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1 [[def_alternate_object_database]]alternate object database::
2 Via the alternates mechanism, a <<def_repository,repository>>
3 can inherit part of its <<def_object_database,object database>>
4 from another object database, which is called "alternate".
6 [[def_bare_repository]]bare repository::
7 A bare repository is normally an appropriately
8 named <<def_directory,directory>> with a `.git` suffix that does not
9 have a locally checked-out copy of any of the files under
10 revision control. That is, all of the `git`
11 administrative and control files that would normally be present in the
12 hidden `.git` sub-directory are directly present in the
13 `repository.git` directory instead,
14 and no other files are present and checked out. Usually publishers of
15 public repositories make bare repositories available.
17 [[def_blob_object]]blob object::
18 Untyped <<def_object,object>>, e.g. the contents of a file.
20 [[def_branch]]branch::
21 A "branch" is an active line of development. The most recent
22 <<def_commit,commit>> on a branch is referred to as the tip of
23 that branch. The tip of the branch is referenced by a branch
24 <<def_head,head>>, which moves forward as additional development
25 is done on the branch. A single git
26 <<def_repository,repository>> can track an arbitrary number of
27 branches, but your <<def_working_tree,working tree>> is
28 associated with just one of them (the "current" or "checked out"
29 branch), and <<def_HEAD,HEAD>> points to that branch.
31 [[def_cache]]cache::
32 Obsolete for: <<def_index,index>>.
34 [[def_chain]]chain::
35 A list of objects, where each <<def_object,object>> in the list contains
36 a reference to its successor (for example, the successor of a
37 <<def_commit,commit>> could be one of its <<def_parent,parents>>).
39 [[def_changeset]]changeset::
40 BitKeeper/cvsps speak for "<<def_commit,commit>>". Since git does not
41 store changes, but states, it really does not make sense to use the term
42 "changesets" with git.
44 [[def_checkout]]checkout::
45 The action of updating all or part of the
46 <<def_working_tree,working tree>> with a <<def_tree_object,tree object>>
47 or <<def_blob_object,blob>> from the
48 <<def_object_database,object database>>, and updating the
49 <<def_index,index>> and <<def_HEAD,HEAD>> if the whole working tree has
50 been pointed at a new <<def_branch,branch>>.
52 [[def_cherry-picking]]cherry-picking::
53 In <<def_SCM,SCM>> jargon, "cherry pick" means to choose a subset of
54 changes out of a series of changes (typically commits) and record them
55 as a new series of changes on top of a different codebase. In GIT, this is
56 performed by the "git cherry-pick" command to extract the change introduced
57 by an existing <<def_commit,commit>> and to record it based on the tip
58 of the current <<def_branch,branch>> as a new commit.
60 [[def_clean]]clean::
61 A <<def_working_tree,working tree>> is clean, if it
62 corresponds to the <<def_revision,revision>> referenced by the current
63 <<def_head,head>>. Also see "<<def_dirty,dirty>>".
65 [[def_commit]]commit::
66 As a noun: A single point in the
67 git history; the entire history of a project is represented as a
68 set of interrelated commits. The word "commit" is often
69 used by git in the same places other revision control systems
70 use the words "revision" or "version". Also used as a short
71 hand for <<def_commit_object,commit object>>.
72 +
73 As a verb: The action of storing a new snapshot of the project's
74 state in the git history, by creating a new commit representing the current
75 state of the <<def_index,index>> and advancing <<def_HEAD,HEAD>>
76 to point at the new commit.
78 [[def_commit_object]]commit object::
79 An <<def_object,object>> which contains the information about a
80 particular <<def_revision,revision>>, such as <<def_parent,parents>>, committer,
81 author, date and the <<def_tree_object,tree object>> which corresponds
82 to the top <<def_directory,directory>> of the stored
83 revision.
85 [[def_core_git]]core git::
86 Fundamental data structures and utilities of git. Exposes only limited
87 source code management tools.
89 [[def_DAG]]DAG::
90 Directed acyclic graph. The <<def_commit_object,commit objects>> form a
91 directed acyclic graph, because they have parents (directed), and the
92 graph of commit objects is acyclic (there is no <<def_chain,chain>>
93 which begins and ends with the same <<def_object,object>>).
95 [[def_dangling_object]]dangling object::
96 An <<def_unreachable_object,unreachable object>> which is not
97 <<def_reachable,reachable>> even from other unreachable objects; a
98 dangling object has no references to it from any
99 reference or <<def_object,object>> in the <<def_repository,repository>>.
101 [[def_detached_HEAD]]detached HEAD::
102 Normally the <<def_HEAD,HEAD>> stores the name of a
103 <<def_branch,branch>>. However, git also allows you to <<def_checkout,check out>>
104 an arbitrary <<def_commit,commit>> that isn't necessarily the tip of any
105 particular branch. In this case HEAD is said to be "detached".
107 [[def_dircache]]dircache::
108 You are *waaaaay* behind. See <<def_index,index>>.
110 [[def_directory]]directory::
111 The list you get with "ls" :-)
113 [[def_dirty]]dirty::
114 A <<def_working_tree,working tree>> is said to be "dirty" if
115 it contains modifications which have not been <<def_commit,committed>> to the current
116 <<def_branch,branch>>.
118 [[def_ent]]ent::
119 Favorite synonym to "<<def_tree-ish,tree-ish>>" by some total geeks. See
120 `http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ent_(Middle-earth)` for an in-depth
121 explanation. Avoid this term, not to confuse people.
123 [[def_evil_merge]]evil merge::
124 An evil merge is a <<def_merge,merge>> that introduces changes that
125 do not appear in any <<def_parent,parent>>.
127 [[def_fast_forward]]fast-forward::
128 A fast-forward is a special type of <<def_merge,merge>> where you have a
129 <<def_revision,revision>> and you are "merging" another
130 <<def_branch,branch>>'s changes that happen to be a descendant of what
131 you have. In such these cases, you do not make a new <<def_merge,merge>>
132 <<def_commit,commit>> but instead just update to his
133 revision. This will happen frequently on a
134 <<def_remote_tracking_branch,remote-tracking branch>> of a remote
135 <<def_repository,repository>>.
137 [[def_fetch]]fetch::
138 Fetching a <<def_branch,branch>> means to get the
139 branch's <<def_head_ref,head ref>> from a remote
140 <<def_repository,repository>>, to find out which objects are
141 missing from the local <<def_object_database,object database>>,
142 and to get them, too. See also linkgit:git-fetch[1].
144 [[def_file_system]]file system::
145 Linus Torvalds originally designed git to be a user space file system,
146 i.e. the infrastructure to hold files and directories. That ensured the
147 efficiency and speed of git.
149 [[def_git_archive]]git archive::
150 Synonym for <<def_repository,repository>> (for arch people).
152 [[def_grafts]]grafts::
153 Grafts enables two otherwise different lines of development to be joined
154 together by recording fake ancestry information for commits. This way
155 you can make git pretend the set of <<def_parent,parents>> a <<def_commit,commit>> has
156 is different from what was recorded when the commit was
157 created. Configured via the `.git/info/grafts` file.
159 [[def_hash]]hash::
160 In git's context, synonym to <<def_object_name,object name>>.
162 [[def_head]]head::
163 A <<def_ref,named reference>> to the <<def_commit,commit>> at the tip of a
164 <<def_branch,branch>>. Heads are stored in a file in
165 `$GIT_DIR/refs/heads/` directory, except when using packed refs. (See
166 linkgit:git-pack-refs[1].)
168 [[def_HEAD]]HEAD::
169 The current <<def_branch,branch>>. In more detail: Your <<def_working_tree,
170 working tree>> is normally derived from the state of the tree
171 referred to by HEAD. HEAD is a reference to one of the
172 <<def_head,heads>> in your repository, except when using a
173 <<def_detached_HEAD,detached HEAD>>, in which case it directly
174 references an arbitrary commit.
176 [[def_head_ref]]head ref::
177 A synonym for <<def_head,head>>.
179 [[def_hook]]hook::
180 During the normal execution of several git commands, call-outs are made
181 to optional scripts that allow a developer to add functionality or
182 checking. Typically, the hooks allow for a command to be pre-verified
183 and potentially aborted, and allow for a post-notification after the
184 operation is done. The hook scripts are found in the
185 `$GIT_DIR/hooks/` directory, and are enabled by simply
186 removing the `.sample` suffix from the filename. In earlier versions
187 of git you had to make them executable.
189 [[def_index]]index::
190 A collection of files with stat information, whose contents are stored
191 as objects. The index is a stored version of your
192 <<def_working_tree,working tree>>. Truth be told, it can also contain a second, and even
193 a third version of a working tree, which are used
194 when <<def_merge,merging>>.
196 [[def_index_entry]]index entry::
197 The information regarding a particular file, stored in the
198 <<def_index,index>>. An index entry can be unmerged, if a
199 <<def_merge,merge>> was started, but not yet finished (i.e. if
200 the index contains multiple versions of that file).
202 [[def_master]]master::
203 The default development <<def_branch,branch>>. Whenever you
204 create a git <<def_repository,repository>>, a branch named
205 "master" is created, and becomes the active branch. In most
206 cases, this contains the local development, though that is
207 purely by convention and is not required.
209 [[def_merge]]merge::
210 As a verb: To bring the contents of another
211 <<def_branch,branch>> (possibly from an external
212 <<def_repository,repository>>) into the current branch. In the
213 case where the merged-in branch is from a different repository,
214 this is done by first <<def_fetch,fetching>> the remote branch
215 and then merging the result into the current branch. This
216 combination of fetch and merge operations is called a
217 <<def_pull,pull>>. Merging is performed by an automatic process
218 that identifies changes made since the branches diverged, and
219 then applies all those changes together. In cases where changes
220 conflict, manual intervention may be required to complete the
221 merge.
222 +
223 As a noun: unless it is a <<def_fast_forward,fast-forward>>, a
224 successful merge results in the creation of a new <<def_commit,commit>>
225 representing the result of the merge, and having as
226 <<def_parent,parents>> the tips of the merged <<def_branch,branches>>.
227 This commit is referred to as a "merge commit", or sometimes just a
228 "merge".
230 [[def_object]]object::
231 The unit of storage in git. It is uniquely identified by the
232 <<def_SHA1,SHA1>> of its contents. Consequently, an
233 object can not be changed.
235 [[def_object_database]]object database::
236 Stores a set of "objects", and an individual <<def_object,object>> is
237 identified by its <<def_object_name,object name>>. The objects usually
238 live in `$GIT_DIR/objects/`.
240 [[def_object_identifier]]object identifier::
241 Synonym for <<def_object_name,object name>>.
243 [[def_object_name]]object name::
244 The unique identifier of an <<def_object,object>>. The <<def_hash,hash>>
245 of the object's contents using the Secure Hash Algorithm
246 1 and usually represented by the 40 character hexadecimal encoding of
247 the <<def_hash,hash>> of the object.
249 [[def_object_type]]object type::
250 One of the identifiers "<<def_commit_object,commit>>",
251 "<<def_tree_object,tree>>", "<<def_tag_object,tag>>" or
252 "<<def_blob_object,blob>>" describing the type of an
253 <<def_object,object>>.
255 [[def_octopus]]octopus::
256 To <<def_merge,merge>> more than two <<def_branch,branches>>. Also denotes an
257 intelligent predator.
259 [[def_origin]]origin::
260 The default upstream <<def_repository,repository>>. Most projects have
261 at least one upstream project which they track. By default
262 'origin' is used for that purpose. New upstream updates
263 will be fetched into remote <<def_remote_tracking_branch,remote-tracking branches>> named
264 origin/name-of-upstream-branch, which you can see using
265 `git branch -r`.
267 [[def_pack]]pack::
268 A set of objects which have been compressed into one file (to save space
269 or to transmit them efficiently).
271 [[def_pack_index]]pack index::
272 The list of identifiers, and other information, of the objects in a
273 <<def_pack,pack>>, to assist in efficiently accessing the contents of a
274 pack.
276 [[def_pathspec]]pathspec::
277 Pattern used to specify paths.
278 +
279 Pathspecs are used on the command line of "git ls-files", "git
280 ls-tree", "git add", "git grep", "git diff", "git checkout",
281 and many other commands to
282 limit the scope of operations to some subset of the tree or
283 worktree. See the documentation of each command for whether
284 paths are relative to the current directory or toplevel. The
285 pathspec syntax is as follows:
287 * any path matches itself
288 * the pathspec up to the last slash represents a
289 directory prefix. The scope of that pathspec is
290 limited to that subtree.
291 * the rest of the pathspec is a pattern for the remainder
292 of the pathname. Paths relative to the directory
293 prefix will be matched against that pattern using fnmatch(3);
294 in particular, '*' and '?' _can_ match directory separators.
295 +
296 For example, Documentation/*.jpg will match all .jpg files
297 in the Documentation subtree,
298 including Documentation/chapter_1/figure_1.jpg.
300 +
301 A pathspec that begins with a colon `:` has special meaning. In the
302 short form, the leading colon `:` is followed by zero or more "magic
303 signature" letters (which optionally is terminated by another colon `:`),
304 and the remainder is the pattern to match against the path. The optional
305 colon that terminates the "magic signature" can be omitted if the pattern
306 begins with a character that cannot be a "magic signature" and is not a
307 colon.
308 +
309 In the long form, the leading colon `:` is followed by a open
310 parenthesis `(`, a comma-separated list of zero or more "magic words",
311 and a close parentheses `)`, and the remainder is the pattern to match
312 against the path.
313 +
314 The "magic signature" consists of an ASCII symbol that is not
315 alphanumeric.
316 +
317 --
318 top `/`;;
319 The magic word `top` (mnemonic: `/`) makes the pattern match
320 from the root of the working tree, even when you are running
321 the command from inside a subdirectory.
322 --
323 +
324 Currently only the slash `/` is recognized as the "magic signature",
325 but it is envisioned that we will support more types of magic in later
326 versions of git.
327 +
328 A pathspec with only a colon means "there is no pathspec". This form
329 should not be combined with other pathspec.
331 [[def_parent]]parent::
332 A <<def_commit_object,commit object>> contains a (possibly empty) list
333 of the logical predecessor(s) in the line of development, i.e. its
334 parents.
336 [[def_pickaxe]]pickaxe::
337 The term <<def_pickaxe,pickaxe>> refers to an option to the diffcore
338 routines that help select changes that add or delete a given text
339 string. With the `--pickaxe-all` option, it can be used to view the full
340 <<def_changeset,changeset>> that introduced or removed, say, a
341 particular line of text. See linkgit:git-diff[1].
343 [[def_plumbing]]plumbing::
344 Cute name for <<def_core_git,core git>>.
346 [[def_porcelain]]porcelain::
347 Cute name for programs and program suites depending on
348 <<def_core_git,core git>>, presenting a high level access to
349 core git. Porcelains expose more of a <<def_SCM,SCM>>
350 interface than the <<def_plumbing,plumbing>>.
352 [[def_pull]]pull::
353 Pulling a <<def_branch,branch>> means to <<def_fetch,fetch>> it and
354 <<def_merge,merge>> it. See also linkgit:git-pull[1].
356 [[def_push]]push::
357 Pushing a <<def_branch,branch>> means to get the branch's
358 <<def_head_ref,head ref>> from a remote <<def_repository,repository>>,
359 find out if it is a direct ancestor to the branch's local
360 head ref, and in that case, putting all
361 objects, which are <<def_reachable,reachable>> from the local
362 head ref, and which are missing from the remote
363 repository, into the remote
364 <<def_object_database,object database>>, and updating the remote
365 head ref. If the remote <<def_head,head>> is not an
366 ancestor to the local head, the push fails.
368 [[def_reachable]]reachable::
369 All of the ancestors of a given <<def_commit,commit>> are said to be
370 "reachable" from that commit. More
371 generally, one <<def_object,object>> is reachable from
372 another if we can reach the one from the other by a <<def_chain,chain>>
373 that follows <<def_tag,tags>> to whatever they tag,
374 <<def_commit_object,commits>> to their parents or trees, and
375 <<def_tree_object,trees>> to the trees or <<def_blob_object,blobs>>
376 that they contain.
378 [[def_rebase]]rebase::
379 To reapply a series of changes from a <<def_branch,branch>> to a
380 different base, and reset the <<def_head,head>> of that branch
381 to the result.
383 [[def_ref]]ref::
384 A 40-byte hex representation of a <<def_SHA1,SHA1>> or a name that
385 denotes a particular <<def_object,object>>. They may be stored in
386 a file under `$GIT_DIR/refs/` directory, or
387 in the `$GIT_DIR/packed-refs` file.
389 [[def_reflog]]reflog::
390 A reflog shows the local "history" of a ref. In other words,
391 it can tell you what the 3rd last revision in _this_ repository
392 was, and what was the current state in _this_ repository,
393 yesterday 9:14pm. See linkgit:git-reflog[1] for details.
395 [[def_refspec]]refspec::
396 A "refspec" is used by <<def_fetch,fetch>> and
397 <<def_push,push>> to describe the mapping between remote
398 <<def_ref,ref>> and local ref. They are combined with a colon in
399 the format <src>:<dst>, preceded by an optional plus sign, +.
400 For example: `git fetch $URL
401 refs/heads/master:refs/heads/origin` means "grab the master
402 <<def_branch,branch>> <<def_head,head>> from the $URL and store
403 it as my origin branch head". And `git push
404 $URL refs/heads/master:refs/heads/to-upstream` means "publish my
405 master branch head as to-upstream branch at $URL". See also
406 linkgit:git-push[1].
408 [[def_remote_tracking_branch]]remote-tracking branch::
409 A regular git <<def_branch,branch>> that is used to follow changes from
410 another <<def_repository,repository>>. A remote-tracking
411 branch should not contain direct modifications or have local commits
412 made to it. A remote-tracking branch can usually be
413 identified as the right-hand-side <<def_ref,ref>> in a Pull:
414 <<def_refspec,refspec>>.
416 [[def_repository]]repository::
417 A collection of <<def_ref,refs>> together with an
418 <<def_object_database,object database>> containing all objects
419 which are <<def_reachable,reachable>> from the refs, possibly
420 accompanied by meta data from one or more <<def_porcelain,porcelains>>. A
421 repository can share an object database with other repositories
422 via <<def_alternate_object_database,alternates mechanism>>.
424 [[def_resolve]]resolve::
425 The action of fixing up manually what a failed automatic
426 <<def_merge,merge>> left behind.
428 [[def_revision]]revision::
429 A particular state of files and directories which was stored in the
430 <<def_object_database,object database>>. It is referenced by a
431 <<def_commit_object,commit object>>.
433 [[def_rewind]]rewind::
434 To throw away part of the development, i.e. to assign the
435 <<def_head,head>> to an earlier <<def_revision,revision>>.
437 [[def_SCM]]SCM::
438 Source code management (tool).
440 [[def_SHA1]]SHA1::
441 Synonym for <<def_object_name,object name>>.
443 [[def_shallow_repository]]shallow repository::
444 A shallow <<def_repository,repository>> has an incomplete
445 history some of whose <<def_commit,commits>> have <<def_parent,parents>> cauterized away (in other
446 words, git is told to pretend that these commits do not have the
447 parents, even though they are recorded in the <<def_commit_object,commit
448 object>>). This is sometimes useful when you are interested only in the
449 recent history of a project even though the real history recorded in the
450 upstream is much larger. A shallow repository
451 is created by giving the `--depth` option to linkgit:git-clone[1], and
452 its history can be later deepened with linkgit:git-fetch[1].
454 [[def_symref]]symref::
455 Symbolic reference: instead of containing the <<def_SHA1,SHA1>>
456 id itself, it is of the format 'ref: refs/some/thing' and when
457 referenced, it recursively dereferences to this reference.
458 '<<def_HEAD,HEAD>>' is a prime example of a symref. Symbolic
459 references are manipulated with the linkgit:git-symbolic-ref[1]
460 command.
462 [[def_tag]]tag::
463 A <<def_ref,ref>> under `refs/tags/` namespace that points to an
464 object of an arbitrary type (typically a tag points to either a
465 <<def_tag_object,tag>> or a <<def_commit_object,commit object>>).
466 In contrast to a <<def_head,head>>, a tag is not updated by
467 the `commit` command. A git tag has nothing to do with a Lisp
468 tag (which would be called an <<def_object_type,object type>>
469 in git's context). A tag is most typically used to mark a particular
470 point in the commit ancestry <<def_chain,chain>>.
472 [[def_tag_object]]tag object::
473 An <<def_object,object>> containing a <<def_ref,ref>> pointing to
474 another object, which can contain a message just like a
475 <<def_commit_object,commit object>>. It can also contain a (PGP)
476 signature, in which case it is called a "signed tag object".
478 [[def_topic_branch]]topic branch::
479 A regular git <<def_branch,branch>> that is used by a developer to
480 identify a conceptual line of development. Since branches are very easy
481 and inexpensive, it is often desirable to have several small branches
482 that each contain very well defined concepts or small incremental yet
483 related changes.
485 [[def_tree]]tree::
486 Either a <<def_working_tree,working tree>>, or a <<def_tree_object,tree
487 object>> together with the dependent <<def_blob_object,blob>> and tree objects
488 (i.e. a stored representation of a working tree).
490 [[def_tree_object]]tree object::
491 An <<def_object,object>> containing a list of file names and modes along
492 with refs to the associated blob and/or tree objects. A
493 <<def_tree,tree>> is equivalent to a <<def_directory,directory>>.
495 [[def_tree-ish]]tree-ish::
496 A <<def_ref,ref>> pointing to either a <<def_commit_object,commit
497 object>>, a <<def_tree_object,tree object>>, or a <<def_tag_object,tag
498 object>> pointing to a tag or commit or tree object.
500 [[def_unmerged_index]]unmerged index::
501 An <<def_index,index>> which contains unmerged
502 <<def_index_entry,index entries>>.
504 [[def_unreachable_object]]unreachable object::
505 An <<def_object,object>> which is not <<def_reachable,reachable>> from a
506 <<def_branch,branch>>, <<def_tag,tag>>, or any other reference.
508 [[def_upstream_branch]]upstream branch::
509 The default <<def_branch,branch>> that is merged into the branch in
510 question (or the branch in question is rebased onto). It is configured
511 via branch.<name>.remote and branch.<name>.merge. If the upstream branch
512 of 'A' is 'origin/B' sometimes we say "'A' is tracking 'origin/B'".
514 [[def_working_tree]]working tree::
515 The tree of actual checked out files. The working tree normally
516 contains the contents of the <<def_HEAD,HEAD>> commit's tree,
517 plus any local changes that you have made but not yet committed.