Documentation/git.txt

   1 git(7)
   2 ======
   3 v0.99.5, Aug 2005
   4
   5 NAME
   6 ----
   7 git - the stupid content tracker
   8
   9
  10 SYNOPSIS
  11 --------
  12 'git-<command>' <args>
  13
  14 DESCRIPTION
  15 -----------
  16
  17 This is reference information for the core git commands.
  18
  19 Before reading this cover to cover, you may want to take a look
  20 at the link:tutorial.html[tutorial] document.
  21
  22 The Discussion section below contains much useful definition and
  23 clarification info - read that first.  And of the commands, I suggest
  24 reading link:git-update-cache.html[git-update-cache] and
  25 link:git-read-tree.html[git-read-tree] first - I wish I had!
  26
  27 After you get the general feel from the tutorial and this
  28 overview page, you may want to take a look at the
  29 link:howto-index.html[howto] documents.
  30
  31
  32 David Greaves <david@dgreaves.com>
  33 08/05/05
  34
  35 Updated by Junio C Hamano <junkio@cox.net> on 2005-05-05 to
  36 reflect recent changes.
  37
  38 Commands Overview
  39 -----------------
  40 The git commands can helpfully be split into those that manipulate
  41 the repository, the cache and the working fileset, those that
  42 interrogate and compare them, and those that moves objects and
  43 references between repositories.
  44
  45 In addition, git itself comes with a spartan set of porcelain
  46 commands.  They are usable but are not meant to compete with real
  47 Porcelains.
  48
  49 There are also some ancillary programs that can be viewed as useful
  50 aids for using the core commands but which are unlikely to be used by
  51 SCMs layered over git.
  52
  53 Manipulation commands
  54 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  55 link:git-apply.html[git-apply]::
  56         Reads a "diff -up1" or git generated patch file and
  57         applies it to the working tree.
  58
  59 link:git-checkout-cache.html[git-checkout-cache]::
  60         Copy files from the cache to the working directory
  61
  62 link:git-commit-tree.html[git-commit-tree]::
  63         Creates a new commit object
  64
  65 link:git-hash-object.html[git-hash-object]::
  66         Computes the object ID from a file.
  67
  68 link:git-init-db.html[git-init-db]::
  69         Creates an empty git object database
  70
  71 link:git-merge-cache.html[git-merge-cache]::
  72         Runs a merge for files needing merging
  73
  74 link:git-mktag.html[git-mktag]::
  75         Creates a tag object
  76
  77 link:git-pack-objects.html[git-pack-objects]::
  78         Creates a packed archive of objects.
  79
  80 link:git-prune-packed.html[git-prune-packed]::
  81         Remove extra objects that are already in pack files.
  82
  83 link:git-read-tree.html[git-read-tree]::
  84         Reads tree information into the directory cache
  85
  86 link:git-unpack-objects.html[git-unpack-objects]::
  87         Unpacks objects out of a packed archive.
  88
  89 link:git-update-cache.html[git-update-cache]::
  90         Modifies the index or directory cache
  91
  92 link:git-write-tree.html[git-write-tree]::
  93         Creates a tree from the current cache
  94
  95
  96 Interrogation commands
  97 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  98
  99 link:git-cat-file.html[git-cat-file]::
 100         Provide content or type information for repository objects
 101
 102 link:git-diff-cache.html[git-diff-cache]::
 103         Compares content and mode of blobs between the cache and repository
 104
 105 link:git-diff-files.html[git-diff-files]::
 106         Compares files in the working tree and the cache
 107
 108 link:git-diff-stages.html[git-diff-stages]::
 109         Compares two "merge stages" in the index file.
 110
 111 link:git-diff-tree.html[git-diff-tree]::
 112         Compares the content and mode of blobs found via two tree objects
 113
 114 link:git-export.html[git-export]::
 115         Exports each commit and a diff against each of its parents
 116
 117 link:git-fsck-cache.html[git-fsck-cache]::
 118         Verifies the connectivity and validity of the objects in the database
 119
 120 link:git-ls-files.html[git-ls-files]::
 121         Information about files in the cache/working directory
 122
 123 link:git-ls-tree.html[git-ls-tree]::
 124         Displays a tree object in human readable form
 125
 126 link:git-merge-base.html[git-merge-base]::
 127         Finds as good a common ancestor as possible for a merge
 128
 129 link:git-rev-list.html[git-rev-list]::
 130         Lists commit objects in reverse chronological order
 131
 132 link:git-rev-tree.html[git-rev-tree]::
 133         Provides the revision tree for one or more commits
 134
 135 link:git-show-index.html[git-show-index]::
 136         Displays contents of a pack idx file.
 137
 138 link:git-tar-tree.html[git-tar-tree]::
 139         Creates a tar archive of the files in the named tree
 140
 141 link:git-unpack-file.html[git-unpack-file]::
 142         Creates a temporary file with a blob's contents
 143
 144 link:git-var.html[git-var]::
 145         Displays a git logical variable
 146
 147 link:git-verify-pack.html[git-verify-pack]::
 148         Validates packed GIT archive files
 149
 150 The interrogate commands may create files - and you can force them to
 151 touch the working file set - but in general they don't
 152
 153
 154 Synching repositories
 155 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 156
 157 link:git-clone-pack.html[git-clone-pack]::
 158         Clones a repository into the current repository (engine
 159         for ssh and local transport)
 160
 161 link:git-fetch-pack.html[git-fetch-pack]::
 162         Updates from a remote repository.
 163
 164 link:git-http-pull.html[git-http-pull]::
 165         Downloads a remote GIT repository via HTTP
 166
 167 link:git-local-pull.html[git-local-pull]::
 168         Duplicates another GIT repository on a local system
 169
 170 link:git-peek-remote.html[git-peek-remote]::
 171         Lists references on a remote repository using upload-pack protocol.
 172
 173 link:git-receive-pack.html[git-receive-pack]::
 174         Invoked by 'git-send-pack' to receive what is pushed to it.
 175
 176 link:git-send-pack.html[git-send-pack]::
 177         Pushes to a remote repository, intelligently.
 178
 179 link:git-ssh-pull.html[git-ssh-pull]::
 180         Pulls from a remote repository over ssh connection
 181
 182 link:git-ssh-push.html[git-ssh-push]::
 183         Helper "server-side" program used by git-ssh-pull
 184
 185 link:git-update-server-info.html[git-update-server-info]::
 186         Updates auxiliary information on a dumb server to help
 187         clients discover references and packs on it.
 188
 189 link:git-upload-pack.html[git-upload-pack]::
 190         Invoked by 'git-clone-pack' and 'git-fetch-pack' to push
 191         what are asked for.
 192
 193
 194 Porcelain-ish Commands
 195 ----------------------
 196
 197 link:git-add-script.html[git-add-script]::
 198         Add paths to the index file.
 199
 200 link:git-applymbox.html[git-applymbox]::
 201         Apply patches from a mailbox.
 202
 203 link:git-bisect-script.html[git-bisect-script]::
 204         Find the change that introduced a bug.
 205
 206 link:git-branch-script.html[git-branch-script]::
 207         Create and Show branches.
 208
 209 link:git-cherry-pick-script.html[git-cherry-pick-script]::
 210         Cherry-pick the effect of an existing commit.
 211
 212 link:git-clone-script.html[git-clone-script]::
 213         Clones a repository into a new directory.
 214
 215 link:git-commit-script.html[git-commit-script]::
 216         Record changes to the repository.
 217
 218 link:git-fetch-script.html[git-fetch-script]::
 219         Download from a remote repository via various protocols.
 220
 221 link:git-log-script.html[git-log-script]::
 222         Shows commit logs.
 223
 224 link:git-ls-remote-script.html[git-ls-remote-script]::
 225         Shows references in a remote or local repository.
 226
 227 link:git-octopus-script.html[git-octopus-script]::
 228         Merge more than two commits.
 229
 230 link:git-pull-script.html[git-pull-script]::
 231         Fetch from and merge with a remote repository.
 232
 233 link:git-push-script.html[git-push-script]::
 234         Update remote refs along with associated objects.
 235
 236 link:git-rebase-script.html[git-rebase-script]::
 237         Rebase local commits to new upstream head.
 238
 239 link:git-rename-script.html[git-rename]::
 240         Rename files and directories.
 241
 242 link:git-repack-script.html[git-repack-script]::
 243         Pack unpacked objects in a repository.
 244
 245 link:git-resolve-script.html[git-resolve-script]::
 246         Merge two commits.
 247
 248 link:git-revert-script.html[git-revert-script]::
 249         Revert an existing commit.
 250
 251 link:git-shortlog.html[git-shortlog]::
 252         Summarizes 'git log' output.
 253
 254 link:git-show-branch.html[git-show-branch]::
 255         Show branches and their commits.
 256
 257 link:git-status-script.html[git-status-script]::
 258         Shows the working tree status.
 259
 260 link:git-verify-tag-script.html[git-verify-tag-script]::
 261         Check the GPG signature of tag.
 262
 263 link:git-whatchanged.html[git-whatchanged]::
 264         Shows commit logs and differences they introduce.
 265
 266
 267 Ancillary Commands
 268 ------------------
 269 Manipulators:
 270
 271 link:git-applypatch.html[git-applypatch]::
 272         Apply one patch extracted from an e-mail.
 273
 274 link:git-convert-cache.html[git-convert-cache]::
 275         Converts old-style GIT repository
 276
 277 link:git-cvsimport-script.html[git-cvsimport-script]::
 278         Salvage your data out of another SCM people love to hate.
 279
 280 link:git-merge-one-file-script.html[git-merge-one-file-script]::
 281         The standard helper program to use with "git-merge-cache"
 282
 283 link:git-prune-script.html[git-prune-script]::
 284         Prunes all unreachable objects from the object database
 285
 286 link:git-relink-script.html[git-relink-script]::
 287         Hardlink common objects in local repositories.
 288
 289 link:git-sh-setup-script.html[git-sh-setup-script]::
 290         Common git shell script setup code.
 291
 292 link:git-tag-script.html[git-tag-script]::
 293         An example script to create a tag object signed with GPG
 294
 295
 296 Interrogators:
 297
 298 link:git-cherry.html[git-cherry]::
 299         Find commits not merged upstream.
 300
 301 link:git-count-objects-script.html[git-count-objects-script]::
 302         Count unpacked number of objects and their disk consumption.
 303
 304 link:git-diff-helper.html[git-diff-helper]::
 305         Generates patch format output for git-diff-*
 306
 307 link:git-mailinfo.html[git-mailinfo]::
 308         Extracts patch from a single e-mail message.
 309
 310 link:git-mailsplit.html[git-mailsplit]::
 311         git-mailsplit.
 312
 313 link:git-patch-id.html[git-patch-id]::
 314         Compute unique ID for a patch.
 315
 316 link:git-send-email-script.html[git-send-email]::
 317         Send patch e-mails out of "format-patch --mbox" output.
 318
 319
 320 Commands not yet documented
 321 ---------------------------
 322
 323 link:git-build-rev-cache.html[git-build-rev-cache]::
 324         git-build-rev-cache.
 325
 326 link:git-checkout-script.html[git-checkout-script]::
 327         git-checkout-script.
 328
 329 link:git-clone-dumb-http.html[git-clone-dumb-http]::
 330         git-clone-dumb-http.
 331
 332 link:git-daemon.html[git-daemon]::
 333         git-daemon.
 334
 335 link:git-diff-script.html[git-diff-script]::
 336         git-diff-script.
 337
 338 link:git-format-patch-script.html[git-format-patch-script]::
 339         git-format-patch-script.
 340
 341 link:git-get-tar-commit-id.html[git-get-tar-commit-id]::
 342         git-get-tar-commit-id.
 343
 344 link:git-request-pull-script.html[git-request-pull-script]::
 345         git-request-pull-script.
 346
 347 link:git-reset-script.html[git-reset-script]::
 348         git-reset-script.
 349
 350 link:git-rev-parse.html[git-rev-parse]::
 351         git-rev-parse.
 352
 353 link:git-show-rev-cache.html[git-show-rev-cache]::
 354         git-show-rev-cache.
 355
 356 link:git-stripspace.html[git-stripspace]::
 357         git-stripspace.
 358
 359 link:gitk.html[gitk]::
 360         gitk.
 361
 362
 363 Identifier Terminology
 364 ----------------------
 365 <object>::
 366         Indicates the sha1 identifier for any type of object
 367
 368 <blob>::
 369         Indicates a blob object sha1 identifier
 370
 371 <tree>::
 372         Indicates a tree object sha1 identifier
 373
 374 <commit>::
 375         Indicates a commit object sha1 identifier
 376
 377 <tree-ish>::
 378         Indicates a tree, commit or tag object sha1 identifier.  A
 379         command that takes a <tree-ish> argument ultimately wants to
 380         operate on a <tree> object but automatically dereferences
 381         <commit> and <tag> objects that point at a <tree>.
 382
 383 <type>::
 384         Indicates that an object type is required.
 385         Currently one of: blob/tree/commit/tag
 386
 387 <file>::
 388         Indicates a filename - always relative to the root of
 389         the tree structure GIT_INDEX_FILE describes.
 390
 391 Symbolic Identifiers
 392 --------------------
 393 Any git command accepting any <object> can also use the following
 394 symbolic notation:
 395
 396 HEAD::
 397         indicates the head of the repository (ie the contents of
 398         `$GIT_DIR/HEAD`)
 399 <tag>::
 400         a valid tag 'name'+
 401         (ie the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/tags/<tag>`)
 402 <head>::
 403         a valid head 'name'+
 404         (ie the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/heads/<head>`)
 405 <snap>::
 406         a valid snapshot 'name'+
 407         (ie the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/snap/<snap>`)
 408
 409
 410 File/Directory Structure
 411 ------------------------
 412 The git-core manipulates the following areas in the directory:
 413
 414  .git/         The base (overridden with $GIT_DIR)
 415    objects/    The object base (overridden with $GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY)
 416      ??/       'First 2 chars of object' directories.
 417      pack/     Packed archives.
 418
 419    refs/       Directories containing symbolic names for objects
 420                (each file contains the hex SHA1 + newline)
 421      heads/    Commits which are heads of various sorts
 422      tags/     Tags, by the tag name (or some local renaming of it)
 423      */        Any other subdirectory of refs/ can be used to store
 424                files similar to what are under refs/heads/.
 425    HEAD        Symlink to refs/heads/<current-branch-name>
 426
 427 Higher level SCMs may provide and manage additional information in the
 428 GIT_DIR.
 429
 430 Terminology
 431 -----------
 432 Please see link:glossary.html[glossary] document.
 433
 434
 435 Environment Variables
 436 ---------------------
 437 Various git commands use the following environment variables:
 438
 439 The git Repository
 440 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 441 These environment variables apply to 'all' core git commands. Nb: it
 442 is worth noting that they may be used/overridden by SCMS sitting above
 443 git so take care if using Cogito etc
 444
 445 'GIT_INDEX_FILE'::
 446         This environment allows the specification of an alternate
 447         cache/index file. If not specified, the default of
 448         `$GIT_DIR/index` is used.
 449
 450 'GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY'::
 451         If the object storage directory is specified via this
 452         environment variable then the sha1 directories are created
 453         underneath - otherwise the default `$GIT_DIR/objects`
 454         directory is used.
 455
 456 'GIT_ALTERNATE_OBJECT_DIRECTORIES'::
 457         Due to the immutable nature of git objects, old objects can be
 458         archived into shared, read-only directories. This variable
 459         specifies a ":" separated list of git object directories which
 460         can be used to search for git objects. New objects will not be
 461         written to these directories.
 462
 463 'GIT_DIR'::
 464         If the 'GIT_DIR' environment variable is set then it specifies
 465         a path to use instead of `./.git` for the base of the
 466         repository.
 467
 468 git Commits
 469 ~~~~~~~~~~~
 470 'GIT_AUTHOR_NAME'::
 471 'GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL'::
 472 'GIT_AUTHOR_DATE'::
 473 'GIT_COMMITTER_NAME'::
 474 'GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL'::
 475         see link:git-commit-tree.html[git-commit-tree]
 476
 477 git Diffs
 478 ~~~~~~~~~
 479 'GIT_DIFF_OPTS'::
 480 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF'::
 481         see the "generating patches" section in :
 482         link:git-diff-cache.html[git-diff-cache];
 483         link:git-diff-files.html[git-diff-files];
 484         link:git-diff-tree.html[git-diff-tree]
 485
 486 Discussion
 487 ----------
 488 include::../README[]
 489
 490 Author
 491 ------
 492 Written by Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org> and the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
 493
 494 Documentation
 495 --------------
 496 Documentation by David Greaves, Junio C Hamano and the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
 497
 498 GIT
 499 ---
 500 Part of the link:git.html[git] suite
 501