Documentation/git.txt

   1 git(7)
   2 ======
   3
   4 NAME
   5 ----
   6 git - the stupid content tracker
   7
   8
   9 SYNOPSIS
  10 --------
  11 'git-<command>' <args>
  12
  13 DESCRIPTION
  14 -----------
  15
  16 This is reference information for the core git commands.
  17
  18 Before reading this cover to cover, you may want to take a look
  19 at the link:tutorial.html[tutorial] document.
  20
  21 The <<Discussion>> section below contains much useful definition and
  22 clarification info - read that first.  And of the commands, I suggest
  23 reading gitlink:git-update-index[1] and
  24 gitlink:git-read-tree[1] first - I wish I had!
  25
  26 If you are migrating from CVS, link:cvs-migration.html[cvs migration]
  27 document may be helpful after you finish the tutorial.
  28
  29 After you get the general feel from the tutorial and this
  30 overview page, you may want to take a look at the
  31 link:howto-index.html[howto] documents.
  32
  33
  34 David Greaves <david@dgreaves.com>
  35 08/05/05
  36
  37 Updated by Junio C Hamano <junkio@cox.net> on 2005-05-05 to
  38 reflect recent changes.
  39
  40 Commands Overview
  41 -----------------
  42 The git commands can helpfully be split into those that manipulate
  43 the repository, the cache and the working fileset, those that
  44 interrogate and compare them, and those that moves objects and
  45 references between repositories.
  46
  47 In addition, git itself comes with a spartan set of porcelain
  48 commands.  They are usable but are not meant to compete with real
  49 Porcelains.
  50
  51 There are also some ancillary programs that can be viewed as useful
  52 aids for using the core commands but which are unlikely to be used by
  53 SCMs layered over git.
  54
  55 Manipulation commands
  56 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  57 gitlink:git-apply[1]::
  58         Reads a "diff -up1" or git generated patch file and
  59         applies it to the working tree.
  60
  61 gitlink:git-checkout-index[1]::
  62         Copy files from the cache to the working directory
  63         Previously this command was known as git-checkout-cache.
  64
  65 gitlink:git-commit-tree[1]::
  66         Creates a new commit object
  67
  68 gitlink:git-hash-object[1]::
  69         Computes the object ID from a file.
  70
  71 gitlink:git-index-pack.html[1]::
  72         Build pack index file for an existing packed archive.
  73
  74 gitlink:git-init-db[1]::
  75         Creates an empty git object database
  76
  77 gitlink:git-merge-index[1]::
  78         Runs a merge for files needing merging
  79         Previously this command was known as git-merge-cache.
  80
  81 gitlink:git-mktag[1]::
  82         Creates a tag object
  83
  84 gitlink:git-pack-objects[1]::
  85         Creates a packed archive of objects.
  86
  87 gitlink:git-prune-packed[1]::
  88         Remove extra objects that are already in pack files.
  89
  90 gitlink:git-read-tree[1]::
  91         Reads tree information into the directory cache
  92
  93 gitlink:git-unpack-objects[1]::
  94         Unpacks objects out of a packed archive.
  95
  96 gitlink:git-update-index[1]::
  97         Modifies the index or directory cache
  98         Previously this command was known as git-update-cache.
  99
 100 gitlink:git-write-tree[1]::
 101         Creates a tree from the current cache
 102
 103
 104 Interrogation commands
 105 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 106
 107 gitlink:git-cat-file[1]::
 108         Provide content or type information for repository objects
 109
 110 gitlink:git-diff-index[1]::
 111         Compares content and mode of blobs between the cache and repository
 112         Previously this command was known as git-diff-cache.
 113
 114 gitlink:git-diff-files[1]::
 115         Compares files in the working tree and the cache
 116
 117 gitlink:git-diff-stages[1]::
 118         Compares two "merge stages" in the index file.
 119
 120 gitlink:git-diff-tree[1]::
 121         Compares the content and mode of blobs found via two tree objects
 122
 123 gitlink:git-fsck-objects[1]::
 124         Verifies the connectivity and validity of the objects in the database
 125         Previously this command was known as git-fsck-cache.
 126
 127 gitlink:git-ls-files[1]::
 128         Information about files in the cache/working directory
 129
 130 gitlink:git-ls-tree[1]::
 131         Displays a tree object in human readable form
 132
 133 gitlink:git-merge-base[1]::
 134         Finds as good a common ancestor as possible for a merge
 135
 136 gitlink:git-rev-list[1]::
 137         Lists commit objects in reverse chronological order
 138
 139 gitlink:git-show-index[1]::
 140         Displays contents of a pack idx file.
 141
 142 gitlink:git-tar-tree[1]::
 143         Creates a tar archive of the files in the named tree
 144
 145 gitlink:git-unpack-file[1]::
 146         Creates a temporary file with a blob's contents
 147
 148 gitlink:git-var[1]::
 149         Displays a git logical variable
 150
 151 gitlink:git-verify-pack[1]::
 152         Validates packed git archive files
 153
 154 The interrogate commands may create files - and you can force them to
 155 touch the working file set - but in general they don't
 156
 157
 158 Synching repositories
 159 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 160
 161 gitlink:git-clone-pack[1]::
 162         Clones a repository into the current repository (engine
 163         for ssh and local transport)
 164
 165 gitlink:git-fetch-pack[1]::
 166         Updates from a remote repository.
 167
 168 gitlink:git-http-fetch[1]::
 169         Downloads a remote git repository via HTTP
 170         Previously this command was known as git-http-pull.
 171
 172 gitlink:git-local-fetch[1]::
 173         Duplicates another git repository on a local system
 174         Previously this command was known as git-local-pull.
 175
 176 gitlink:git-peek-remote[1]::
 177         Lists references on a remote repository using upload-pack protocol.
 178
 179 gitlink:git-receive-pack[1]::
 180         Invoked by 'git-send-pack' to receive what is pushed to it.
 181
 182 gitlink:git-send-pack[1]::
 183         Pushes to a remote repository, intelligently.
 184
 185 gitlink:git-ssh-fetch[1]::
 186         Pulls from a remote repository over ssh connection
 187         Previously this command was known as git-ssh-pull.
 188
 189 gitlink:git-ssh-upload[1]::
 190         Helper "server-side" program used by git-ssh-fetch
 191         Previously this command was known as git-ssh-push.
 192
 193 gitlink:git-update-server-info[1]::
 194         Updates auxiliary information on a dumb server to help
 195         clients discover references and packs on it.
 196
 197 gitlink:git-upload-pack[1]::
 198         Invoked by 'git-clone-pack' and 'git-fetch-pack' to push
 199         what are asked for.
 200
 201
 202 Porcelain-ish Commands
 203 ----------------------
 204
 205 gitlink:git-add[1]::
 206         Add paths to the index file.
 207         Previously this command was known as git-add-script.
 208
 209 gitlink:git-applymbox[1]::
 210         Apply patches from a mailbox.
 211
 212 gitlink:git-bisect[1]::
 213         Find the change that introduced a bug.
 214         Previously this command was known as git-bisect-script.
 215
 216 gitlink:git-branch[1]::
 217         Create and Show branches.
 218         Previously this command was known as git-branch-script.
 219
 220 gitlink:git-checkout[1]::
 221         Checkout and switch to a branch.
 222         Previously this command was known as git-checkout-script.
 223
 224 gitlink:git-cherry-pick[1]::
 225         Cherry-pick the effect of an existing commit.
 226         Previously this command was known as git-cherry-pick-script.
 227
 228 gitlink:git-clone[1]::
 229         Clones a repository into a new directory.
 230         Previously this command was known as git-clone-script.
 231
 232 gitlink:git-commit[1]::
 233         Record changes to the repository.
 234         Previously this command was known as git-commit-script.
 235
 236 gitlink:git-diff[1]::
 237         Show changes between commits, commit and working tree, etc.
 238         Previously this command was known as git-diff-script.
 239
 240 gitlink:git-fetch[1]::
 241         Download from a remote repository via various protocols.
 242         Previously this command was known as git-fetch-script.
 243
 244 gitlink:git-format-patch[1]::
 245         Prepare patches for e-mail submission.
 246         Previously this command was known as git-format-patch-script.
 247
 248 gitlink:git-grep[1]::
 249         Print lines matching a pattern
 250
 251 gitlink:git-log[1]::
 252         Shows commit logs.
 253         Previously this command was known as git-log-script.
 254
 255 gitlink:git-ls-remote[1]::
 256         Shows references in a remote or local repository.
 257         Previously this command was known as git-ls-remote-script.
 258
 259 gitlink:git-merge[1]::
 260         Grand unified merge driver.
 261
 262 gitlink:git-octopus[1]::
 263         Merge more than two commits.
 264         Previously this command was known as git-octopus-script.
 265
 266 gitlink:git-pull[1]::
 267         Fetch from and merge with a remote repository.
 268         Previously this command was known as git-pull-script.
 269
 270 gitlink:git-push[1]::
 271         Update remote refs along with associated objects.
 272         Previously this command was known as git-push-script.
 273
 274 gitlink:git-rebase[1]::
 275         Rebase local commits to new upstream head.
 276         Previously this command was known as git-rebase-script.
 277
 278 gitlink:git-rename[1]::
 279         Rename files and directories.
 280         Previously this command was known as git-rename-script.
 281
 282 gitlink:git-repack[1]::
 283         Pack unpacked objects in a repository.
 284         Previously this command was known as git-repack-script.
 285
 286 gitlink:git-reset[1]::
 287         Reset current HEAD to the specified state.
 288         Previously this command was known as git-reset-script.
 289
 290 gitlink:git-resolve[1]::
 291         Merge two commits.
 292         Previously this command was known as git-resolve-script.
 293
 294 gitlink:git-revert[1]::
 295         Revert an existing commit.
 296         Previously this command was known as git-revert-script.
 297
 298 gitlink:git-shortlog[1]::
 299         Summarizes 'git log' output.
 300
 301 gitlink:git-show-branch[1]::
 302         Show branches and their commits.
 303
 304 gitlink:git-status[1]::
 305         Shows the working tree status.
 306         Previously this command was known as git-status-script.
 307
 308 gitlink:git-verify-tag[1]::
 309         Check the GPG signature of tag.
 310         Previously this command was known as git-verify-tag-script.
 311
 312 gitlink:git-whatchanged[1]::
 313         Shows commit logs and differences they introduce.
 314
 315
 316 Ancillary Commands
 317 ------------------
 318 Manipulators:
 319
 320 gitlink:git-applypatch[1]::
 321         Apply one patch extracted from an e-mail.
 322
 323 gitlink:git-archimport[1]::
 324         Import an arch repository into git.
 325         Previously this command was known as git-archimport-script.
 326
 327 gitlink:git-convert-objects[1]::
 328         Converts old-style git repository
 329         Previously this command was known as git-convert-cache.
 330
 331 gitlink:git-cvsimport[1]::
 332         Salvage your data out of another SCM people love to hate.
 333         Previously this command was known as git-cvsimport-script.
 334
 335 gitlink:git-merge-one-file[1]::
 336         The standard helper program to use with "git-merge-index"
 337         Previously this command was known as git-merge-one-file-script.
 338
 339 gitlink:git-prune[1]::
 340         Prunes all unreachable objects from the object database
 341         Previously this command was known as git-prune-script.
 342
 343 gitlink:git-relink[1]::
 344         Hardlink common objects in local repositories.
 345         Previously this command was known as git-relink-script.
 346
 347 gitlink:git-sh-setup[1]::
 348         Common git shell script setup code.
 349         Previously this command was known as git-sh-setup-script.
 350
 351 gitlink:git-tag[1]::
 352         An example script to create a tag object signed with GPG
 353         Previously this command was known as git-tag-script.
 354
 355
 356 Interrogators:
 357
 358 gitlink:git-cherry[1]::
 359         Find commits not merged upstream.
 360
 361 gitlink:git-count-objects[1]::
 362         Count unpacked number of objects and their disk consumption.
 363         Previously this command was known as git-count-objects-script.
 364
 365 gitlink:git-daemon[1]::
 366         A really simple server for git repositories.
 367
 368 gitlink:git-get-tar-commit-id[1]::
 369         Extract commit ID from an archive created using git-tar-tree.
 370
 371 gitlink:git-mailinfo[1]::
 372         Extracts patch from a single e-mail message.
 373
 374 gitlink:git-mailsplit[1]::
 375         git-mailsplit.
 376
 377 gitlink:git-patch-id[1]::
 378         Compute unique ID for a patch.
 379
 380 gitlink:git-parse-remote[1]::
 381         Routines to help parsing $GIT_DIR/remotes/
 382         Previously this command was known as git-parse-remote-script.
 383
 384 gitlink:git-request-pull[1]::
 385         git-request-pull.
 386         Previously this command was known as git-request-pull-script.
 387
 388 gitlink:git-rev-parse[1]::
 389         Pick out and massage parameters.
 390
 391 gitlink:git-send-email[1]::
 392         Send patch e-mails out of "format-patch --mbox" output.
 393         Previously this command was known as git-send-email-script.
 394
 395 gitlink:git-stripspace[1]::
 396         Filter out empty lines.
 397
 398
 399 Commands not yet documented
 400 ---------------------------
 401
 402 gitlink:gitk[1]::
 403         gitk.
 404
 405
 406 Identifier Terminology
 407 ----------------------
 408 <object>::
 409         Indicates the sha1 identifier for any type of object
 410
 411 <blob>::
 412         Indicates a blob object sha1 identifier
 413
 414 <tree>::
 415         Indicates a tree object sha1 identifier
 416
 417 <commit>::
 418         Indicates a commit object sha1 identifier
 419
 420 <tree-ish>::
 421         Indicates a tree, commit or tag object sha1 identifier.  A
 422         command that takes a <tree-ish> argument ultimately wants to
 423         operate on a <tree> object but automatically dereferences
 424         <commit> and <tag> objects that point at a <tree>.
 425
 426 <type>::
 427         Indicates that an object type is required.
 428         Currently one of: blob/tree/commit/tag
 429
 430 <file>::
 431         Indicates a filename - always relative to the root of
 432         the tree structure GIT_INDEX_FILE describes.
 433
 434 Symbolic Identifiers
 435 --------------------
 436 Any git command accepting any <object> can also use the following
 437 symbolic notation:
 438
 439 HEAD::
 440         indicates the head of the repository (ie the contents of
 441         `$GIT_DIR/HEAD`)
 442 <tag>::
 443         a valid tag 'name'+
 444         (ie the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/tags/<tag>`)
 445 <head>::
 446         a valid head 'name'+
 447         (ie the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/heads/<head>`)
 448 <snap>::
 449         a valid snapshot 'name'+
 450         (ie the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/snap/<snap>`)
 451
 452
 453 File/Directory Structure
 454 ------------------------
 455
 456 Please see link:repository-layout.html[repository layout] document.
 457
 458 Higher level SCMs may provide and manage additional information in the
 459 GIT_DIR.
 460
 461
 462 Terminology
 463 -----------
 464 Please see link:glossary.html[glossary] document.
 465
 466
 467 Environment Variables
 468 ---------------------
 469 Various git commands use the following environment variables:
 470
 471 The git Repository
 472 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 473 These environment variables apply to 'all' core git commands. Nb: it
 474 is worth noting that they may be used/overridden by SCMS sitting above
 475 git so take care if using Cogito etc
 476
 477 'GIT_INDEX_FILE'::
 478         This environment allows the specification of an alternate
 479         cache/index file. If not specified, the default of
 480         `$GIT_DIR/index` is used.
 481
 482 'GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY'::
 483         If the object storage directory is specified via this
 484         environment variable then the sha1 directories are created
 485         underneath - otherwise the default `$GIT_DIR/objects`
 486         directory is used.
 487
 488 'GIT_ALTERNATE_OBJECT_DIRECTORIES'::
 489         Due to the immutable nature of git objects, old objects can be
 490         archived into shared, read-only directories. This variable
 491         specifies a ":" separated list of git object directories which
 492         can be used to search for git objects. New objects will not be
 493         written to these directories.
 494
 495 'GIT_DIR'::
 496         If the 'GIT_DIR' environment variable is set then it specifies
 497         a path to use instead of `./.git` for the base of the
 498         repository.
 499
 500 git Commits
 501 ~~~~~~~~~~~
 502 'GIT_AUTHOR_NAME'::
 503 'GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL'::
 504 'GIT_AUTHOR_DATE'::
 505 'GIT_COMMITTER_NAME'::
 506 'GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL'::
 507         see gitlink:git-commit-tree[1]
 508
 509 git Diffs
 510 ~~~~~~~~~
 511 'GIT_DIFF_OPTS'::
 512 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF'::
 513         see the "generating patches" section in :
 514         gitlink:git-diff-index[1];
 515         gitlink:git-diff-files[1];
 516         gitlink:git-diff-tree[1]
 517
 518 Discussion[[Discussion]]
 519 ------------------------
 520 include::../README[]
 521
 522 Author
 523 ------
 524 Written by Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org> and the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
 525
 526 Documentation
 527 --------------
 528 Documentation by David Greaves, Junio C Hamano and the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
 529
 530 GIT
 531 ---
 532 Part of the gitlink:git[7] suite
 533