6 git - the stupid content tracker
12 'git' [--version] [--exec-path[=GIT_EXEC_PATH]] [--html-path]
13 [-p|--paginate|--no-pager] [--no-replace-objects]
14 [--bare] [--git-dir=GIT_DIR] [--work-tree=GIT_WORK_TREE]
15 [--help] COMMAND [ARGS]
19 Git is a fast, scalable, distributed revision control system with an
20 unusually rich command set that provides both high-level operations
21 and full access to internals.
23 See linkgit:gittutorial[7] to get started, then see
24 link:everyday.html[Everyday Git] for a useful minimum set of commands, and
25 "man git-commandname" for documentation of each command. CVS users may
26 also want to read linkgit:gitcvs-migration[7]. See
27 the link:user-manual.html[Git User's Manual] for a more in-depth
30 The COMMAND is either a name of a Git command (see below) or an alias
31 as defined in the configuration file (see linkgit:git-config[1]).
33 Formatted and hyperlinked version of the latest git
34 documentation can be viewed at
35 `http://www.kernel.org/pub/software/scm/git/docs/`.
41 You are reading the documentation for the latest (possibly
42 unreleased) version of git, that is available from 'master'
43 branch of the `git.git` repository.
44 Documentation for older releases are available here:
46 * link:v1.7.0/git.html[documentation for release 1.7.0]
49 link:RelNotes-1.7.0.txt[1.7.0].
51 * link:v1.6.6.2/git.html[documentation for release 1.6.6.2]
54 link:RelNotes-1.6.6.2.txt[1.6.6.2],
55 link:RelNotes-1.6.6.1.txt[1.6.6.1],
56 link:RelNotes-1.6.6.txt[1.6.6].
58 * link:v1.6.5.8/git.html[documentation for release 1.6.5.8]
61 link:RelNotes-1.6.5.8.txt[1.6.5.8],
62 link:RelNotes-1.6.5.7.txt[1.6.5.7],
63 link:RelNotes-1.6.5.6.txt[1.6.5.6],
64 link:RelNotes-1.6.5.5.txt[1.6.5.5],
65 link:RelNotes-1.6.5.4.txt[1.6.5.4],
66 link:RelNotes-1.6.5.3.txt[1.6.5.3],
67 link:RelNotes-1.6.5.2.txt[1.6.5.2],
68 link:RelNotes-1.6.5.1.txt[1.6.5.1],
69 link:RelNotes-1.6.5.txt[1.6.5].
71 * link:v1.6.4.4/git.html[documentation for release 1.6.4.4]
74 link:RelNotes-1.6.4.4.txt[1.6.4.4],
75 link:RelNotes-1.6.4.3.txt[1.6.4.3],
76 link:RelNotes-1.6.4.2.txt[1.6.4.2],
77 link:RelNotes-1.6.4.1.txt[1.6.4.1],
78 link:RelNotes-1.6.4.txt[1.6.4].
80 * link:v1.6.3.4/git.html[documentation for release 1.6.3.4]
83 link:RelNotes-1.6.3.4.txt[1.6.3.4],
84 link:RelNotes-1.6.3.3.txt[1.6.3.3],
85 link:RelNotes-1.6.3.2.txt[1.6.3.2],
86 link:RelNotes-1.6.3.1.txt[1.6.3.1],
87 link:RelNotes-1.6.3.txt[1.6.3].
90 link:RelNotes-1.6.2.5.txt[1.6.2.5],
91 link:RelNotes-1.6.2.4.txt[1.6.2.4],
92 link:RelNotes-1.6.2.3.txt[1.6.2.3],
93 link:RelNotes-1.6.2.2.txt[1.6.2.2],
94 link:RelNotes-1.6.2.1.txt[1.6.2.1],
95 link:RelNotes-1.6.2.txt[1.6.2].
97 * link:v1.6.1.3/git.html[documentation for release 1.6.1.3]
100 link:RelNotes-1.6.1.3.txt[1.6.1.3],
101 link:RelNotes-1.6.1.2.txt[1.6.1.2],
102 link:RelNotes-1.6.1.1.txt[1.6.1.1],
103 link:RelNotes-1.6.1.txt[1.6.1].
105 * link:v1.6.0.6/git.html[documentation for release 1.6.0.6]
108 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.6.txt[1.6.0.6],
109 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.5.txt[1.6.0.5],
110 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.4.txt[1.6.0.4],
111 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.3.txt[1.6.0.3],
112 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.2.txt[1.6.0.2],
113 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.1.txt[1.6.0.1],
114 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.txt[1.6.0].
116 * link:v1.5.6.6/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.6.6]
119 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.6.txt[1.5.6.6],
120 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.5.txt[1.5.6.5],
121 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.4.txt[1.5.6.4],
122 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.3.txt[1.5.6.3],
123 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.2.txt[1.5.6.2],
124 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.1.txt[1.5.6.1],
125 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.txt[1.5.6].
127 * link:v1.5.5.6/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.5.6]
130 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.6.txt[1.5.5.6],
131 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.5.txt[1.5.5.5],
132 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.4.txt[1.5.5.4],
133 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.3.txt[1.5.5.3],
134 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.2.txt[1.5.5.2],
135 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.1.txt[1.5.5.1],
136 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.txt[1.5.5].
138 * link:v1.5.4.7/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.4.7]
141 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.7.txt[1.5.4.7],
142 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.6.txt[1.5.4.6],
143 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.5.txt[1.5.4.5],
144 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.4.txt[1.5.4.4],
145 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.3.txt[1.5.4.3],
146 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.2.txt[1.5.4.2],
147 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.1.txt[1.5.4.1],
148 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.txt[1.5.4].
150 * link:v1.5.3.8/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.3.8]
153 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.8.txt[1.5.3.8],
154 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.7.txt[1.5.3.7],
155 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.6.txt[1.5.3.6],
156 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.5.txt[1.5.3.5],
157 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.4.txt[1.5.3.4],
158 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.3.txt[1.5.3.3],
159 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.2.txt[1.5.3.2],
160 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.1.txt[1.5.3.1],
161 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.txt[1.5.3].
163 * link:v1.5.2.5/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.2.5]
166 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.5.txt[1.5.2.5],
167 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.4.txt[1.5.2.4],
168 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.3.txt[1.5.2.3],
169 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.2.txt[1.5.2.2],
170 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.1.txt[1.5.2.1],
171 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.txt[1.5.2].
173 * link:v1.5.1.6/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.1.6]
176 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.6.txt[1.5.1.6],
177 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.5.txt[1.5.1.5],
178 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.4.txt[1.5.1.4],
179 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.3.txt[1.5.1.3],
180 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.2.txt[1.5.1.2],
181 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.1.txt[1.5.1.1],
182 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.txt[1.5.1].
184 * link:v1.5.0.7/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.0.7]
187 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.7.txt[1.5.0.7],
188 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.6.txt[1.5.0.6],
189 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.5.txt[1.5.0.5],
190 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.3.txt[1.5.0.3],
191 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.2.txt[1.5.0.2],
192 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.1.txt[1.5.0.1],
193 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.txt[1.5.0].
195 * documentation for release link:v1.4.4.4/git.html[1.4.4.4],
196 link:v1.3.3/git.html[1.3.3],
197 link:v1.2.6/git.html[1.2.6],
198 link:v1.0.13/git.html[1.0.13].
207 Prints the git suite version that the 'git' program came from.
210 Prints the synopsis and a list of the most commonly used
211 commands. If the option '--all' or '-a' is given then all
212 available commands are printed. If a git command is named this
213 option will bring up the manual page for that command.
215 Other options are available to control how the manual page is
216 displayed. See linkgit:git-help[1] for more information,
217 because `git --help ...` is converted internally into `git
221 Path to wherever your core git programs are installed.
222 This can also be controlled by setting the GIT_EXEC_PATH
223 environment variable. If no path is given, 'git' will print
224 the current setting and then exit.
227 Print the path to wherever your git HTML documentation is installed
232 Pipe all output into 'less' (or if set, $PAGER) if standard
233 output is a terminal. This overrides the `pager.<cmd>`
234 configuration options (see the "Configuration Mechanism" section
238 Do not pipe git output into a pager.
241 Set the path to the repository. This can also be controlled by
242 setting the GIT_DIR environment variable. It can be an absolute
243 path or relative path to current working directory.
246 Set the path to the working tree. The value will not be
247 used in combination with repositories found automatically in
248 a .git directory (i.e. $GIT_DIR is not set).
249 This can also be controlled by setting the GIT_WORK_TREE
250 environment variable and the core.worktree configuration
251 variable. It can be an absolute path or relative path to
252 the directory specified by --git-dir or GIT_DIR.
253 Note: If --git-dir or GIT_DIR are specified but none of
254 --work-tree, GIT_WORK_TREE and core.worktree is specified,
255 the current working directory is regarded as the top directory
256 of your working tree.
259 Treat the repository as a bare repository. If GIT_DIR
260 environment is not set, it is set to the current working
263 --no-replace-objects::
264 Do not use replacement refs to replace git objects. See
265 linkgit:git-replace[1] for more information.
268 FURTHER DOCUMENTATION
269 ---------------------
271 See the references above to get started using git. The following is
272 probably more detail than necessary for a first-time user.
274 The link:user-manual.html#git-concepts[git concepts chapter of the
275 user-manual] and linkgit:gitcore-tutorial[7] both provide
276 introductions to the underlying git architecture.
278 See linkgit:gitworkflows[7] for an overview of recommended workflows.
280 See also the link:howto-index.html[howto] documents for some useful
283 The internals are documented in the
284 link:technical/api-index.html[GIT API documentation].
289 We divide git into high level ("porcelain") commands and low level
290 ("plumbing") commands.
292 High-level commands (porcelain)
293 -------------------------------
295 We separate the porcelain commands into the main commands and some
296 ancillary user utilities.
298 Main porcelain commands
299 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
301 include::cmds-mainporcelain.txt[]
307 include::cmds-ancillarymanipulators.txt[]
311 include::cmds-ancillaryinterrogators.txt[]
314 Interacting with Others
315 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
317 These commands are to interact with foreign SCM and with other
318 people via patch over e-mail.
320 include::cmds-foreignscminterface.txt[]
323 Low-level commands (plumbing)
324 -----------------------------
326 Although git includes its
327 own porcelain layer, its low-level commands are sufficient to support
328 development of alternative porcelains. Developers of such porcelains
329 might start by reading about linkgit:git-update-index[1] and
330 linkgit:git-read-tree[1].
332 The interface (input, output, set of options and the semantics)
333 to these low-level commands are meant to be a lot more stable
334 than Porcelain level commands, because these commands are
335 primarily for scripted use. The interface to Porcelain commands
336 on the other hand are subject to change in order to improve the
339 The following description divides
340 the low-level commands into commands that manipulate objects (in
341 the repository, index, and working tree), commands that interrogate and
342 compare objects, and commands that move objects and references between
346 Manipulation commands
347 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
349 include::cmds-plumbingmanipulators.txt[]
352 Interrogation commands
353 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
355 include::cmds-plumbinginterrogators.txt[]
357 In general, the interrogate commands do not touch the files in
361 Synching repositories
362 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
364 include::cmds-synchingrepositories.txt[]
366 The following are helper commands used by the above; end users
367 typically do not use them directly.
369 include::cmds-synchelpers.txt[]
372 Internal helper commands
373 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
375 These are internal helper commands used by other commands; end
376 users typically do not use them directly.
378 include::cmds-purehelpers.txt[]
381 Configuration Mechanism
382 -----------------------
384 Starting from 0.99.9 (actually mid 0.99.8.GIT), `.git/config` file
385 is used to hold per-repository configuration options. It is a
386 simple text file modeled after `.ini` format familiar to some
387 people. Here is an example:
391 # A '#' or ';' character indicates a comment.
396 ; Don't trust file modes
401 name = "Junio C Hamano"
402 email = "junkio@twinsun.com"
406 Various commands read from the configuration file and adjust
407 their operation accordingly. See linkgit:git-config[1] for a
411 Identifier Terminology
412 ----------------------
414 Indicates the object name for any type of object.
417 Indicates a blob object name.
420 Indicates a tree object name.
423 Indicates a commit object name.
426 Indicates a tree, commit or tag object name. A
427 command that takes a <tree-ish> argument ultimately wants to
428 operate on a <tree> object but automatically dereferences
429 <commit> and <tag> objects that point at a <tree>.
432 Indicates a commit or tag object name. A
433 command that takes a <commit-ish> argument ultimately wants to
434 operate on a <commit> object but automatically dereferences
435 <tag> objects that point at a <commit>.
438 Indicates that an object type is required.
439 Currently one of: `blob`, `tree`, `commit`, or `tag`.
442 Indicates a filename - almost always relative to the
443 root of the tree structure `GIT_INDEX_FILE` describes.
447 Any git command accepting any <object> can also use the following
451 indicates the head of the current branch (i.e. the
452 contents of `$GIT_DIR/HEAD`).
456 (i.e. the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/tags/<tag>`).
460 (i.e. the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/heads/<head>`).
462 For a more complete list of ways to spell object names, see
463 "SPECIFYING REVISIONS" section in linkgit:git-rev-parse[1].
466 File/Directory Structure
467 ------------------------
469 Please see the linkgit:gitrepository-layout[5] document.
471 Read linkgit:githooks[5] for more details about each hook.
473 Higher level SCMs may provide and manage additional information in the
479 Please see linkgit:gitglossary[7].
482 Environment Variables
483 ---------------------
484 Various git commands use the following environment variables:
488 These environment variables apply to 'all' core git commands. Nb: it
489 is worth noting that they may be used/overridden by SCMS sitting above
490 git so take care if using Cogito etc.
493 This environment allows the specification of an alternate
494 index file. If not specified, the default of `$GIT_DIR/index`
497 'GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY'::
498 If the object storage directory is specified via this
499 environment variable then the sha1 directories are created
500 underneath - otherwise the default `$GIT_DIR/objects`
503 'GIT_ALTERNATE_OBJECT_DIRECTORIES'::
504 Due to the immutable nature of git objects, old objects can be
505 archived into shared, read-only directories. This variable
506 specifies a ":" separated (on Windows ";" separated) list
507 of git object directories which can be used to search for git
508 objects. New objects will not be written to these directories.
511 If the 'GIT_DIR' environment variable is set then it
512 specifies a path to use instead of the default `.git`
513 for the base of the repository.
516 Set the path to the working tree. The value will not be
517 used in combination with repositories found automatically in
518 a .git directory (i.e. $GIT_DIR is not set).
519 This can also be controlled by the '--work-tree' command line
520 option and the core.worktree configuration variable.
522 'GIT_CEILING_DIRECTORIES'::
523 This should be a colon-separated list of absolute paths.
524 If set, it is a list of directories that git should not chdir
525 up into while looking for a repository directory.
526 It will not exclude the current working directory or
527 a GIT_DIR set on the command line or in the environment.
528 (Useful for excluding slow-loading network directories.)
535 'GIT_COMMITTER_NAME'::
536 'GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL'::
537 'GIT_COMMITTER_DATE'::
539 see linkgit:git-commit-tree[1]
544 Only valid setting is "--unified=??" or "-u??" to set the
545 number of context lines shown when a unified diff is created.
546 This takes precedence over any "-U" or "--unified" option
547 value passed on the git diff command line.
549 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF'::
550 When the environment variable 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' is set, the
551 program named by it is called, instead of the diff invocation
552 described above. For a path that is added, removed, or modified,
553 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' is called with 7 parameters:
555 path old-file old-hex old-mode new-file new-hex new-mode
559 <old|new>-file:: are files GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF can use to read the
560 contents of <old|new>,
561 <old|new>-hex:: are the 40-hexdigit SHA1 hashes,
562 <old|new>-mode:: are the octal representation of the file modes.
565 The file parameters can point at the user's working file
566 (e.g. `new-file` in "git-diff-files"), `/dev/null` (e.g. `old-file`
567 when a new file is added), or a temporary file (e.g. `old-file` in the
568 index). 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' should not worry about unlinking the
569 temporary file --- it is removed when 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' exits.
571 For a path that is unmerged, 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' is called with 1
576 'GIT_MERGE_VERBOSITY'::
577 A number controlling the amount of output shown by
578 the recursive merge strategy. Overrides merge.verbosity.
579 See linkgit:git-merge[1]
582 This environment variable overrides `$PAGER`. If it is set
583 to an empty string or to the value "cat", git will not launch
584 a pager. See also the `core.pager` option in
585 linkgit:git-config[1].
588 If this environment variable is set then 'git fetch'
589 and 'git push' will use this command instead
590 of 'ssh' when they need to connect to a remote system.
591 The '$GIT_SSH' command will be given exactly two arguments:
592 the 'username@host' (or just 'host') from the URL and the
593 shell command to execute on that remote system.
595 To pass options to the program that you want to list in GIT_SSH
596 you will need to wrap the program and options into a shell script,
597 then set GIT_SSH to refer to the shell script.
599 Usually it is easier to configure any desired options through your
600 personal `.ssh/config` file. Please consult your ssh documentation
604 If this environment variable is set to "1", then commands such
605 as 'git blame' (in incremental mode), 'git rev-list', 'git log',
606 and 'git whatchanged' will force a flush of the output stream
607 after each commit-oriented record have been flushed. If this
608 variable is set to "0", the output of these commands will be done
609 using completely buffered I/O. If this environment variable is
610 not set, git will choose buffered or record-oriented flushing
611 based on whether stdout appears to be redirected to a file or not.
614 If this variable is set to "1", "2" or "true" (comparison
615 is case insensitive), git will print `trace:` messages on
616 stderr telling about alias expansion, built-in command
617 execution and external command execution.
618 If this variable is set to an integer value greater than 1
619 and lower than 10 (strictly) then git will interpret this
620 value as an open file descriptor and will try to write the
621 trace messages into this file descriptor.
622 Alternatively, if this variable is set to an absolute path
623 (starting with a '/' character), git will interpret this
624 as a file path and will try to write the trace messages
627 Discussion[[Discussion]]
628 ------------------------
630 More detail on the following is available from the
631 link:user-manual.html#git-concepts[git concepts chapter of the
632 user-manual] and linkgit:gitcore-tutorial[7].
634 A git project normally consists of a working directory with a ".git"
635 subdirectory at the top level. The .git directory contains, among other
636 things, a compressed object database representing the complete history
637 of the project, an "index" file which links that history to the current
638 contents of the working tree, and named pointers into that history such
639 as tags and branch heads.
641 The object database contains objects of three main types: blobs, which
642 hold file data; trees, which point to blobs and other trees to build up
643 directory hierarchies; and commits, which each reference a single tree
644 and some number of parent commits.
646 The commit, equivalent to what other systems call a "changeset" or
647 "version", represents a step in the project's history, and each parent
648 represents an immediately preceding step. Commits with more than one
649 parent represent merges of independent lines of development.
651 All objects are named by the SHA1 hash of their contents, normally
652 written as a string of 40 hex digits. Such names are globally unique.
653 The entire history leading up to a commit can be vouched for by signing
654 just that commit. A fourth object type, the tag, is provided for this
657 When first created, objects are stored in individual files, but for
658 efficiency may later be compressed together into "pack files".
660 Named pointers called refs mark interesting points in history. A ref
661 may contain the SHA1 name of an object or the name of another ref. Refs
662 with names beginning `ref/head/` contain the SHA1 name of the most
663 recent commit (or "head") of a branch under development. SHA1 names of
664 tags of interest are stored under `ref/tags/`. A special ref named
665 `HEAD` contains the name of the currently checked-out branch.
667 The index file is initialized with a list of all paths and, for each
668 path, a blob object and a set of attributes. The blob object represents
669 the contents of the file as of the head of the current branch. The
670 attributes (last modified time, size, etc.) are taken from the
671 corresponding file in the working tree. Subsequent changes to the
672 working tree can be found by comparing these attributes. The index may
673 be updated with new content, and new commits may be created from the
674 content stored in the index.
676 The index is also capable of storing multiple entries (called "stages")
677 for a given pathname. These stages are used to hold the various
678 unmerged version of a file when a merge is in progress.
682 * git's founding father is Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org>.
683 * The current git nurse is Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>.
684 * The git potty was written by Andreas Ericsson <ae@op5.se>.
685 * General upbringing is handled by the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
689 The documentation for git suite was started by David Greaves
690 <david@dgreaves.com>, and later enhanced greatly by the
691 contributors on the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
695 linkgit:gittutorial[7], linkgit:gittutorial-2[7],
696 link:everyday.html[Everyday Git], linkgit:gitcvs-migration[7],
697 linkgit:gitglossary[7], linkgit:gitcore-tutorial[7],
698 linkgit:gitcli[7], link:user-manual.html[The Git User's Manual],
699 linkgit:gitworkflows[7]
703 Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite