1 git(7)
2 ======
4 NAME
5 ----
6 git - the stupid content tracker
9 SYNOPSIS
10 --------
11 [verse]
12 'git' [--version] [--exec-path[=GIT_EXEC_PATH]] [-p|--paginate]
13 [--bare] [--git-dir=GIT_DIR] [--help] COMMAND [ARGS]
15 DESCRIPTION
16 -----------
17 Git is a fast, scalable, distributed revision control system with an
18 unusually rich command set that provides both high-level operations
19 and full access to internals.
21 See this link:tutorial.html[tutorial] to get started, then see
22 link:everyday.html[Everyday Git] for a useful minimum set of commands, and
23 "man git-commandname" for documentation of each command. CVS users may
24 also want to read link:cvs-migration.html[CVS migration].
25 link:user-manual.html[Git User's Manual] is still work in
26 progress, but when finished hopefully it will guide a new user
27 in a coherent way to git enlightenment ;-).
29 The COMMAND is either a name of a Git command (see below) or an alias
30 as defined in the configuration file (see gitlink:git-config[1]).
32 ifdef::stalenotes[]
33 [NOTE]
34 ============
35 You are reading the documentation for the latest version of git.
36 Documentation for older releases are available here:
38 * link:v1.5.0.2/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.0.2]
40 * link:v1.5.0.2/RelNotes-1.5.0.2.txt[release notes for 1.5.0.2]
42 * link:v1.5.0.1/RelNotes-1.5.0.1.txt[release notes for 1.5.0.1]
44 * link:v1.5.0/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.0]
46 * link:v1.5.0/RelNotes-1.5.0.txt[release notes for 1.5.0]
48 * link:v1.4.4.4/git.html[documentation for release 1.4.4.4]
50 * link:v1.3.3/git.html[documentation for release 1.3.3]
52 * link:v1.2.6/git.html[documentation for release 1.2.6]
54 * link:v1.0.13/git.html[documentation for release 1.0.13]
56 ============
58 endif::stalenotes[]
60 OPTIONS
61 -------
62 --version::
63 Prints the git suite version that the 'git' program came from.
65 --help::
66 Prints the synopsis and a list of the most commonly used
67 commands. If a git command is named this option will bring up
68 the man-page for that command. If the option '--all' or '-a' is
69 given then all available commands are printed.
71 --exec-path::
72 Path to wherever your core git programs are installed.
73 This can also be controlled by setting the GIT_EXEC_PATH
74 environment variable. If no path is given 'git' will print
75 the current setting and then exit.
77 -p|--paginate::
78 Pipe all output into 'less' (or if set, $PAGER).
80 --git-dir=<path>::
81 Set the path to the repository. This can also be controlled by
82 setting the GIT_DIR environment variable.
84 --bare::
85 Same as --git-dir=`pwd`.
87 FURTHER DOCUMENTATION
88 ---------------------
90 See the references above to get started using git. The following is
91 probably more detail than necessary for a first-time user.
93 The <<Discussion,Discussion>> section below and the
94 link:core-tutorial.html[Core tutorial] both provide introductions to the
95 underlying git architecture.
97 See also the link:howto-index.html[howto] documents for some useful
98 examples.
100 GIT COMMANDS
101 ------------
103 We divide git into high level ("porcelain") commands and low level
104 ("plumbing") commands.
106 High-level commands (porcelain)
107 -------------------------------
109 We separate the porcelain commands into the main commands and some
110 ancillary user utilities.
112 Main porcelain commands
113 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
115 include::cmds-mainporcelain.txt[]
117 Ancillary Commands
118 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
119 Manipulators:
121 include::cmds-ancillarymanipulators.txt[]
123 Interrogators:
125 include::cmds-ancillaryinterrogators.txt[]
128 Interacting with Others
129 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
131 These commands are to interact with foreign SCM and with other
132 people via patch over e-mail.
134 include::cmds-foreignscminterface.txt[]
137 Low-level commands (plumbing)
138 -----------------------------
140 Although git includes its
141 own porcelain layer, its low-level commands are sufficient to support
142 development of alternative porcelains. Developers of such porcelains
143 might start by reading about gitlink:git-update-index[1] and
144 gitlink:git-read-tree[1].
146 The interface (input, output, set of options and the semantics)
147 to these low-level commands are meant to be a lot more stable
148 than Porcelain level commands, because these commands are
149 primarily for scripted use. The interface to Porcelain commands
150 on the other hand are subject to change in order to improve the
151 end user experience.
153 The following description divides
154 the low-level commands into commands that manipulate objects (in
155 the repository, index, and working tree), commands that interrogate and
156 compare objects, and commands that move objects and references between
157 repositories.
160 Manipulation commands
161 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
163 include::cmds-plumbingmanipulators.txt[]
166 Interrogation commands
167 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
169 include::cmds-plumbinginterrogators.txt[]
171 In general, the interrogate commands do not touch the files in
172 the working tree.
175 Synching repositories
176 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
178 include::cmds-synchingrepositories.txt[]
180 The following are helper programs used by the above; end users
181 typically do not use them directly.
183 include::cmds-synchelpers.txt[]
186 Internal helper commands
187 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
189 These are internal helper commands used by other commands; end
190 users typically do not use them directly.
192 include::cmds-purehelpers.txt[]
195 Configuration Mechanism
196 -----------------------
198 Starting from 0.99.9 (actually mid 0.99.8.GIT), `.git/config` file
199 is used to hold per-repository configuration options. It is a
200 simple text file modeled after `.ini` format familiar to some
201 people. Here is an example:
203 ------------
204 #
205 # A '#' or ';' character indicates a comment.
206 #
208 ; core variables
209 [core]
210 ; Don't trust file modes
211 filemode = false
213 ; user identity
214 [user]
215 name = "Junio C Hamano"
216 email = "junkio@twinsun.com"
218 ------------
220 Various commands read from the configuration file and adjust
221 their operation accordingly.
224 Identifier Terminology
225 ----------------------
226 <object>::
227 Indicates the object name for any type of object.
229 <blob>::
230 Indicates a blob object name.
232 <tree>::
233 Indicates a tree object name.
235 <commit>::
236 Indicates a commit object name.
238 <tree-ish>::
239 Indicates a tree, commit or tag object name. A
240 command that takes a <tree-ish> argument ultimately wants to
241 operate on a <tree> object but automatically dereferences
242 <commit> and <tag> objects that point at a <tree>.
244 <type>::
245 Indicates that an object type is required.
246 Currently one of: `blob`, `tree`, `commit`, or `tag`.
248 <file>::
249 Indicates a filename - almost always relative to the
250 root of the tree structure `GIT_INDEX_FILE` describes.
252 Symbolic Identifiers
253 --------------------
254 Any git command accepting any <object> can also use the following
255 symbolic notation:
257 HEAD::
258 indicates the head of the current branch (i.e. the
259 contents of `$GIT_DIR/HEAD`).
261 <tag>::
262 a valid tag 'name'
263 (i.e. the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/tags/<tag>`).
265 <head>::
266 a valid head 'name'
267 (i.e. the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/heads/<head>`).
269 For a more complete list of ways to spell object names, see
270 "SPECIFYING REVISIONS" section in gitlink:git-rev-parse[1].
273 File/Directory Structure
274 ------------------------
276 Please see link:repository-layout.html[repository layout] document.
278 Read link:hooks.html[hooks] for more details about each hook.
280 Higher level SCMs may provide and manage additional information in the
281 `$GIT_DIR`.
284 Terminology
285 -----------
286 Please see link:glossary.html[glossary] document.
289 Environment Variables
290 ---------------------
291 Various git commands use the following environment variables:
293 The git Repository
294 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
295 These environment variables apply to 'all' core git commands. Nb: it
296 is worth noting that they may be used/overridden by SCMS sitting above
297 git so take care if using Cogito etc.
299 'GIT_INDEX_FILE'::
300 This environment allows the specification of an alternate
301 index file. If not specified, the default of `$GIT_DIR/index`
302 is used.
304 'GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY'::
305 If the object storage directory is specified via this
306 environment variable then the sha1 directories are created
307 underneath - otherwise the default `$GIT_DIR/objects`
308 directory is used.
310 'GIT_ALTERNATE_OBJECT_DIRECTORIES'::
311 Due to the immutable nature of git objects, old objects can be
312 archived into shared, read-only directories. This variable
313 specifies a ":" separated list of git object directories which
314 can be used to search for git objects. New objects will not be
315 written to these directories.
317 'GIT_DIR'::
318 If the 'GIT_DIR' environment variable is set then it
319 specifies a path to use instead of the default `.git`
320 for the base of the repository.
322 git Commits
323 ~~~~~~~~~~~
324 'GIT_AUTHOR_NAME'::
325 'GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL'::
326 'GIT_AUTHOR_DATE'::
327 'GIT_COMMITTER_NAME'::
328 'GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL'::
329 see gitlink:git-commit-tree[1]
331 git Diffs
332 ~~~~~~~~~
333 'GIT_DIFF_OPTS'::
334 Only valid setting is "--unified=??" or "-u??" to set the
335 number of context lines shown when a unified diff is created.
336 This takes precedence over any "-U" or "--unified" option
337 value passed on the git diff command line.
339 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF'::
340 When the environment variable 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' is set, the
341 program named by it is called, instead of the diff invocation
342 described above. For a path that is added, removed, or modified,
343 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' is called with 7 parameters:
345 path old-file old-hex old-mode new-file new-hex new-mode
346 +
347 where:
349 <old|new>-file:: are files GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF can use to read the
350 contents of <old|new>,
351 <old|new>-hex:: are the 40-hexdigit SHA1 hashes,
352 <old|new>-mode:: are the octal representation of the file modes.
354 +
355 The file parameters can point at the user's working file
356 (e.g. `new-file` in "git-diff-files"), `/dev/null` (e.g. `old-file`
357 when a new file is added), or a temporary file (e.g. `old-file` in the
358 index). 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' should not worry about unlinking the
359 temporary file --- it is removed when 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' exits.
360 +
361 For a path that is unmerged, 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' is called with 1
362 parameter, <path>.
364 other
365 ~~~~~
366 'GIT_PAGER'::
367 This environment variable overrides `$PAGER`.
369 'GIT_TRACE'::
370 If this variable is set to "1", "2" or "true" (comparison
371 is case insensitive), git will print `trace:` messages on
372 stderr telling about alias expansion, built-in command
373 execution and external command execution.
374 If this variable is set to an integer value greater than 1
375 and lower than 10 (strictly) then git will interpret this
376 value as an open file descriptor and will try to write the
377 trace messages into this file descriptor.
378 Alternatively, if this variable is set to an absolute path
379 (starting with a '/' character), git will interpret this
380 as a file path and will try to write the trace messages
381 into it.
383 Discussion[[Discussion]]
384 ------------------------
385 include::core-intro.txt[]
387 Authors
388 -------
389 * git's founding father is Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org>.
390 * The current git nurse is Junio C Hamano <junkio@cox.net>.
391 * The git potty was written by Andres Ericsson <ae@op5.se>.
392 * General upbringing is handled by the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
394 Documentation
395 --------------
396 The documentation for git suite was started by David Greaves
397 <david@dgreaves.com>, and later enhanced greatly by the
398 contributors on the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
400 GIT
401 ---
402 Part of the gitlink:git[7] suite