Documentation/git-init.txt

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