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 `HEAD` file that
  24 references the HEAD of the master branch is also created.
  25
  26 If the `$GIT_DIR` environment variable is set then it specifies a path
  27 to use instead of `./.git` for the base of the repository.
  28
  29 If the object storage directory is specified via the
  30 `$GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY` environment variable then the sha1 directories
  31 are created underneath - otherwise the default `$GIT_DIR/objects`
  32 directory is used.
  33
  34 Running 'git init' in an existing repository is safe. It will not
  35 overwrite things that are already there. The primary reason for
  36 rerunning 'git init' is to pick up newly added templates (or to move
  37 the repository to another place if --separate-git-dir is given).
  38
  39 OPTIONS
  40 -------
  41
  42 -q::
  43 --quiet::
  44
  45 Only print error and warning messages; all other output will be suppressed.
  46
  47 --bare::
  48
  49 Create a bare repository. If `GIT_DIR` environment is not set, it is set to the
  50 current working directory.
  51
  52 --object-format=<format>::
  53
  54 Specify the given object format (hash algorithm) for the repository.  The valid
  55 values are 'sha1' and (if enabled) 'sha256'.  'sha1' is the default.
  56 +
  57 include::object-format-disclaimer.txt[]
  58
  59 --template=<template_directory>::
  60
  61 Specify the directory from which templates will be used.  (See the "TEMPLATE
  62 DIRECTORY" section below.)
  63
  64 --separate-git-dir=<git dir>::
  65
  66 Instead of initializing the repository as a directory to either `$GIT_DIR` or
  67 `./.git/`, create a text file there containing the path to the actual
  68 repository.  This file acts as filesystem-agnostic Git symbolic link to the
  69 repository.
  70 +
  71 If this is reinitialization, the repository will be moved to the specified path.
  72
  73 -b <branch-name::
  74 --initial-branch=<branch-name>::
  75
  76 Use the specified name for the initial branch in the newly created repository.
  77 If not specified, fall back to the default name: `master`.
  78
  79 --shared[=(false|true|umask|group|all|world|everybody|0xxx)]::
  80
  81 Specify that the Git repository is to be shared amongst several users.  This
  82 allows users belonging to the same group to push into that
  83 repository.  When specified, the config variable "core.sharedRepository" is
  84 set so that files and directories under `$GIT_DIR` are created with the
  85 requested permissions.  When not specified, Git will use permissions reported
  86 by umask(2).
  87 +
  88 The option can have the following values, defaulting to 'group' if no value
  89 is given:
  90 +
  91 --
  92 'umask' (or 'false')::
  93
  94 Use permissions reported by umask(2). The default, when `--shared` is not
  95 specified.
  96
  97 'group' (or 'true')::
  98
  99 Make the repository group-writable, (and g+sx, since the git group may be not
 100 the primary group of all users). This is used to loosen the permissions of an
 101 otherwise safe umask(2) value. Note that the umask still applies to the other
 102 permission bits (e.g. if umask is '0022', using 'group' will not remove read
 103 privileges from other (non-group) users). See '0xxx' for how to exactly specify
 104 the repository permissions.
 105
 106 'all' (or 'world' or 'everybody')::
 107
 108 Same as 'group', but make the repository readable by all users.
 109
 110 '0xxx'::
 111
 112 '0xxx' is an octal number and each file will have mode '0xxx'. '0xxx' will
 113 override users' umask(2) value (and not only loosen permissions as 'group' and
 114 'all' does). '0640' will create a repository which is group-readable, but not
 115 group-writable or accessible to others. '0660' will create a repo that is
 116 readable and writable to the current user and group, but inaccessible to others.
 117 --
 118
 119 By default, the configuration flag `receive.denyNonFastForwards` is enabled
 120 in shared repositories, so that you cannot force a non fast-forwarding push
 121 into it.
 122
 123 If you provide a 'directory', the command is run inside it. If this directory
 124 does not exist, it will be created.
 125
 126 TEMPLATE DIRECTORY
 127 ------------------
 128
 129 Files and directories in the template directory whose name do not start with a
 130 dot will be copied to the `$GIT_DIR` after it is created.
 131
 132 The template directory will be one of the following (in order):
 133
 134  - the argument given with the `--template` option;
 135
 136  - the contents of the `$GIT_TEMPLATE_DIR` environment variable;
 137
 138  - the `init.templateDir` configuration variable; or
 139
 140  - the default template directory: `/usr/share/git-core/templates`.
 141
 142 The default template directory includes some directory structure, suggested
 143 "exclude patterns" (see linkgit:gitignore[5]), and sample hook files.
 144
 145 The sample hooks are all disabled by default. To enable one of the
 146 sample hooks rename it by removing its `.sample` suffix.
 147
 148 See linkgit:githooks[5] for more general info on hook execution.
 149
 150 EXAMPLES
 151 --------
 152
 153 Start a new Git repository for an existing code base::
 154 +
 155 ----------------
 156 $ cd /path/to/my/codebase
 157 $ git init      <1>
 158 $ git add .     <2>
 159 $ git commit    <3>
 160 ----------------
 161 +
 162 <1> Create a /path/to/my/codebase/.git directory.
 163 <2> Add all existing files to the index.
 164 <3> Record the pristine state as the first commit in the history.
 165
 166 GIT
 167 ---
 168 Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite