Documentation/git.txt

   1 git(7)
   2 ======
   3 v0.99.4, 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 David Greaves <david@dgreaves.com>
  28 08/05/05
  29
  30 Updated by Junio C Hamano <junkio@cox.net> on 2005-05-05 to
  31 reflect recent changes.
  32
  33 Commands Overview
  34 -----------------
  35 The git commands can helpfully be split into those that manipulate
  36 the repository, the cache and the working fileset, those that
  37 interrogate and compare them, and those that moves objects and
  38 references between repositories.
  39
  40 In addition, git itself comes with a spartan set of porcelain
  41 commands.  They are usable but are not meant to compete with real
  42 Porcelains.
  43
  44 There are also some ancillary programs that can be viewed as useful
  45 aids for using the core commands but which are unlikely to be used by
  46 SCMs layered over git.
  47
  48 Manipulation commands
  49 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  50 link:git-checkout-cache.html[git-checkout-cache]::
  51         Copy files from the cache to the working directory
  52
  53 link:git-commit-tree.html[git-commit-tree]::
  54         Creates a new commit object
  55
  56 link:git-init-db.html[git-init-db]::
  57         Creates an empty git object database
  58
  59 link:git-merge-base.html[git-merge-base]::
  60         Finds as good a common ancestor as possible for a merge
  61
  62 link:git-mktag.html[git-mktag]::
  63         Creates a tag object
  64
  65 link:git-read-tree.html[git-read-tree]::
  66         Reads tree information into the directory cache
  67
  68 link:git-update-cache.html[git-update-cache]::
  69         Modifies the index or directory cache
  70
  71 link:git-hash-object.html[git-hash-object]::
  72         Computes the object ID from a file.
  73
  74 link:git-write-tree.html[git-write-tree]::
  75         Creates a tree from the current cache
  76
  77 link:git-pack-objects.html[git-pack-objects]::
  78         Creates a packed archive of objects.
  79
  80 link:git-unpack-objects.html[git-unpack-objects]::
  81         Unpacks objects out of a packed archive.
  82
  83 link:git-prune-packed.html[git-prune-packed]::
  84         Remove extra objects that are already in pack files.
  85
  86 link:git-apply.html[git-apply]::
  87         Reads a "diff -up1" or git generated patch file and
  88         applies it to the working tree.
  89
  90
  91 Interrogation commands
  92 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  93 link:git-cat-file.html[git-cat-file]::
  94         Provide content or type information for repository objects
  95
  96 link:git-diff-cache.html[git-diff-cache]::
  97         Compares content and mode of blobs between the cache and repository
  98
  99 link:git-diff-files.html[git-diff-files]::
 100         Compares files in the working tree and the cache
 101
 102 link:git-diff-tree.html[git-diff-tree]::
 103         Compares the content and mode of blobs found via two tree objects
 104
 105 link:git-diff-stages.html[git-diff-stages]::
 106         Compares two "merge stages" in the index file.
 107
 108 link:git-export.html[git-export]::
 109         Exports each commit and a diff against each of its parents
 110
 111 link:git-fsck-cache.html[git-fsck-cache]::
 112         Verifies the connectivity and validity of the objects in the database
 113
 114 link:git-ls-files.html[git-ls-files]::
 115         Information about files in the cache/working directory
 116
 117 link:git-ls-tree.html[git-ls-tree]::
 118         Displays a tree object in human readable form
 119
 120 link:git-merge-cache.html[git-merge-cache]::
 121         Runs a merge for files needing merging
 122
 123 link:git-rev-list.html[git-rev-list]::
 124         Lists commit objects in reverse chronological order
 125
 126 link:git-rev-tree.html[git-rev-tree]::
 127         Provides the revision tree for one or more commits
 128
 129 link:git-tar-tree.html[git-tar-tree]::
 130         Creates a tar archive of the files in the named tree
 131
 132 link:git-unpack-file.html[git-unpack-file]::
 133         Creates a temporary file with a blob's contents
 134
 135 link:git-var.html[git-var]::
 136         Displays a git logical variable
 137
 138 link:git-show-index.html[git-show-index]::
 139         Displays contents of a pack idx file.
 140
 141 link:git-verify-pack.html[git-verify-pack]::
 142         Validates packed GIT archive files
 143
 144 The interrogate commands may create files - and you can force them to
 145 touch the working file set - but in general they don't
 146
 147
 148 Synching repositories
 149 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 150
 151 link:git-clone-script.html[git-clone-script]::
 152         Clones a repository into the current repository (user interface)
 153
 154 link:git-clone-pack.html[git-clone-pack]::
 155         Clones a repository into the current repository (engine
 156         for ssh and local transport)
 157
 158 link:git-http-pull.html[git-http-pull]::
 159         Downloads a remote GIT repository via HTTP
 160
 161 link:git-local-pull.html[git-local-pull]::
 162         Duplicates another GIT repository on a local system
 163
 164 link:git-ssh-pull.html[git-ssh-pull]::
 165         Pulls from a remote repository over ssh connection
 166
 167 link:git-send-pack.html[git-send-pack]::
 168         Pushes to a remote repository, intelligently.
 169
 170 link:git-receive-pack.html[git-receive-pack]::
 171         Invoked by 'git-send-pack' to receive what is pushed to it.
 172
 173 link:git-clone-pack.html[git-clone-pack]::
 174         Clones from a remote repository.
 175
 176 link:git-fetch-pack.html[git-fetch-pack]::
 177         Updates from a remote repository.
 178
 179 link:git-peek-remote.html[git-peek-remote]::
 180         Lists references on a remote repository using upload-pack protocol.
 181
 182 link:git-upload-pack.html[git-upload-pack]::
 183         Invoked by 'git-clone-pack' and 'git-fetch-pack' to push
 184         what are asked for.
 185
 186 link:git-update-server-info.html[git-update-server-info]::
 187         Updates auxiliary information on a dumb server to help
 188         clients discover references and packs on it.
 189
 190
 191 Porcelain-ish Commands
 192 ----------------------
 193 link:git-whatchanged.html[git-whatchanged]::
 194         Shows commit logs and differences they introduce.
 195
 196 link:git-log-script.html[git-log-script]::
 197         Shows commit logs.
 198
 199 link:git-shortlog.html[git-shortlog]::
 200         Summarizes 'git log' output.
 201
 202 link:git-status-script.html[git-status-script]::
 203         Shows the working tree status.
 204
 205 link:git-fetch-script.html[git-fetch-script]::
 206         Download from a remote repository via various protocols.
 207
 208 link:git-pull-script.html[git-pull-script]::
 209         Fetch from and merge with a remote repository.
 210
 211 ulink:git-commit-script.html[git-commit-script]::
 212         Record changes to the repository.
 213
 214 link:git-show-branch.html[git-show-branch]::
 215         Show branches and their commits.
 216
 217 link:git-repack-script.html[git-repack-script]::
 218         Pack unpacked objects in a repository.
 219
 220 link:git-rename-script.html[git-rename]::
 221         Rename files and directories.
 222
 223 link:git-ls-remote-script.html[git-ls-remote-script]::
 224         Shows references in a remote or local repository.
 225
 226
 227 Ancillary Commands
 228 ------------------
 229 Manipulators:
 230
 231 link:git-apply-patch-script.html[git-apply-patch-script]::
 232         Sample script to apply the diffs from git-diff-*
 233
 234 link:git-convert-cache.html[git-convert-cache]::
 235         Converts old-style GIT repository
 236
 237 link:git-merge-one-file-script.html[git-merge-one-file-script]::
 238         The standard helper program to use with "git-merge-cache"
 239
 240 link:git-prune-script.html[git-prune-script]::
 241         Prunes all unreachable objects from the object database
 242
 243 link:git-resolve-script.html[git-resolve-script]::
 244         Script used to merge two trees
 245
 246 link:git-tag-script.html[git-tag-script]::
 247         An example script to create a tag object signed with GPG
 248
 249 link:git-cvsimport-script.html[git-cvsimport-script]::
 250         Salvage your data out of another SCM people love to hate.
 251
 252
 253 Interrogators:
 254
 255 link:git-diff-helper.html[git-diff-helper]::
 256         Generates patch format output for git-diff-*
 257
 258 link:git-ssh-push.html[git-ssh-push]::
 259         Helper "server-side" program used by git-ssh-pull
 260
 261 link:git-send-email-script.html[git-send-email]::
 262         Send patch e-mails out of "format-patch --mbox" output.
 263
 264
 265 Commands not yet documented
 266 ---------------------------
 267
 268 link:git-applymbox.html[git-applymbox]::
 269         git-applymbox.
 270
 271 link:git-applypatch.html[git-applypatch]::
 272         git-applypatch.
 273
 274 link:git-mailinfo.html[git-mailinfo]::
 275         git-mailinfo.
 276
 277 link:git-mailsplit.html[git-mailsplit]::
 278         git-mailsplit.
 279
 280 link:git-add-script.html[git-add-script]::
 281         git-add-script.
 282
 283 link:git-bisect-script.html[git-bisect-script]::
 284         git-bisect-script.
 285
 286 link:git-branch-script.html[git-branch-script]::
 287         git-branch-script.
 288
 289 link:git-build-rev-cache.html[git-build-rev-cache]::
 290         git-build-rev-cache.
 291
 292 link:git-checkout-script.html[git-checkout-script]::
 293         git-checkout-script.
 294
 295 link:git-cherry.html[git-cherry]::
 296         git-cherry.
 297
 298 link:git-clone-dumb-http.html[git-clone-dumb-http]::
 299         git-clone-dumb-http.
 300
 301 link:git-count-objects-script.html[git-count-objects-script]::
 302         git-count-objects-script.
 303
 304 link:git-daemon.html[git-daemon]::
 305         git-daemon.
 306
 307 link:git-diff-script.html[git-diff-script]::
 308         git-diff-script.
 309
 310 link:git-format-patch-script.html[git-format-patch-script]::
 311         git-format-patch-script.
 312
 313 link:git-get-tar-commit-id.html[git-get-tar-commit-id]::
 314         git-get-tar-commit-id.
 315
 316 link:git-patch-id.html[git-patch-id]::
 317         git-patch-id.
 318
 319 link:git-push-script.html[git-push-script]::
 320         git-push-script.
 321
 322 link:git-rebase-script.html[git-rebase-script]::
 323         git-rebase-script.
 324
 325 link:git-relink-script.html[git-relink-script]::
 326         git-relink-script.
 327
 328 link:git-request-pull-script.html[git-request-pull-script]::
 329         git-request-pull-script.
 330
 331 link:git-reset-script.html[git-reset-script]::
 332         git-reset-script.
 333
 334 link:git-rev-parse.html[git-rev-parse]::
 335         git-rev-parse.
 336
 337 link:git-revert-script.html[git-revert-script]::
 338         git-revert-script.
 339
 340 link:git-sh-setup-script.html[git-sh-setup-script]::
 341         git-sh-setup-script.
 342
 343 link:git-show-rev-cache.html[git-show-rev-cache]::
 344         git-show-rev-cache.
 345
 346 link:git-stripspace.html[git-stripspace]::
 347         git-stripspace.
 348
 349 link:git-verify-tag-script.html[git-verify-tag-script]::
 350         git-verify-tag-script.
 351
 352 link:gitk.html[gitk]::
 353         gitk.
 354
 355
 356 Identifier Terminology
 357 ----------------------
 358 <object>::
 359         Indicates the sha1 identifier for any type of object
 360
 361 <blob>::
 362         Indicates a blob object sha1 identifier
 363
 364 <tree>::
 365         Indicates a tree object sha1 identifier
 366
 367 <commit>::
 368         Indicates a commit object sha1 identifier
 369
 370 <tree-ish>::
 371         Indicates a tree, commit or tag object sha1 identifier.  A
 372         command that takes a <tree-ish> argument ultimately wants to
 373         operate on a <tree> object but automatically dereferences
 374         <commit> and <tag> objects that point at a <tree>.
 375
 376 <type>::
 377         Indicates that an object type is required.
 378         Currently one of: blob/tree/commit/tag
 379
 380 <file>::
 381         Indicates a filename - always relative to the root of
 382         the tree structure GIT_INDEX_FILE describes.
 383
 384 Symbolic Identifiers
 385 --------------------
 386 Any git command accepting any <object> can also use the following
 387 symbolic notation:
 388
 389 HEAD::
 390         indicates the head of the repository (ie the contents of
 391         `$GIT_DIR/HEAD`)
 392 <tag>::
 393         a valid tag 'name'+
 394         (ie the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/tags/<tag>`)
 395 <head>::
 396         a valid head 'name'+
 397         (ie the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/heads/<head>`)
 398 <snap>::
 399         a valid snapshot 'name'+
 400         (ie the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/snap/<snap>`)
 401
 402
 403 File/Directory Structure
 404 ------------------------
 405 The git-core manipulates the following areas in the directory:
 406
 407  .git/         The base (overridden with $GIT_DIR)
 408    objects/    The object base (overridden with $GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY)
 409      ??/       'First 2 chars of object' directories.
 410      pack/     Packed archives.
 411
 412    refs/       Directories containing symbolic names for objects
 413                (each file contains the hex SHA1 + newline)
 414      heads/    Commits which are heads of various sorts
 415      tags/     Tags, by the tag name (or some local renaming of it)
 416      */        Any other subdirectory of refs/ can be used to store
 417                files similar to what are under refs/heads/.
 418    HEAD        Symlink to refs/heads/<current-branch-name>
 419
 420 Higher level SCMs may provide and manage additional information in the
 421 GIT_DIR.
 422
 423 Terminology
 424 -----------
 425 Please see link:glossary.html[glossary] document.
 426
 427
 428 Environment Variables
 429 ---------------------
 430 Various git commands use the following environment variables:
 431
 432 The git Repository
 433 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 434 These environment variables apply to 'all' core git commands. Nb: it
 435 is worth noting that they may be used/overridden by SCMS sitting above
 436 git so take care if using Cogito etc
 437
 438 'GIT_INDEX_FILE'::
 439         This environment allows the specification of an alternate
 440         cache/index file. If not specified, the default of
 441         `$GIT_DIR/index` is used.
 442
 443 'GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY'::
 444         If the object storage directory is specified via this
 445         environment variable then the sha1 directories are created
 446         underneath - otherwise the default `$GIT_DIR/objects`
 447         directory is used.
 448
 449 'GIT_ALTERNATE_OBJECT_DIRECTORIES'::
 450         Due to the immutable nature of git objects, old objects can be
 451         archived into shared, read-only directories. This variable
 452         specifies a ":" separated list of git object directories which
 453         can be used to search for git objects. New objects will not be
 454         written to these directories.
 455
 456 'GIT_DIR'::
 457         If the 'GIT_DIR' environment variable is set then it specifies
 458         a path to use instead of `./.git` for the base of the
 459         repository.
 460
 461 git Commits
 462 ~~~~~~~~~~~
 463 'GIT_AUTHOR_NAME'::
 464 'GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL'::
 465 'GIT_AUTHOR_DATE'::
 466 'GIT_COMMITTER_NAME'::
 467 'GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL'::
 468         see link:git-commit-tree.html[git-commit-tree]
 469
 470 git Diffs
 471 ~~~~~~~~~
 472 'GIT_DIFF_OPTS'::
 473 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF'::
 474         see the "generating patches" section in :
 475         link:git-diff-cache.html[git-diff-cache];
 476         link:git-diff-files.html[git-diff-files];
 477         link:git-diff-tree.html[git-diff-tree]
 478
 479 Discussion
 480 ----------
 481 include::../README[]
 482
 483 Author
 484 ------
 485 Written by Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org> and the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
 486
 487 Documentation
 488 --------------
 489 Documentation by David Greaves, Junio C Hamano and the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
 490
 491 GIT
 492 ---
 493 Part of the link:git.html[git] suite
 494