1 Everyday GIT With 20 Commands Or So
2 ===================================
4 <<Basic Repository>> commands are needed by people who have a
5 repository --- that is everybody, because every working tree of
8 In addition, <<Individual Developer (Standalone)>> commands are
9 essential for anybody who makes a commit, even for somebody who
12 If you work with other people, you will need commands listed in
13 the <<Individual Developer (Participant)>> section as well.
15 People who play the <<Integrator>> role need to learn some more
16 commands in addition to the above.
18 <<Repository Administration>> commands are for system
19 administrators who are responsible for the care and feeding
23 Basic Repository[[Basic Repository]]
24 ------------------------------------
26 Everybody uses these commands to maintain git repositories.
28 * gitlink:git-init[1] or gitlink:git-clone[1] to create a
31 * gitlink:git-fsck[1] to check the repository for errors.
33 * gitlink:git-prune[1] to remove unused objects in the repository.
35 * gitlink:git-repack[1] to pack loose objects for efficiency.
37 * gitlink:git-gc[1] to do common housekeeping tasks such as
43 Check health and remove cruft.::
47 $ git count-objects <2>
52 <1> running without `\--full` is usually cheap and assures the
53 repository health reasonably well.
54 <2> check how many loose objects there are and how much
55 disk space is wasted by not repacking.
56 <3> without `-a` repacks incrementally. repacking every 4-5MB
57 of loose objects accumulation may be a good rule of thumb.
58 <4> it is easier to use `git gc` than individual housekeeping commands
59 such as `prune` and `repack`. This runs `repack -a -d`.
61 Repack a small project into single pack.::
64 $ git repack -a -d <1>
68 <1> pack all the objects reachable from the refs into one pack,
69 then remove the other packs.
72 Individual Developer (Standalone)[[Individual Developer (Standalone)]]
73 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
75 A standalone individual developer does not exchange patches with
76 other people, and works alone in a single repository, using the
79 * gitlink:git-show-branch[1] to see where you are.
81 * gitlink:git-log[1] to see what happened.
83 * gitlink:git-checkout[1] and gitlink:git-branch[1] to switch
86 * gitlink:git-add[1] to manage the index file.
88 * gitlink:git-diff[1] and gitlink:git-status[1] to see what
89 you are in the middle of doing.
91 * gitlink:git-commit[1] to advance the current branch.
93 * gitlink:git-reset[1] and gitlink:git-checkout[1] (with
94 pathname parameters) to undo changes.
96 * gitlink:git-merge[1] to merge between local branches.
98 * gitlink:git-rebase[1] to maintain topic branches.
100 * gitlink:git-tag[1] to mark known point.
105 Use a tarball as a starting point for a new repository.::
108 $ tar zxf frotz.tar.gz
112 $ git commit -m "import of frotz source tree."
116 <1> add everything under the current directory.
117 <2> make a lightweight, unannotated tag.
119 Create a topic branch and develop.::
122 $ git checkout -b alsa-audio <1>
124 $ git checkout -- curses/ux_audio_oss.c <2>
125 $ git add curses/ux_audio_alsa.c <3>
128 $ git commit -a -s <5>
130 $ git reset --soft HEAD^ <6>
132 $ git diff ORIG_HEAD <7>
133 $ git commit -a -c ORIG_HEAD <8>
134 $ git checkout master <9>
135 $ git merge alsa-audio <10>
136 $ git log --since='3 days ago' <11>
137 $ git log v2.43.. curses/ <12>
140 <1> create a new topic branch.
141 <2> revert your botched changes in `curses/ux_audio_oss.c`.
142 <3> you need to tell git if you added a new file; removal and
143 modification will be caught if you do `git commit -a` later.
144 <4> to see what changes you are committing.
145 <5> commit everything as you have tested, with your sign-off.
146 <6> take the last commit back, keeping what is in the working tree.
147 <7> look at the changes since the premature commit we took back.
148 <8> redo the commit undone in the previous step, using the message
149 you originally wrote.
150 <9> switch to the master branch.
151 <10> merge a topic branch into your master branch.
152 <11> review commit logs; other forms to limit output can be
153 combined and include `\--max-count=10` (show 10 commits),
154 `\--until=2005-12-10`, etc.
155 <12> view only the changes that touch what's in `curses/`
156 directory, since `v2.43` tag.
159 Individual Developer (Participant)[[Individual Developer (Participant)]]
160 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
162 A developer working as a participant in a group project needs to
163 learn how to communicate with others, and uses these commands in
164 addition to the ones needed by a standalone developer.
166 * gitlink:git-clone[1] from the upstream to prime your local
169 * gitlink:git-pull[1] and gitlink:git-fetch[1] from "origin"
170 to keep up-to-date with the upstream.
172 * gitlink:git-push[1] to shared repository, if you adopt CVS
173 style shared repository workflow.
175 * gitlink:git-format-patch[1] to prepare e-mail submission, if
176 you adopt Linux kernel-style public forum workflow.
181 Clone the upstream and work on it. Feed changes to upstream.::
184 $ git clone git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/.../torvalds/linux-2.6 my2.6
186 $ edit/compile/test; git commit -a -s <1>
187 $ git format-patch origin <2>
189 $ git log -p ORIG_HEAD.. arch/i386 include/asm-i386 <4>
190 $ git pull git://git.kernel.org/pub/.../jgarzik/libata-dev.git ALL <5>
191 $ git reset --hard ORIG_HEAD <6>
193 $ git fetch --tags <8>
196 <1> repeat as needed.
197 <2> extract patches from your branch for e-mail submission.
198 <3> `git pull` fetches from `origin` by default and merges into the
200 <4> immediately after pulling, look at the changes done upstream
201 since last time we checked, only in the
202 area we are interested in.
203 <5> fetch from a specific branch from a specific repository and merge.
205 <7> garbage collect leftover objects from reverted pull.
206 <8> from time to time, obtain official tags from the `origin`
207 and store them under `.git/refs/tags/`.
210 Push into another repository.::
213 satellite$ git clone mothership:frotz frotz <1>
215 satellite$ git config --get-regexp '^(remote|branch)\.' <2>
216 remote.origin.url mothership:frotz
217 remote.origin.fetch refs/heads/*:refs/remotes/origin/*
218 branch.master.remote origin
219 branch.master.merge refs/heads/master
220 satellite$ git config remote.origin.push \
221 master:refs/remotes/satellite/master <3>
222 satellite$ edit/compile/test/commit
223 satellite$ git push origin <4>
226 mothership$ git checkout master
227 mothership$ git merge satellite/master <5>
230 <1> mothership machine has a frotz repository under your home
231 directory; clone from it to start a repository on the satellite
233 <2> clone sets these configuration variables by default.
234 It arranges `git pull` to fetch and store the branches of mothership
235 machine to local `remotes/origin/*` tracking branches.
236 <3> arrange `git push` to push local `master` branch to
237 `remotes/satellite/master` branch of the mothership machine.
238 <4> push will stash our work away on `remotes/satellite/master`
239 tracking branch on the mothership machine. You could use this as
241 <5> on mothership machine, merge the work done on the satellite
242 machine into the master branch.
244 Branch off of a specific tag.::
247 $ git checkout -b private2.6.14 v2.6.14 <1>
248 $ edit/compile/test; git commit -a
249 $ git checkout master
250 $ git format-patch -k -m --stdout v2.6.14..private2.6.14 |
254 <1> create a private branch based on a well known (but somewhat behind)
256 <2> forward port all changes in `private2.6.14` branch to `master` branch
257 without a formal "merging".
260 Integrator[[Integrator]]
261 ------------------------
263 A fairly central person acting as the integrator in a group
264 project receives changes made by others, reviews and integrates
265 them and publishes the result for others to use, using these
266 commands in addition to the ones needed by participants.
268 * gitlink:git-am[1] to apply patches e-mailed in from your
271 * gitlink:git-pull[1] to merge from your trusted lieutenants.
273 * gitlink:git-format-patch[1] to prepare and send suggested
274 alternative to contributors.
276 * gitlink:git-revert[1] to undo botched commits.
278 * gitlink:git-push[1] to publish the bleeding edge.
284 My typical GIT day.::
288 $ git show-branch <2>
290 & s 2 3 4 5 ./+to-apply
291 & s 7 8 ./+hold-linus
293 $ git checkout -b topic/one master
294 $ git am -3 -i -s -u ./+to-apply <4>
296 $ git checkout -b hold/linus && git am -3 -i -s -u ./+hold-linus <5>
297 $ git checkout topic/one && git rebase master <6>
298 $ git checkout pu && git reset --hard next <7>
299 $ git merge topic/one topic/two && git merge hold/linus <8>
301 $ git cherry-pick master~4 <9>
303 $ git tag -s -m "GIT 0.99.9x" v0.99.9x <10>
304 $ git fetch ko && git show-branch master maint 'tags/ko-*' <11>
306 $ git push ko v0.99.9x <13>
309 <1> see what I was in the middle of doing, if any.
310 <2> see what topic branches I have and think about how ready
312 <3> read mails, save ones that are applicable, and save others
313 that are not quite ready.
314 <4> apply them, interactively, with my sign-offs.
315 <5> create topic branch as needed and apply, again with my
317 <6> rebase internal topic branch that has not been merged to the
318 master, nor exposed as a part of a stable branch.
319 <7> restart `pu` every time from the next.
320 <8> and bundle topic branches still cooking.
321 <9> backport a critical fix.
322 <10> create a signed tag.
323 <11> make sure I did not accidentally rewind master beyond what I
324 already pushed out. `ko` shorthand points at the repository I have
325 at kernel.org, and looks like this:
328 $ cat .git/remotes/ko
329 URL: kernel.org:/pub/scm/git/git.git
330 Pull: master:refs/tags/ko-master
331 Pull: next:refs/tags/ko-next
332 Pull: maint:refs/tags/ko-maint
339 In the output from `git show-branch`, `master` should have
340 everything `ko-master` has, and `next` should have
341 everything `ko-next` has.
343 <12> push out the bleeding edge.
344 <13> push the tag out, too.
347 Repository Administration[[Repository Administration]]
348 ------------------------------------------------------
350 A repository administrator uses the following tools to set up
351 and maintain access to the repository by developers.
353 * gitlink:git-daemon[1] to allow anonymous download from
356 * gitlink:git-shell[1] can be used as a 'restricted login shell'
357 for shared central repository users.
359 link:howto/update-hook-example.txt[update hook howto] has a good
360 example of managing a shared central repository.
365 We assume the following in /etc/services::
368 $ grep 9418 /etc/services
369 git 9418/tcp # Git Version Control System
372 Run git-daemon to serve /pub/scm from inetd.::
375 $ grep git /etc/inetd.conf
376 git stream tcp nowait nobody \
377 /usr/bin/git-daemon git-daemon --inetd --export-all /pub/scm
380 The actual configuration line should be on one line.
382 Run git-daemon to serve /pub/scm from xinetd.::
385 $ cat /etc/xinetd.d/git-daemon
387 # description: The git server offers access to git repositories
396 server = /usr/bin/git-daemon
397 server_args = --inetd --export-all --base-path=/pub/scm
398 log_on_failure += USERID
402 Check your xinetd(8) documentation and setup, this is from a Fedora system.
403 Others might be different.
405 Give push/pull only access to developers.::
408 $ grep git /etc/passwd <1>
409 alice:x:1000:1000::/home/alice:/usr/bin/git-shell
410 bob:x:1001:1001::/home/bob:/usr/bin/git-shell
411 cindy:x:1002:1002::/home/cindy:/usr/bin/git-shell
412 david:x:1003:1003::/home/david:/usr/bin/git-shell
413 $ grep git /etc/shells <2>
417 <1> log-in shell is set to /usr/bin/git-shell, which does not
418 allow anything but `git push` and `git pull`. The users should
419 get an ssh access to the machine.
420 <2> in many distributions /etc/shells needs to list what is used
423 CVS-style shared repository.::
426 $ grep git /etc/group <1>
427 git:x:9418:alice,bob,cindy,david
430 lrwxrwxrwx 1 david git 17 Dec 4 22:40 HEAD -> refs/heads/master
431 drwxrwsr-x 2 david git 4096 Dec 4 22:40 branches
432 -rw-rw-r-- 1 david git 84 Dec 4 22:40 config
433 -rw-rw-r-- 1 david git 58 Dec 4 22:40 description
434 drwxrwsr-x 2 david git 4096 Dec 4 22:40 hooks
435 -rw-rw-r-- 1 david git 37504 Dec 4 22:40 index
436 drwxrwsr-x 2 david git 4096 Dec 4 22:40 info
437 drwxrwsr-x 4 david git 4096 Dec 4 22:40 objects
438 drwxrwsr-x 4 david git 4096 Nov 7 14:58 refs
439 drwxrwsr-x 2 david git 4096 Dec 4 22:40 remotes
440 $ ls -l hooks/update <3>
441 -r-xr-xr-x 1 david git 3536 Dec 4 22:40 update
442 $ cat info/allowed-users <4>
443 refs/heads/master alice\|cindy
444 refs/heads/doc-update bob
445 refs/tags/v[0-9]* david
448 <1> place the developers into the same git group.
449 <2> and make the shared repository writable by the group.
450 <3> use update-hook example by Carl from Documentation/howto/
451 for branch policy control.
452 <4> alice and cindy can push into master, only bob can push into doc-update.
453 david is the release manager and is the only person who can
454 create and push version tags.
456 HTTP server to support dumb protocol transfer.::
459 dev$ git update-server-info <1>
460 dev$ ftp user@isp.example.com <2>
461 ftp> cp -r .git /home/user/myproject.git
464 <1> make sure your info/refs and objects/info/packs are up-to-date
465 <2> upload to public HTTP server hosted by your ISP.