6 git - the stupid content tracker
12 'git' [--version] [--exec-path[=GIT_EXEC_PATH]]
13 [-p|--paginate|--no-pager]
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:v1.6.1/git.html[documentation for release 1.6.1]
49 link:RelNotes-1.6.1.txt[1.6.1].
51 * link:v1.6.0.6/git.html[documentation for release 1.6.0.6]
54 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.6.txt[1.6.0.6],
55 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.5.txt[1.6.0.5],
56 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.4.txt[1.6.0.4],
57 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.3.txt[1.6.0.3],
58 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.2.txt[1.6.0.2],
59 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.1.txt[1.6.0.1],
60 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.txt[1.6.0].
62 * link:v1.5.6.6/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.6.6]
65 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.6.txt[1.5.6.6],
66 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.5.txt[1.5.6.5],
67 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.4.txt[1.5.6.4],
68 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.3.txt[1.5.6.3],
69 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.2.txt[1.5.6.2],
70 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.1.txt[1.5.6.1],
71 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.txt[1.5.6].
73 * link:v1.5.5.6/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.5.6]
76 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.6.txt[1.5.5.6],
77 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.5.txt[1.5.5.5],
78 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.4.txt[1.5.5.4],
79 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.3.txt[1.5.5.3],
80 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.2.txt[1.5.5.2],
81 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.1.txt[1.5.5.1],
82 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.txt[1.5.5].
84 * link:v1.5.4.7/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.4.7]
87 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.7.txt[1.5.4.7],
88 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.6.txt[1.5.4.6],
89 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.5.txt[1.5.4.5],
90 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.4.txt[1.5.4.4],
91 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.3.txt[1.5.4.3],
92 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.2.txt[1.5.4.2],
93 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.1.txt[1.5.4.1],
94 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.txt[1.5.4].
96 * link:v1.5.3.8/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.3.8]
99 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.8.txt[1.5.3.8],
100 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.7.txt[1.5.3.7],
101 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.6.txt[1.5.3.6],
102 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.5.txt[1.5.3.5],
103 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.4.txt[1.5.3.4],
104 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.3.txt[1.5.3.3],
105 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.2.txt[1.5.3.2],
106 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.1.txt[1.5.3.1],
107 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.txt[1.5.3].
109 * link:v1.5.2.5/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.2.5]
112 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.5.txt[1.5.2.5],
113 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.4.txt[1.5.2.4],
114 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.3.txt[1.5.2.3],
115 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.2.txt[1.5.2.2],
116 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.1.txt[1.5.2.1],
117 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.txt[1.5.2].
119 * link:v1.5.1.6/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.1.6]
122 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.6.txt[1.5.1.6],
123 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.5.txt[1.5.1.5],
124 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.4.txt[1.5.1.4],
125 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.3.txt[1.5.1.3],
126 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.2.txt[1.5.1.2],
127 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.1.txt[1.5.1.1],
128 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.txt[1.5.1].
130 * link:v1.5.0.7/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.0.7]
133 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.7.txt[1.5.0.7],
134 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.6.txt[1.5.0.6],
135 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.5.txt[1.5.0.5],
136 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.3.txt[1.5.0.3],
137 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.2.txt[1.5.0.2],
138 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.1.txt[1.5.0.1],
139 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.txt[1.5.0].
141 * documentation for release link:v1.4.4.4/git.html[1.4.4.4],
142 link:v1.3.3/git.html[1.3.3],
143 link:v1.2.6/git.html[1.2.6],
144 link:v1.0.13/git.html[1.0.13].
153 Prints the git suite version that the 'git' program came from.
156 Prints the synopsis and a list of the most commonly used
157 commands. If the option '--all' or '-a' is given then all
158 available commands are printed. If a git command is named this
159 option will bring up the manual page for that command.
161 Other options are available to control how the manual page is
162 displayed. See linkgit:git-help[1] for more information,
163 because `git --help ...` is converted internally into `git
167 Path to wherever your core git programs are installed.
168 This can also be controlled by setting the GIT_EXEC_PATH
169 environment variable. If no path is given, 'git' will print
170 the current setting and then exit.
174 Pipe all output into 'less' (or if set, $PAGER).
177 Do not pipe git output into a pager.
180 Set the path to the repository. This can also be controlled by
181 setting the GIT_DIR environment variable. It can be an absolute
182 path or relative path to current working directory.
185 Set the path to the working tree. The value will not be
186 used in combination with repositories found automatically in
187 a .git directory (i.e. $GIT_DIR is not set).
188 This can also be controlled by setting the GIT_WORK_TREE
189 environment variable and the core.worktree configuration
190 variable. It can be an absolute path or relative path to
191 the directory specified by --git-dir or GIT_DIR.
192 Note: If --git-dir or GIT_DIR are specified but none of
193 --work-tree, GIT_WORK_TREE and core.worktree is specified,
194 the current working directory is regarded as the top directory
195 of your working tree.
198 Treat the repository as a bare repository. If GIT_DIR
199 environment is not set, it is set to the current working
203 FURTHER DOCUMENTATION
204 ---------------------
206 See the references above to get started using git. The following is
207 probably more detail than necessary for a first-time user.
209 The link:user-manual.html#git-concepts[git concepts chapter of the
210 user-manual] and linkgit:gitcore-tutorial[7] both provide
211 introductions to the underlying git architecture.
213 See also the link:howto-index.html[howto] documents for some useful
216 The internals are documented in the
217 link:technical/api-index.html[GIT API documentation].
222 We divide git into high level ("porcelain") commands and low level
223 ("plumbing") commands.
225 High-level commands (porcelain)
226 -------------------------------
228 We separate the porcelain commands into the main commands and some
229 ancillary user utilities.
231 Main porcelain commands
232 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
234 include::cmds-mainporcelain.txt[]
240 include::cmds-ancillarymanipulators.txt[]
244 include::cmds-ancillaryinterrogators.txt[]
247 Interacting with Others
248 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
250 These commands are to interact with foreign SCM and with other
251 people via patch over e-mail.
253 include::cmds-foreignscminterface.txt[]
256 Low-level commands (plumbing)
257 -----------------------------
259 Although git includes its
260 own porcelain layer, its low-level commands are sufficient to support
261 development of alternative porcelains. Developers of such porcelains
262 might start by reading about linkgit:git-update-index[1] and
263 linkgit:git-read-tree[1].
265 The interface (input, output, set of options and the semantics)
266 to these low-level commands are meant to be a lot more stable
267 than Porcelain level commands, because these commands are
268 primarily for scripted use. The interface to Porcelain commands
269 on the other hand are subject to change in order to improve the
272 The following description divides
273 the low-level commands into commands that manipulate objects (in
274 the repository, index, and working tree), commands that interrogate and
275 compare objects, and commands that move objects and references between
279 Manipulation commands
280 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
282 include::cmds-plumbingmanipulators.txt[]
285 Interrogation commands
286 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
288 include::cmds-plumbinginterrogators.txt[]
290 In general, the interrogate commands do not touch the files in
294 Synching repositories
295 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
297 include::cmds-synchingrepositories.txt[]
299 The following are helper programs used by the above; end users
300 typically do not use them directly.
302 include::cmds-synchelpers.txt[]
305 Internal helper commands
306 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
308 These are internal helper commands used by other commands; end
309 users typically do not use them directly.
311 include::cmds-purehelpers.txt[]
314 Configuration Mechanism
315 -----------------------
317 Starting from 0.99.9 (actually mid 0.99.8.GIT), `.git/config` file
318 is used to hold per-repository configuration options. It is a
319 simple text file modeled after `.ini` format familiar to some
320 people. Here is an example:
324 # A '#' or ';' character indicates a comment.
329 ; Don't trust file modes
334 name = "Junio C Hamano"
335 email = "junkio@twinsun.com"
339 Various commands read from the configuration file and adjust
340 their operation accordingly.
343 Identifier Terminology
344 ----------------------
346 Indicates the object name for any type of object.
349 Indicates a blob object name.
352 Indicates a tree object name.
355 Indicates a commit object name.
358 Indicates a tree, commit or tag object name. A
359 command that takes a <tree-ish> argument ultimately wants to
360 operate on a <tree> object but automatically dereferences
361 <commit> and <tag> objects that point at a <tree>.
364 Indicates a commit or tag object name. A
365 command that takes a <commit-ish> argument ultimately wants to
366 operate on a <commit> object but automatically dereferences
367 <tag> objects that point at a <commit>.
370 Indicates that an object type is required.
371 Currently one of: `blob`, `tree`, `commit`, or `tag`.
374 Indicates a filename - almost always relative to the
375 root of the tree structure `GIT_INDEX_FILE` describes.
379 Any git command accepting any <object> can also use the following
383 indicates the head of the current branch (i.e. the
384 contents of `$GIT_DIR/HEAD`).
388 (i.e. the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/tags/<tag>`).
392 (i.e. the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/heads/<head>`).
394 For a more complete list of ways to spell object names, see
395 "SPECIFYING REVISIONS" section in linkgit:git-rev-parse[1].
398 File/Directory Structure
399 ------------------------
401 Please see the linkgit:gitrepository-layout[5] document.
403 Read linkgit:githooks[5] for more details about each hook.
405 Higher level SCMs may provide and manage additional information in the
411 Please see linkgit:gitglossary[7].
414 Environment Variables
415 ---------------------
416 Various git commands use the following environment variables:
420 These environment variables apply to 'all' core git commands. Nb: it
421 is worth noting that they may be used/overridden by SCMS sitting above
422 git so take care if using Cogito etc.
425 This environment allows the specification of an alternate
426 index file. If not specified, the default of `$GIT_DIR/index`
429 'GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY'::
430 If the object storage directory is specified via this
431 environment variable then the sha1 directories are created
432 underneath - otherwise the default `$GIT_DIR/objects`
435 'GIT_ALTERNATE_OBJECT_DIRECTORIES'::
436 Due to the immutable nature of git objects, old objects can be
437 archived into shared, read-only directories. This variable
438 specifies a ":" separated (on Windows ";" separated) list
439 of git object directories which can be used to search for git
440 objects. New objects will not be written to these directories.
443 If the 'GIT_DIR' environment variable is set then it
444 specifies a path to use instead of the default `.git`
445 for the base of the repository.
448 Set the path to the working tree. The value will not be
449 used in combination with repositories found automatically in
450 a .git directory (i.e. $GIT_DIR is not set).
451 This can also be controlled by the '--work-tree' command line
452 option and the core.worktree configuration variable.
454 'GIT_CEILING_DIRECTORIES'::
455 This should be a colon-separated list of absolute paths.
456 If set, it is a list of directories that git should not chdir
457 up into while looking for a repository directory.
458 It will not exclude the current working directory or
459 a GIT_DIR set on the command line or in the environment.
460 (Useful for excluding slow-loading network directories.)
467 'GIT_COMMITTER_NAME'::
468 'GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL'::
469 'GIT_COMMITTER_DATE'::
471 see linkgit:git-commit-tree[1]
476 Only valid setting is "--unified=??" or "-u??" to set the
477 number of context lines shown when a unified diff is created.
478 This takes precedence over any "-U" or "--unified" option
479 value passed on the git diff command line.
481 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF'::
482 When the environment variable 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' is set, the
483 program named by it is called, instead of the diff invocation
484 described above. For a path that is added, removed, or modified,
485 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' is called with 7 parameters:
487 path old-file old-hex old-mode new-file new-hex new-mode
491 <old|new>-file:: are files GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF can use to read the
492 contents of <old|new>,
493 <old|new>-hex:: are the 40-hexdigit SHA1 hashes,
494 <old|new>-mode:: are the octal representation of the file modes.
497 The file parameters can point at the user's working file
498 (e.g. `new-file` in "git-diff-files"), `/dev/null` (e.g. `old-file`
499 when a new file is added), or a temporary file (e.g. `old-file` in the
500 index). 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' should not worry about unlinking the
501 temporary file --- it is removed when 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' exits.
503 For a path that is unmerged, 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' is called with 1
508 'GIT_MERGE_VERBOSITY'::
509 A number controlling the amount of output shown by
510 the recursive merge strategy. Overrides merge.verbosity.
511 See linkgit:git-merge[1]
514 This environment variable overrides `$PAGER`. If it is set
515 to an empty string or to the value "cat", git will not launch
516 a pager. See also the `core.pager` option in
517 linkgit:git-config[1].
520 If this environment variable is set then 'git-fetch'
521 and 'git-push' will use this command instead
522 of 'ssh' when they need to connect to a remote system.
523 The '$GIT_SSH' command will be given exactly two arguments:
524 the 'username@host' (or just 'host') from the URL and the
525 shell command to execute on that remote system.
527 To pass options to the program that you want to list in GIT_SSH
528 you will need to wrap the program and options into a shell script,
529 then set GIT_SSH to refer to the shell script.
531 Usually it is easier to configure any desired options through your
532 personal `.ssh/config` file. Please consult your ssh documentation
536 If this environment variable is set to "1", then commands such
537 as 'git-blame' (in incremental mode), 'git-rev-list', 'git-log',
538 and 'git-whatchanged' will force a flush of the output stream
539 after each commit-oriented record have been flushed. If this
540 variable is set to "0", the output of these commands will be done
541 using completely buffered I/O. If this environment variable is
542 not set, git will choose buffered or record-oriented flushing
543 based on whether stdout appears to be redirected to a file or not.
546 If this variable is set to "1", "2" or "true" (comparison
547 is case insensitive), git will print `trace:` messages on
548 stderr telling about alias expansion, built-in command
549 execution and external command execution.
550 If this variable is set to an integer value greater than 1
551 and lower than 10 (strictly) then git will interpret this
552 value as an open file descriptor and will try to write the
553 trace messages into this file descriptor.
554 Alternatively, if this variable is set to an absolute path
555 (starting with a '/' character), git will interpret this
556 as a file path and will try to write the trace messages
559 Discussion[[Discussion]]
560 ------------------------
562 More detail on the following is available from the
563 link:user-manual.html#git-concepts[git concepts chapter of the
564 user-manual] and linkgit:gitcore-tutorial[7].
566 A git project normally consists of a working directory with a ".git"
567 subdirectory at the top level. The .git directory contains, among other
568 things, a compressed object database representing the complete history
569 of the project, an "index" file which links that history to the current
570 contents of the working tree, and named pointers into that history such
571 as tags and branch heads.
573 The object database contains objects of three main types: blobs, which
574 hold file data; trees, which point to blobs and other trees to build up
575 directory hierarchies; and commits, which each reference a single tree
576 and some number of parent commits.
578 The commit, equivalent to what other systems call a "changeset" or
579 "version", represents a step in the project's history, and each parent
580 represents an immediately preceding step. Commits with more than one
581 parent represent merges of independent lines of development.
583 All objects are named by the SHA1 hash of their contents, normally
584 written as a string of 40 hex digits. Such names are globally unique.
585 The entire history leading up to a commit can be vouched for by signing
586 just that commit. A fourth object type, the tag, is provided for this
589 When first created, objects are stored in individual files, but for
590 efficiency may later be compressed together into "pack files".
592 Named pointers called refs mark interesting points in history. A ref
593 may contain the SHA1 name of an object or the name of another ref. Refs
594 with names beginning `ref/head/` contain the SHA1 name of the most
595 recent commit (or "head") of a branch under development. SHA1 names of
596 tags of interest are stored under `ref/tags/`. A special ref named
597 `HEAD` contains the name of the currently checked-out branch.
599 The index file is initialized with a list of all paths and, for each
600 path, a blob object and a set of attributes. The blob object represents
601 the contents of the file as of the head of the current branch. The
602 attributes (last modified time, size, etc.) are taken from the
603 corresponding file in the working tree. Subsequent changes to the
604 working tree can be found by comparing these attributes. The index may
605 be updated with new content, and new commits may be created from the
606 content stored in the index.
608 The index is also capable of storing multiple entries (called "stages")
609 for a given pathname. These stages are used to hold the various
610 unmerged version of a file when a merge is in progress.
614 * git's founding father is Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org>.
615 * The current git nurse is Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>.
616 * The git potty was written by Andreas Ericsson <ae@op5.se>.
617 * General upbringing is handled by the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
621 The documentation for git suite was started by David Greaves
622 <david@dgreaves.com>, and later enhanced greatly by the
623 contributors on the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
627 linkgit:gittutorial[7], linkgit:gittutorial-2[7],
628 link:everyday.html[Everyday Git], linkgit:gitcvs-migration[7],
629 linkgit:gitglossary[7], linkgit:gitcore-tutorial[7],
630 linkgit:gitcli[7], link:user-manual.html[The Git User's Manual]
634 Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite