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1git-init(1)
2===========
3
4NAME
5----
6git-init - Create an empty Git repository or reinitialize an existing one
7
8
9SYNOPSIS
10--------
11[verse]
12'git init' [-q | --quiet] [--bare] [--template=<template-directory>]
13 [--separate-git-dir <git-dir>] [--object-format=<format>]
14 [-b <branch-name> | --initial-branch=<branch-name>]
15 [--shared[=<permissions>]] [<directory>]
16
17
18DESCRIPTION
19-----------
20
21This command creates an empty Git repository - basically a `.git`
22directory with subdirectories for `objects`, `refs/heads`,
23`refs/tags`, and template files. An initial branch without any
24commits will be created (see the `--initial-branch` option below
25for its name).
26
27If the `$GIT_DIR` environment variable is set then it specifies a path
28to use instead of `./.git` for the base of the repository.
29
30If the object storage directory is specified via the
31`$GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY` environment variable then the sha1 directories
32are created underneath - otherwise the default `$GIT_DIR/objects`
33directory is used.
34
35Running 'git init' in an existing repository is safe. It will not
36overwrite things that are already there. The primary reason for
37rerunning 'git init' is to pick up newly added templates (or to move
38the repository to another place if --separate-git-dir is given).
39
40OPTIONS
41-------
42
43-q::
44--quiet::
45
46Only print error and warning messages; all other output will be suppressed.
47
48--bare::
49
50Create a bare repository. If `GIT_DIR` environment is not set, it is set to the
51current working directory.
52
53--object-format=<format>::
54
55Specify the given object format (hash algorithm) for the repository. The valid
56values are 'sha1' and (if enabled) 'sha256'. 'sha1' is the default.
57+
58include::object-format-disclaimer.txt[]
59
60--template=<template-directory>::
61
62Specify the directory from which templates will be used. (See the "TEMPLATE
63DIRECTORY" section below.)
64
65--separate-git-dir=<git-dir>::
66
67Instead of initializing the repository as a directory to either `$GIT_DIR` or
68`./.git/`, create a text file there containing the path to the actual
69repository. This file acts as filesystem-agnostic Git symbolic link to the
70repository.
71+
72If this is reinitialization, the repository will be moved to the specified path.
73
74-b <branch-name>::
75--initial-branch=<branch-name>::
76
77Use the specified name for the initial branch in the newly created
78repository. If not specified, fall back to the default name (currently
79`master`, but this is subject to change in the future; the name can be
80customized via the `init.defaultBranch` configuration variable).
81
82--shared[=(false|true|umask|group|all|world|everybody|<perm>)]::
83
84Specify that the Git repository is to be shared amongst several users. This
85allows users belonging to the same group to push into that
86repository. When specified, the config variable "core.sharedRepository" is
87set so that files and directories under `$GIT_DIR` are created with the
88requested permissions. When not specified, Git will use permissions reported
89by umask(2).
90+
91The option can have the following values, defaulting to 'group' if no value
92is given:
93+
94--
95'umask' (or 'false')::
96
97Use permissions reported by umask(2). The default, when `--shared` is not
98specified.
99
100'group' (or 'true')::
101
102Make the repository group-writable, (and g+sx, since the git group may be not
103the primary group of all users). This is used to loosen the permissions of an
104otherwise safe umask(2) value. Note that the umask still applies to the other
105permission bits (e.g. if umask is '0022', using 'group' will not remove read
106privileges from other (non-group) users). See '0xxx' for how to exactly specify
107the repository permissions.
108
109'all' (or 'world' or 'everybody')::
110
111Same as 'group', but make the repository readable by all users.
112
113'<perm>'::
114
115'<perm>' is a 3-digit octal number prefixed with `0` and each file
116will have mode '<perm>'. '<perm>' will override users' umask(2)
117value (and not only loosen permissions as 'group' and 'all'
118does). '0640' will create a repository which is group-readable, but
119not group-writable or accessible to others. '0660' will create a repo
120that is readable and writable to the current user and group, but
121inaccessible to others (directories and executable files get their
122`x` bit from the `r` bit for corresponding classes of users).
123--
124
125By default, the configuration flag `receive.denyNonFastForwards` is enabled
126in shared repositories, so that you cannot force a non fast-forwarding push
127into it.
128
129If you provide a 'directory', the command is run inside it. If this directory
130does not exist, it will be created.
131
132TEMPLATE DIRECTORY
133------------------
134
135Files and directories in the template directory whose name do not start with a
136dot will be copied to the `$GIT_DIR` after it is created.
137
138The template directory will be one of the following (in order):
139
140 - the argument given with the `--template` option;
141
142 - the contents of the `$GIT_TEMPLATE_DIR` environment variable;
143
144 - the `init.templateDir` configuration variable; or
145
146 - the default template directory: `/usr/share/git-core/templates`.
147
148The default template directory includes some directory structure, suggested
149"exclude patterns" (see linkgit:gitignore[5]), and sample hook files.
150
151The sample hooks are all disabled by default. To enable one of the
152sample hooks rename it by removing its `.sample` suffix.
153
154See linkgit:githooks[5] for more general info on hook execution.
155
156EXAMPLES
157--------
158
159Start a new Git repository for an existing code base::
160+
161----------------
162$ cd /path/to/my/codebase
163$ git init <1>
164$ git add . <2>
165$ git commit <3>
166----------------
167+
168<1> Create a /path/to/my/codebase/.git directory.
169<2> Add all existing files to the index.
170<3> Record the pristine state as the first commit in the history.
171
172GIT
173---
174Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite