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 'git init' [-q | --quiet] [--bare] [--template=<template_directory>] [--shared[=<permissions>]] [directory]
  12
  13
  14 DESCRIPTION
  15 -----------
  16
  17 This command creates an empty git repository - basically a `.git`
  18 directory with subdirectories for `objects`, `refs/heads`,
  19 `refs/tags`, and template files.  An initial `HEAD` file that
  20 references the HEAD of the master branch is also created.
  21
  22 If the `$GIT_DIR` environment variable is set then it specifies a path
  23 to use instead of `./.git` for the base of the repository.
  24
  25 If the object storage directory is specified via the
  26 `$GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY` environment variable then the sha1 directories
  27 are created underneath - otherwise the default `$GIT_DIR/objects`
  28 directory is used.
  29
  30 Running 'git init' in an existing repository is safe. It will not
  31 overwrite things that are already there. The primary reason for
  32 rerunning 'git init' is to pick up newly added templates.
  33
  34 OPTIONS
  35 -------
  36
  37 --
  38
  39 -q::
  40 --quiet::
  41
  42 Only print error and warning messages, all other output will be suppressed.
  43
  44 --bare::
  45
  46 Create a bare repository. If GIT_DIR environment is not set, it is set to the
  47 current working directory.
  48
  49 --template=<template_directory>::
  50
  51 Specify the directory from which templates will be used.  (See the "TEMPLATE
  52 DIRECTORY" section below.)
  53
  54 --shared[=(false|true|umask|group|all|world|everybody|0xxx)]::
  55
  56 Specify that the git repository is to be shared amongst several users.  This
  57 allows users belonging to the same group to push into that
  58 repository.  When specified, the config variable "core.sharedRepository" is
  59 set so that files and directories under `$GIT_DIR` are created with the
  60 requested permissions.  When not specified, git will use permissions reported
  61 by umask(2).
  62
  63 The option can have the following values, defaulting to 'group' if no value
  64 is given:
  65
  66  - 'umask' (or 'false'): Use permissions reported by umask(2). The default,
  67    when `--shared` is not specified.
  68
  69  - 'group' (or 'true'): Make the repository group-writable, (and g+sx, since
  70    the git group may be not the primary group of all users).
  71    This is used to loosen the permissions of an otherwise safe umask(2) value.
  72    Note that the umask still applies to the other permission bits (e.g. if
  73    umask is '0022', using 'group' will not remove read privileges from other
  74    (non-group) users). See '0xxx' for how to exactly specify the repository
  75    permissions.
  76
  77  - 'all' (or 'world' or 'everybody'): Same as 'group', but make the repository
  78    readable by all users.
  79
  80  - '0xxx': '0xxx' is an octal number and each file will have mode '0xxx'.
  81    '0xxx' will override users' umask(2) value (and not only loosen permissions
  82    as 'group' and 'all' does). '0640' will create a repository which is
  83    group-readable, but not group-writable or accessible to others. '0660' will
  84    create a repo that is readable and writable to the current user and group,
  85    but inaccessible to others.
  86
  87 By default, the configuration flag receive.denyNonFastForwards is enabled
  88 in shared repositories, so that you cannot force a non fast-forwarding push
  89 into it.
  90
  91 If you name a (possibly non-existent) directory at the end of the command
  92 line, the command is run inside the directory (possibly after creating it).
  93
  94 --
  95
  96
  97 TEMPLATE DIRECTORY
  98 ------------------
  99
 100 The template directory contains files and directories that will be copied to
 101 the `$GIT_DIR` after it is created.
 102
 103 The template directory used will (in order):
 104
 105  - The argument given with the `--template` option.
 106
 107  - The contents of the `$GIT_TEMPLATE_DIR` environment variable.
 108
 109  - The `init.templatedir` configuration variable.
 110
 111  - The default template directory: `/usr/share/git-core/templates`.
 112
 113 The default template directory includes some directory structure, some
 114 suggested "exclude patterns", and copies of sample "hook" files.
 115 The suggested patterns and hook files are all modifiable and extensible.
 116
 117 EXAMPLES
 118 --------
 119
 120 Start a new git repository for an existing code base::
 121 +
 122 ----------------
 123 $ cd /path/to/my/codebase
 124 $ git init      <1>
 125 $ git add .     <2>
 126 ----------------
 127 +
 128 <1> prepare /path/to/my/codebase/.git directory
 129 <2> add all existing file to the index
 130
 131 GIT
 132 ---
 133 Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite