git-format-patch' [-n | -k] [-o <dir> | --stdout] [--attach] [--thread]
13 [-s | --signoff] [--diff-options] [--start-number <n>]
14 [--in-reply-to=Message-Id] [--suffix=.<sfx>]
15 <since>[..<until>]
17 DESCRIPTION
18 -----------
20 Prepare each commit between <since> and <until> with its patch in
21 one file per commit, formatted to resemble UNIX mailbox format.
22 If ..<until> is not specified, the head of the current working
23 tree is implied.
25 The output of this command is convenient for e-mail submission or
26 for use with gitlink:git-am[1].
28 Each output file is numbered sequentially from 1, and uses the
29 first line of the commit message (massaged for pathname safety) as
30 the filename. The names of the output files are printed to standard
31 output, unless the --stdout option is specified.
33 If -o is specified, output files are created in <dir>. Otherwise
34 they are created in the current working directory.
36 If -n is specified, instead of "[PATCH] Subject", the first line
37 is formatted as "[PATCH n/m] Subject".
39 If given --thread, git-format-patch will generate In-Reply-To and
40 References headers to make the second and subsequent patch mails appear
41 as replies to the first mail; this also generates a Message-Id header to
42 reference.
44 OPTIONS
45 -------
46 -o|--output-directory <dir>::
47 Use <dir> to store the resulting files, instead of the
48 current working directory.
50 -n|--numbered::
51 Name output in '[PATCH n/m]' format.
53 --start-number <n>::
54 Start numbering the patches at <n> instead of 1.
56 -k|--keep-subject::
57 Do not strip/add '[PATCH]' from the first line of the
58 commit log message.
60 -s|--signoff::
61 Add `Signed-off-by:` line to the commit message, using
62 the committer identity of yourself.
64 --stdout::
65 Print all commits to the standard output in mbox format,
66 instead of creating a file for each one.
68 --attach::
69 Create attachments instead of inlining patches.
71 --thread::
72 Add In-Reply-To and References headers to make the second and
73 subsequent mails appear as replies to the first. Also generates
74 the Message-Id header to reference.
76 --in-reply-to=Message-Id::
77 Make the first mail (or all the mails with --no-thread) appear as a
78 reply to the given Message-Id, which avoids breaking threads to
79 provide a new patch series.
81 --suffix=.<sfx>::
82 Instead of using `.txt` as the suffix for generated
83 filenames, use specifed suffix. A common alternative is
84 `--suffix=.patch`.
85 +
86 Note that you would need to include the leading dot `.` if you
87 want a filename like `0001-description-of-my-change.patch`, and
88 the first letter does not have to be a dot. Leaving it empty would
89 not add any suffix.
91 CONFIGURATION
92 -------------
93 You can specify extra mail header lines to be added to each
94 message in the repository configuration as follows:
96 [format]
97 headers = "Organization: git-foo\n"
99 You can specify default suffix used:
101 [format]
102 suffix = .patch
105 EXAMPLES
106 --------
108 git-format-patch -k --stdout R1..R2 | git-am -3 -k::
109 Extract commits between revisions R1 and R2, and apply
110 them on top of the current branch using `git-am` to
111 cherry-pick them.
113 git-format-patch origin::
114 Extract all commits which are in the current branch but
115 not in the origin branch. For each commit a separate file
116 is created in the current directory.
118 git-format-patch -M -B origin::
119 The same as the previous one. Additionally, it detects
120 and handles renames and complete rewrites intelligently to
121 produce a renaming patch. A renaming patch reduces the
122 amount of text output, and generally makes it easier to
123 review it. Note that the "patch" program does not
124 understand renaming patches, so use it only when you know
125 the recipient uses git to apply your patch.
128 See Also
129 --------
130 gitlink:git-am[1], gitlink:git-send-email[1]
133 Author
134 ------
135 Written by Junio C Hamano <junkio@cox.net>
137 Documentation
138 --------------
139 Documentation by Junio C Hamano and the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
141 GIT
142 ---
143 Part of the gitlink:git[7] suite