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1 git-submodule(1)
2 ================
3
4 NAME
5 ----
6 git-submodule - Initialize, update or inspect submodules
7
8
9 SYNOPSIS
10 --------
11 [verse]
12 'git submodule' [--quiet] add [<options>] [--] <repository> [<path>]
13 'git submodule' [--quiet] status [--cached] [--recursive] [--] [<path>...]
14 'git submodule' [--quiet] init [--] [<path>...]
15 'git submodule' [--quiet] deinit [-f|--force] (--all|[--] <path>...)
16 'git submodule' [--quiet] update [<options>] [--] [<path>...]
17 'git submodule' [--quiet] summary [<options>] [--] [<path>...]
18 'git submodule' [--quiet] foreach [--recursive] <command>
19 'git submodule' [--quiet] sync [--recursive] [--] [<path>...]
20 'git submodule' [--quiet] absorbgitdirs [--] [<path>...]
21
22
23 DESCRIPTION
24 -----------
25 Inspects, updates and manages submodules.
26
27 For more information about submodules, see linkgit:gitsubmodules[7].
28
29 COMMANDS
30 --------
31 add [-b <branch>] [-f|--force] [--name <name>] [--reference <repository>] [--depth <depth>] [--] <repository> [<path>]::
32 Add the given repository as a submodule at the given path
33 to the changeset to be committed next to the current
34 project: the current project is termed the "superproject".
35 +
36 <repository> is the URL of the new submodule's origin repository.
37 This may be either an absolute URL, or (if it begins with ./
38 or ../), the location relative to the superproject's default remote
39 repository (Please note that to specify a repository 'foo.git'
40 which is located right next to a superproject 'bar.git', you'll
41 have to use '../foo.git' instead of './foo.git' - as one might expect
42 when following the rules for relative URLs - because the evaluation
43 of relative URLs in Git is identical to that of relative directories).
44 +
45 The default remote is the remote of the remote-tracking branch
46 of the current branch. If no such remote-tracking branch exists or
47 the HEAD is detached, "origin" is assumed to be the default remote.
48 If the superproject doesn't have a default remote configured
49 the superproject is its own authoritative upstream and the current
50 working directory is used instead.
51 +
52 The optional argument <path> is the relative location for the cloned
53 submodule to exist in the superproject. If <path> is not given, the
54 canonical part of the source repository is used ("repo" for
55 "/path/to/repo.git" and "foo" for "host.xz:foo/.git"). If <path>
56 exists and is already a valid Git repository, then it is staged
57 for commit without cloning. The <path> is also used as the submodule's
58 logical name in its configuration entries unless `--name` is used
59 to specify a logical name.
60 +
61 The given URL is recorded into `.gitmodules` for use by subsequent users
62 cloning the superproject. If the URL is given relative to the
63 superproject's repository, the presumption is the superproject and
64 submodule repositories will be kept together in the same relative
65 location, and only the superproject's URL needs to be provided.
66 git-submodule will correctly locate the submodule using the relative
67 URL in `.gitmodules`.
68
69 status [--cached] [--recursive] [--] [<path>...]::
70 Show the status of the submodules. This will print the SHA-1 of the
71 currently checked out commit for each submodule, along with the
72 submodule path and the output of 'git describe' for the
73 SHA-1. Each SHA-1 will possibly be prefixed with `-` if the submodule is
74 not initialized, `+` if the currently checked out submodule commit
75 does not match the SHA-1 found in the index of the containing
76 repository and `U` if the submodule has merge conflicts.
77 +
78 If `--recursive` is specified, this command will recurse into nested
79 submodules, and show their status as well.
80 +
81 If you are only interested in changes of the currently initialized
82 submodules with respect to the commit recorded in the index or the HEAD,
83 linkgit:git-status[1] and linkgit:git-diff[1] will provide that information
84 too (and can also report changes to a submodule's work tree).
85
86 init [--] [<path>...]::
87 Initialize the submodules recorded in the index (which were
88 added and committed elsewhere) by setting `submodule.$name.url`
89 in .git/config. It uses the same setting from `.gitmodules` as
90 a template. If the URL is relative, it will be resolved using
91 the default remote. If there is no default remote, the current
92 repository will be assumed to be upstream.
93 +
94 Optional <path> arguments limit which submodules will be initialized.
95 If no path is specified and submodule.active has been configured, submodules
96 configured to be active will be initialized, otherwise all submodules are
97 initialized.
98 +
99 When present, it will also copy the value of `submodule.$name.update`.
100 This command does not alter existing information in .git/config.
101 You can then customize the submodule clone URLs in .git/config
102 for your local setup and proceed to `git submodule update`;
103 you can also just use `git submodule update --init` without
104 the explicit 'init' step if you do not intend to customize
105 any submodule locations.
106 +
107 See the add subcommand for the definition of default remote.
108
109 deinit [-f|--force] (--all|[--] <path>...)::
110 Unregister the given submodules, i.e. remove the whole
111 `submodule.$name` section from .git/config together with their work
112 tree. Further calls to `git submodule update`, `git submodule foreach`
113 and `git submodule sync` will skip any unregistered submodules until
114 they are initialized again, so use this command if you don't want to
115 have a local checkout of the submodule in your working tree anymore.
116 +
117 When the command is run without pathspec, it errors out,
118 instead of deinit-ing everything, to prevent mistakes.
119 +
120 If `--force` is specified, the submodule's working tree will
121 be removed even if it contains local modifications.
122 +
123 If you really want to remove a submodule from the repository and commit
124 that use linkgit:git-rm[1] instead. See linkgit:gitsubmodules[7] for removal
125 options.
126
127 update [--init] [--remote] [-N|--no-fetch] [--[no-]recommend-shallow] [-f|--force] [--checkout|--rebase|--merge] [--reference <repository>] [--depth <depth>] [--recursive] [--jobs <n>] [--] [<path>...]::
128 +
129 --
130 Update the registered submodules to match what the superproject
131 expects by cloning missing submodules and updating the working tree of
132 the submodules. The "updating" can be done in several ways depending
133 on command line options and the value of `submodule.<name>.update`
134 configuration variable. The command line option takes precedence over
135 the configuration variable. If neither is given, a 'checkout' is performed.
136 The 'update' procedures supported both from the command line as well as
137 through the `submodule.<name>.update` configuration are:
138
139 checkout;; the commit recorded in the superproject will be
140 checked out in the submodule on a detached HEAD.
141 +
142 If `--force` is specified, the submodule will be checked out (using
143 `git checkout --force`), even if the commit specified
144 in the index of the containing repository already matches the commit
145 checked out in the submodule.
146
147 rebase;; the current branch of the submodule will be rebased
148 onto the commit recorded in the superproject.
149
150 merge;; the commit recorded in the superproject will be merged
151 into the current branch in the submodule.
152
153 The following 'update' procedures are only available via the
154 `submodule.<name>.update` configuration variable:
155
156 custom command;; arbitrary shell command that takes a single
157 argument (the sha1 of the commit recorded in the
158 superproject) is executed. When `submodule.<name>.update`
159 is set to '!command', the remainder after the exclamation mark
160 is the custom command.
161
162 none;; the submodule is not updated.
163
164 If the submodule is not yet initialized, and you just want to use the
165 setting as stored in `.gitmodules`, you can automatically initialize the
166 submodule with the `--init` option.
167
168 If `--recursive` is specified, this command will recurse into the
169 registered submodules, and update any nested submodules within.
170 --
171 summary [--cached|--files] [(-n|--summary-limit) <n>] [commit] [--] [<path>...]::
172 Show commit summary between the given commit (defaults to HEAD) and
173 working tree/index. For a submodule in question, a series of commits
174 in the submodule between the given super project commit and the
175 index or working tree (switched by `--cached`) are shown. If the option
176 `--files` is given, show the series of commits in the submodule between
177 the index of the super project and the working tree of the submodule
178 (this option doesn't allow to use the `--cached` option or to provide an
179 explicit commit).
180 +
181 Using the `--submodule=log` option with linkgit:git-diff[1] will provide that
182 information too.
183
184 foreach [--recursive] <command>::
185 Evaluates an arbitrary shell command in each checked out submodule.
186 The command has access to the variables $name, $sm_path, $displaypath,
187 $sha1 and $toplevel:
188 $name is the name of the relevant submodule section in `.gitmodules`,
189 $sm_path is the path of the submodule as recorded in the immediate
190 superproject, $displaypath contains the relative path from the
191 current working directory to the submodules root directory,
192 $sha1 is the commit as recorded in the immediate
193 superproject, and $toplevel is the absolute path to the top-level
194 of the immediate superproject.
195 Note that to avoid conflicts with '$PATH' on Windows, the '$path'
196 variable is now a deprecated synonym of '$sm_path' variable.
197 Any submodules defined in the superproject but not checked out are
198 ignored by this command. Unless given `--quiet`, foreach prints the name
199 of each submodule before evaluating the command.
200 If `--recursive` is given, submodules are traversed recursively (i.e.
201 the given shell command is evaluated in nested submodules as well).
202 A non-zero return from the command in any submodule causes
203 the processing to terminate. This can be overridden by adding '|| :'
204 to the end of the command.
205 +
206 As an example, the command below will show the path and currently
207 checked out commit for each submodule:
208 +
209 --------------
210 git submodule foreach 'echo $path `git rev-parse HEAD`'
211 --------------
212
213 sync [--recursive] [--] [<path>...]::
214 Synchronizes submodules' remote URL configuration setting
215 to the value specified in `.gitmodules`. It will only affect those
216 submodules which already have a URL entry in .git/config (that is the
217 case when they are initialized or freshly added). This is useful when
218 submodule URLs change upstream and you need to update your local
219 repositories accordingly.
220 +
221 `git submodule sync` synchronizes all submodules while
222 `git submodule sync -- A` synchronizes submodule "A" only.
223 +
224 If `--recursive` is specified, this command will recurse into the
225 registered submodules, and sync any nested submodules within.
226
227 absorbgitdirs::
228 If a git directory of a submodule is inside the submodule,
229 move the git directory of the submodule into its superprojects
230 `$GIT_DIR/modules` path and then connect the git directory and
231 its working directory by setting the `core.worktree` and adding
232 a .git file pointing to the git directory embedded in the
233 superprojects git directory.
234 +
235 A repository that was cloned independently and later added as a submodule or
236 old setups have the submodules git directory inside the submodule instead of
237 embedded into the superprojects git directory.
238 +
239 This command is recursive by default.
240
241 OPTIONS
242 -------
243 -q::
244 --quiet::
245 Only print error messages.
246
247 --progress::
248 This option is only valid for add and update commands.
249 Progress status is reported on the standard error stream
250 by default when it is attached to a terminal, unless -q
251 is specified. This flag forces progress status even if the
252 standard error stream is not directed to a terminal.
253
254 --all::
255 This option is only valid for the deinit command. Unregister all
256 submodules in the working tree.
257
258 -b::
259 --branch::
260 Branch of repository to add as submodule.
261 The name of the branch is recorded as `submodule.<name>.branch` in
262 `.gitmodules` for `update --remote`. A special value of `.` is used to
263 indicate that the name of the branch in the submodule should be the
264 same name as the current branch in the current repository.
265
266 -f::
267 --force::
268 This option is only valid for add, deinit and update commands.
269 When running add, allow adding an otherwise ignored submodule path.
270 When running deinit the submodule working trees will be removed even
271 if they contain local changes.
272 When running update (only effective with the checkout procedure),
273 throw away local changes in submodules when switching to a
274 different commit; and always run a checkout operation in the
275 submodule, even if the commit listed in the index of the
276 containing repository matches the commit checked out in the
277 submodule.
278
279 --cached::
280 This option is only valid for status and summary commands. These
281 commands typically use the commit found in the submodule HEAD, but
282 with this option, the commit stored in the index is used instead.
283
284 --files::
285 This option is only valid for the summary command. This command
286 compares the commit in the index with that in the submodule HEAD
287 when this option is used.
288
289 -n::
290 --summary-limit::
291 This option is only valid for the summary command.
292 Limit the summary size (number of commits shown in total).
293 Giving 0 will disable the summary; a negative number means unlimited
294 (the default). This limit only applies to modified submodules. The
295 size is always limited to 1 for added/deleted/typechanged submodules.
296
297 --remote::
298 This option is only valid for the update command. Instead of using
299 the superproject's recorded SHA-1 to update the submodule, use the
300 status of the submodule's remote-tracking branch. The remote used
301 is branch's remote (`branch.<name>.remote`), defaulting to `origin`.
302 The remote branch used defaults to `master`, but the branch name may
303 be overridden by setting the `submodule.<name>.branch` option in
304 either `.gitmodules` or `.git/config` (with `.git/config` taking
305 precedence).
306 +
307 This works for any of the supported update procedures (`--checkout`,
308 `--rebase`, etc.). The only change is the source of the target SHA-1.
309 For example, `submodule update --remote --merge` will merge upstream
310 submodule changes into the submodules, while `submodule update
311 --merge` will merge superproject gitlink changes into the submodules.
312 +
313 In order to ensure a current tracking branch state, `update --remote`
314 fetches the submodule's remote repository before calculating the
315 SHA-1. If you don't want to fetch, you should use `submodule update
316 --remote --no-fetch`.
317 +
318 Use this option to integrate changes from the upstream subproject with
319 your submodule's current HEAD. Alternatively, you can run `git pull`
320 from the submodule, which is equivalent except for the remote branch
321 name: `update --remote` uses the default upstream repository and
322 `submodule.<name>.branch`, while `git pull` uses the submodule's
323 `branch.<name>.merge`. Prefer `submodule.<name>.branch` if you want
324 to distribute the default upstream branch with the superproject and
325 `branch.<name>.merge` if you want a more native feel while working in
326 the submodule itself.
327
328 -N::
329 --no-fetch::
330 This option is only valid for the update command.
331 Don't fetch new objects from the remote site.
332
333 --checkout::
334 This option is only valid for the update command.
335 Checkout the commit recorded in the superproject on a detached HEAD
336 in the submodule. This is the default behavior, the main use of
337 this option is to override `submodule.$name.update` when set to
338 a value other than `checkout`.
339 If the key `submodule.$name.update` is either not explicitly set or
340 set to `checkout`, this option is implicit.
341
342 --merge::
343 This option is only valid for the update command.
344 Merge the commit recorded in the superproject into the current branch
345 of the submodule. If this option is given, the submodule's HEAD will
346 not be detached. If a merge failure prevents this process, you will
347 have to resolve the resulting conflicts within the submodule with the
348 usual conflict resolution tools.
349 If the key `submodule.$name.update` is set to `merge`, this option is
350 implicit.
351
352 --rebase::
353 This option is only valid for the update command.
354 Rebase the current branch onto the commit recorded in the
355 superproject. If this option is given, the submodule's HEAD will not
356 be detached. If a merge failure prevents this process, you will have
357 to resolve these failures with linkgit:git-rebase[1].
358 If the key `submodule.$name.update` is set to `rebase`, this option is
359 implicit.
360
361 --init::
362 This option is only valid for the update command.
363 Initialize all submodules for which "git submodule init" has not been
364 called so far before updating.
365
366 --name::
367 This option is only valid for the add command. It sets the submodule's
368 name to the given string instead of defaulting to its path. The name
369 must be valid as a directory name and may not end with a '/'.
370
371 --reference <repository>::
372 This option is only valid for add and update commands. These
373 commands sometimes need to clone a remote repository. In this case,
374 this option will be passed to the linkgit:git-clone[1] command.
375 +
376 *NOTE*: Do *not* use this option unless you have read the note
377 for linkgit:git-clone[1]'s `--reference`, `--shared`, and `--dissociate`
378 options carefully.
379
380 --dissociate::
381 This option is only valid for add and update commands. These
382 commands sometimes need to clone a remote repository. In this case,
383 this option will be passed to the linkgit:git-clone[1] command.
384 +
385 *NOTE*: see the NOTE for the `--reference` option.
386
387 --recursive::
388 This option is only valid for foreach, update, status and sync commands.
389 Traverse submodules recursively. The operation is performed not
390 only in the submodules of the current repo, but also
391 in any nested submodules inside those submodules (and so on).
392
393 --depth::
394 This option is valid for add and update commands. Create a 'shallow'
395 clone with a history truncated to the specified number of revisions.
396 See linkgit:git-clone[1]
397
398 --[no-]recommend-shallow::
399 This option is only valid for the update command.
400 The initial clone of a submodule will use the recommended
401 `submodule.<name>.shallow` as provided by the `.gitmodules` file
402 by default. To ignore the suggestions use `--no-recommend-shallow`.
403
404 -j <n>::
405 --jobs <n>::
406 This option is only valid for the update command.
407 Clone new submodules in parallel with as many jobs.
408 Defaults to the `submodule.fetchJobs` option.
409
410 <path>...::
411 Paths to submodule(s). When specified this will restrict the command
412 to only operate on the submodules found at the specified paths.
413 (This argument is required with add).
414
415 FILES
416 -----
417 When initializing submodules, a `.gitmodules` file in the top-level directory
418 of the containing repository is used to find the url of each submodule.
419 This file should be formatted in the same way as `$GIT_DIR/config`. The key
420 to each submodule url is "submodule.$name.url". See linkgit:gitmodules[5]
421 for details.
422
423 SEE ALSO
424 --------
425 linkgit:gitsubmodules[7], linkgit:gitmodules[5].
426
427 GIT
428 ---
429 Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite