6 git - the stupid content tracker
12 'git' [--version] [--exec-path[=GIT_EXEC_PATH]] [--html-path]
13 [-p|--paginate|--no-pager] [--no-replace-objects]
14 [--bare] [--git-dir=GIT_DIR] [--work-tree=GIT_WORK_TREE]
15 [--help] COMMAND [ARGS]
19 Git is a fast, scalable, distributed revision control system with an
20 unusually rich command set that provides both high-level operations
21 and full access to internals.
23 See linkgit:gittutorial[7] to get started, then see
24 link:everyday.html[Everyday Git] for a useful minimum set of commands, and
25 "man git-commandname" for documentation of each command. CVS users may
26 also want to read linkgit:gitcvs-migration[7]. See
27 the link:user-manual.html[Git User's Manual] for a more in-depth
30 The COMMAND is either a name of a Git command (see below) or an alias
31 as defined in the configuration file (see linkgit:git-config[1]).
33 Formatted and hyperlinked version of the latest git
34 documentation can be viewed at
35 `http://www.kernel.org/pub/software/scm/git/docs/`.
41 You are reading the documentation for the latest (possibly
42 unreleased) version of git, that is available from 'master'
43 branch of the `git.git` repository.
44 Documentation for older releases are available here:
46 * link:v1.6.5.1/git.html[documentation for release 1.6.5.1]
49 link:RelNotes-1.6.5.1.txt[1.6.5.1],
50 link:RelNotes-1.6.5.txt[1.6.5].
52 * link:v1.6.4.4/git.html[documentation for release 1.6.4.4]
55 link:RelNotes-1.6.4.4.txt[1.6.4.4],
56 link:RelNotes-1.6.4.3.txt[1.6.4.3],
57 link:RelNotes-1.6.4.2.txt[1.6.4.2],
58 link:RelNotes-1.6.4.1.txt[1.6.4.1],
59 link:RelNotes-1.6.4.txt[1.6.4].
61 * link:v1.6.3.4/git.html[documentation for release 1.6.3.4]
64 link:RelNotes-1.6.3.4.txt[1.6.3.4],
65 link:RelNotes-1.6.3.3.txt[1.6.3.3],
66 link:RelNotes-1.6.3.2.txt[1.6.3.2],
67 link:RelNotes-1.6.3.1.txt[1.6.3.1],
68 link:RelNotes-1.6.3.txt[1.6.3].
71 link:RelNotes-1.6.2.5.txt[1.6.2.5],
72 link:RelNotes-1.6.2.4.txt[1.6.2.4],
73 link:RelNotes-1.6.2.3.txt[1.6.2.3],
74 link:RelNotes-1.6.2.2.txt[1.6.2.2],
75 link:RelNotes-1.6.2.1.txt[1.6.2.1],
76 link:RelNotes-1.6.2.txt[1.6.2].
78 * link:v1.6.1.3/git.html[documentation for release 1.6.1.3]
81 link:RelNotes-1.6.1.3.txt[1.6.1.3],
82 link:RelNotes-1.6.1.2.txt[1.6.1.2],
83 link:RelNotes-1.6.1.1.txt[1.6.1.1],
84 link:RelNotes-1.6.1.txt[1.6.1].
86 * link:v1.6.0.6/git.html[documentation for release 1.6.0.6]
89 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.6.txt[1.6.0.6],
90 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.5.txt[1.6.0.5],
91 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.4.txt[1.6.0.4],
92 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.3.txt[1.6.0.3],
93 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.2.txt[1.6.0.2],
94 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.1.txt[1.6.0.1],
95 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.txt[1.6.0].
97 * link:v1.5.6.6/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.6.6]
100 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.6.txt[1.5.6.6],
101 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.5.txt[1.5.6.5],
102 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.4.txt[1.5.6.4],
103 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.3.txt[1.5.6.3],
104 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.2.txt[1.5.6.2],
105 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.1.txt[1.5.6.1],
106 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.txt[1.5.6].
108 * link:v1.5.5.6/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.5.6]
111 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.6.txt[1.5.5.6],
112 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.5.txt[1.5.5.5],
113 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.4.txt[1.5.5.4],
114 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.3.txt[1.5.5.3],
115 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.2.txt[1.5.5.2],
116 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.1.txt[1.5.5.1],
117 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.txt[1.5.5].
119 * link:v1.5.4.7/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.4.7]
122 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.7.txt[1.5.4.7],
123 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.6.txt[1.5.4.6],
124 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.5.txt[1.5.4.5],
125 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.4.txt[1.5.4.4],
126 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.3.txt[1.5.4.3],
127 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.2.txt[1.5.4.2],
128 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.1.txt[1.5.4.1],
129 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.txt[1.5.4].
131 * link:v1.5.3.8/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.3.8]
134 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.8.txt[1.5.3.8],
135 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.7.txt[1.5.3.7],
136 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.6.txt[1.5.3.6],
137 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.5.txt[1.5.3.5],
138 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.4.txt[1.5.3.4],
139 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.3.txt[1.5.3.3],
140 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.2.txt[1.5.3.2],
141 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.1.txt[1.5.3.1],
142 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.txt[1.5.3].
144 * link:v1.5.2.5/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.2.5]
147 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.5.txt[1.5.2.5],
148 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.4.txt[1.5.2.4],
149 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.3.txt[1.5.2.3],
150 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.2.txt[1.5.2.2],
151 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.1.txt[1.5.2.1],
152 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.txt[1.5.2].
154 * link:v1.5.1.6/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.1.6]
157 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.6.txt[1.5.1.6],
158 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.5.txt[1.5.1.5],
159 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.4.txt[1.5.1.4],
160 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.3.txt[1.5.1.3],
161 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.2.txt[1.5.1.2],
162 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.1.txt[1.5.1.1],
163 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.txt[1.5.1].
165 * link:v1.5.0.7/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.0.7]
168 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.7.txt[1.5.0.7],
169 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.6.txt[1.5.0.6],
170 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.5.txt[1.5.0.5],
171 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.3.txt[1.5.0.3],
172 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.2.txt[1.5.0.2],
173 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.1.txt[1.5.0.1],
174 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.txt[1.5.0].
176 * documentation for release link:v1.4.4.4/git.html[1.4.4.4],
177 link:v1.3.3/git.html[1.3.3],
178 link:v1.2.6/git.html[1.2.6],
179 link:v1.0.13/git.html[1.0.13].
188 Prints the git suite version that the 'git' program came from.
191 Prints the synopsis and a list of the most commonly used
192 commands. If the option '--all' or '-a' is given then all
193 available commands are printed. If a git command is named this
194 option will bring up the manual page for that command.
196 Other options are available to control how the manual page is
197 displayed. See linkgit:git-help[1] for more information,
198 because `git --help ...` is converted internally into `git
202 Path to wherever your core git programs are installed.
203 This can also be controlled by setting the GIT_EXEC_PATH
204 environment variable. If no path is given, 'git' will print
205 the current setting and then exit.
208 Print the path to wherever your git HTML documentation is installed
213 Pipe all output into 'less' (or if set, $PAGER).
216 Do not pipe git output into a pager.
219 Set the path to the repository. This can also be controlled by
220 setting the GIT_DIR environment variable. It can be an absolute
221 path or relative path to current working directory.
224 Set the path to the working tree. The value will not be
225 used in combination with repositories found automatically in
226 a .git directory (i.e. $GIT_DIR is not set).
227 This can also be controlled by setting the GIT_WORK_TREE
228 environment variable and the core.worktree configuration
229 variable. It can be an absolute path or relative path to
230 the directory specified by --git-dir or GIT_DIR.
231 Note: If --git-dir or GIT_DIR are specified but none of
232 --work-tree, GIT_WORK_TREE and core.worktree is specified,
233 the current working directory is regarded as the top directory
234 of your working tree.
237 Treat the repository as a bare repository. If GIT_DIR
238 environment is not set, it is set to the current working
241 --no-replace-objects::
242 Do not use replacement refs to replace git objects. See
243 linkgit:git-replace[1] for more information.
246 FURTHER DOCUMENTATION
247 ---------------------
249 See the references above to get started using git. The following is
250 probably more detail than necessary for a first-time user.
252 The link:user-manual.html#git-concepts[git concepts chapter of the
253 user-manual] and linkgit:gitcore-tutorial[7] both provide
254 introductions to the underlying git architecture.
256 See linkgit:gitworkflows[7] for an overview of recommended workflows.
258 See also the link:howto-index.html[howto] documents for some useful
261 The internals are documented in the
262 link:technical/api-index.html[GIT API documentation].
267 We divide git into high level ("porcelain") commands and low level
268 ("plumbing") commands.
270 High-level commands (porcelain)
271 -------------------------------
273 We separate the porcelain commands into the main commands and some
274 ancillary user utilities.
276 Main porcelain commands
277 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
279 include::cmds-mainporcelain.txt[]
285 include::cmds-ancillarymanipulators.txt[]
289 include::cmds-ancillaryinterrogators.txt[]
292 Interacting with Others
293 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
295 These commands are to interact with foreign SCM and with other
296 people via patch over e-mail.
298 include::cmds-foreignscminterface.txt[]
301 Low-level commands (plumbing)
302 -----------------------------
304 Although git includes its
305 own porcelain layer, its low-level commands are sufficient to support
306 development of alternative porcelains. Developers of such porcelains
307 might start by reading about linkgit:git-update-index[1] and
308 linkgit:git-read-tree[1].
310 The interface (input, output, set of options and the semantics)
311 to these low-level commands are meant to be a lot more stable
312 than Porcelain level commands, because these commands are
313 primarily for scripted use. The interface to Porcelain commands
314 on the other hand are subject to change in order to improve the
317 The following description divides
318 the low-level commands into commands that manipulate objects (in
319 the repository, index, and working tree), commands that interrogate and
320 compare objects, and commands that move objects and references between
324 Manipulation commands
325 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
327 include::cmds-plumbingmanipulators.txt[]
330 Interrogation commands
331 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
333 include::cmds-plumbinginterrogators.txt[]
335 In general, the interrogate commands do not touch the files in
339 Synching repositories
340 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
342 include::cmds-synchingrepositories.txt[]
344 The following are helper commands used by the above; end users
345 typically do not use them directly.
347 include::cmds-synchelpers.txt[]
350 Internal helper commands
351 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
353 These are internal helper commands used by other commands; end
354 users typically do not use them directly.
356 include::cmds-purehelpers.txt[]
359 Configuration Mechanism
360 -----------------------
362 Starting from 0.99.9 (actually mid 0.99.8.GIT), `.git/config` file
363 is used to hold per-repository configuration options. It is a
364 simple text file modeled after `.ini` format familiar to some
365 people. Here is an example:
369 # A '#' or ';' character indicates a comment.
374 ; Don't trust file modes
379 name = "Junio C Hamano"
380 email = "junkio@twinsun.com"
384 Various commands read from the configuration file and adjust
385 their operation accordingly.
388 Identifier Terminology
389 ----------------------
391 Indicates the object name for any type of object.
394 Indicates a blob object name.
397 Indicates a tree object name.
400 Indicates a commit object name.
403 Indicates a tree, commit or tag object name. A
404 command that takes a <tree-ish> argument ultimately wants to
405 operate on a <tree> object but automatically dereferences
406 <commit> and <tag> objects that point at a <tree>.
409 Indicates a commit or tag object name. A
410 command that takes a <commit-ish> argument ultimately wants to
411 operate on a <commit> object but automatically dereferences
412 <tag> objects that point at a <commit>.
415 Indicates that an object type is required.
416 Currently one of: `blob`, `tree`, `commit`, or `tag`.
419 Indicates a filename - almost always relative to the
420 root of the tree structure `GIT_INDEX_FILE` describes.
424 Any git command accepting any <object> can also use the following
428 indicates the head of the current branch (i.e. the
429 contents of `$GIT_DIR/HEAD`).
433 (i.e. the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/tags/<tag>`).
437 (i.e. the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/heads/<head>`).
439 For a more complete list of ways to spell object names, see
440 "SPECIFYING REVISIONS" section in linkgit:git-rev-parse[1].
443 File/Directory Structure
444 ------------------------
446 Please see the linkgit:gitrepository-layout[5] document.
448 Read linkgit:githooks[5] for more details about each hook.
450 Higher level SCMs may provide and manage additional information in the
456 Please see linkgit:gitglossary[7].
459 Environment Variables
460 ---------------------
461 Various git commands use the following environment variables:
465 These environment variables apply to 'all' core git commands. Nb: it
466 is worth noting that they may be used/overridden by SCMS sitting above
467 git so take care if using Cogito etc.
470 This environment allows the specification of an alternate
471 index file. If not specified, the default of `$GIT_DIR/index`
474 'GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY'::
475 If the object storage directory is specified via this
476 environment variable then the sha1 directories are created
477 underneath - otherwise the default `$GIT_DIR/objects`
480 'GIT_ALTERNATE_OBJECT_DIRECTORIES'::
481 Due to the immutable nature of git objects, old objects can be
482 archived into shared, read-only directories. This variable
483 specifies a ":" separated (on Windows ";" separated) list
484 of git object directories which can be used to search for git
485 objects. New objects will not be written to these directories.
488 If the 'GIT_DIR' environment variable is set then it
489 specifies a path to use instead of the default `.git`
490 for the base of the repository.
493 Set the path to the working tree. The value will not be
494 used in combination with repositories found automatically in
495 a .git directory (i.e. $GIT_DIR is not set).
496 This can also be controlled by the '--work-tree' command line
497 option and the core.worktree configuration variable.
499 'GIT_CEILING_DIRECTORIES'::
500 This should be a colon-separated list of absolute paths.
501 If set, it is a list of directories that git should not chdir
502 up into while looking for a repository directory.
503 It will not exclude the current working directory or
504 a GIT_DIR set on the command line or in the environment.
505 (Useful for excluding slow-loading network directories.)
512 'GIT_COMMITTER_NAME'::
513 'GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL'::
514 'GIT_COMMITTER_DATE'::
516 see linkgit:git-commit-tree[1]
521 Only valid setting is "--unified=??" or "-u??" to set the
522 number of context lines shown when a unified diff is created.
523 This takes precedence over any "-U" or "--unified" option
524 value passed on the git diff command line.
526 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF'::
527 When the environment variable 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' is set, the
528 program named by it is called, instead of the diff invocation
529 described above. For a path that is added, removed, or modified,
530 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' is called with 7 parameters:
532 path old-file old-hex old-mode new-file new-hex new-mode
536 <old|new>-file:: are files GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF can use to read the
537 contents of <old|new>,
538 <old|new>-hex:: are the 40-hexdigit SHA1 hashes,
539 <old|new>-mode:: are the octal representation of the file modes.
542 The file parameters can point at the user's working file
543 (e.g. `new-file` in "git-diff-files"), `/dev/null` (e.g. `old-file`
544 when a new file is added), or a temporary file (e.g. `old-file` in the
545 index). 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' should not worry about unlinking the
546 temporary file --- it is removed when 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' exits.
548 For a path that is unmerged, 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' is called with 1
553 'GIT_MERGE_VERBOSITY'::
554 A number controlling the amount of output shown by
555 the recursive merge strategy. Overrides merge.verbosity.
556 See linkgit:git-merge[1]
559 This environment variable overrides `$PAGER`. If it is set
560 to an empty string or to the value "cat", git will not launch
561 a pager. See also the `core.pager` option in
562 linkgit:git-config[1].
565 If this environment variable is set then 'git-fetch'
566 and 'git-push' will use this command instead
567 of 'ssh' when they need to connect to a remote system.
568 The '$GIT_SSH' command will be given exactly two arguments:
569 the 'username@host' (or just 'host') from the URL and the
570 shell command to execute on that remote system.
572 To pass options to the program that you want to list in GIT_SSH
573 you will need to wrap the program and options into a shell script,
574 then set GIT_SSH to refer to the shell script.
576 Usually it is easier to configure any desired options through your
577 personal `.ssh/config` file. Please consult your ssh documentation
581 If this environment variable is set to "1", then commands such
582 as 'git-blame' (in incremental mode), 'git-rev-list', 'git-log',
583 and 'git-whatchanged' will force a flush of the output stream
584 after each commit-oriented record have been flushed. If this
585 variable is set to "0", the output of these commands will be done
586 using completely buffered I/O. If this environment variable is
587 not set, git will choose buffered or record-oriented flushing
588 based on whether stdout appears to be redirected to a file or not.
591 If this variable is set to "1", "2" or "true" (comparison
592 is case insensitive), git will print `trace:` messages on
593 stderr telling about alias expansion, built-in command
594 execution and external command execution.
595 If this variable is set to an integer value greater than 1
596 and lower than 10 (strictly) then git will interpret this
597 value as an open file descriptor and will try to write the
598 trace messages into this file descriptor.
599 Alternatively, if this variable is set to an absolute path
600 (starting with a '/' character), git will interpret this
601 as a file path and will try to write the trace messages
604 Discussion[[Discussion]]
605 ------------------------
607 More detail on the following is available from the
608 link:user-manual.html#git-concepts[git concepts chapter of the
609 user-manual] and linkgit:gitcore-tutorial[7].
611 A git project normally consists of a working directory with a ".git"
612 subdirectory at the top level. The .git directory contains, among other
613 things, a compressed object database representing the complete history
614 of the project, an "index" file which links that history to the current
615 contents of the working tree, and named pointers into that history such
616 as tags and branch heads.
618 The object database contains objects of three main types: blobs, which
619 hold file data; trees, which point to blobs and other trees to build up
620 directory hierarchies; and commits, which each reference a single tree
621 and some number of parent commits.
623 The commit, equivalent to what other systems call a "changeset" or
624 "version", represents a step in the project's history, and each parent
625 represents an immediately preceding step. Commits with more than one
626 parent represent merges of independent lines of development.
628 All objects are named by the SHA1 hash of their contents, normally
629 written as a string of 40 hex digits. Such names are globally unique.
630 The entire history leading up to a commit can be vouched for by signing
631 just that commit. A fourth object type, the tag, is provided for this
634 When first created, objects are stored in individual files, but for
635 efficiency may later be compressed together into "pack files".
637 Named pointers called refs mark interesting points in history. A ref
638 may contain the SHA1 name of an object or the name of another ref. Refs
639 with names beginning `ref/head/` contain the SHA1 name of the most
640 recent commit (or "head") of a branch under development. SHA1 names of
641 tags of interest are stored under `ref/tags/`. A special ref named
642 `HEAD` contains the name of the currently checked-out branch.
644 The index file is initialized with a list of all paths and, for each
645 path, a blob object and a set of attributes. The blob object represents
646 the contents of the file as of the head of the current branch. The
647 attributes (last modified time, size, etc.) are taken from the
648 corresponding file in the working tree. Subsequent changes to the
649 working tree can be found by comparing these attributes. The index may
650 be updated with new content, and new commits may be created from the
651 content stored in the index.
653 The index is also capable of storing multiple entries (called "stages")
654 for a given pathname. These stages are used to hold the various
655 unmerged version of a file when a merge is in progress.
659 * git's founding father is Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org>.
660 * The current git nurse is Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>.
661 * The git potty was written by Andreas Ericsson <ae@op5.se>.
662 * General upbringing is handled by the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
666 The documentation for git suite was started by David Greaves
667 <david@dgreaves.com>, and later enhanced greatly by the
668 contributors on the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
672 linkgit:gittutorial[7], linkgit:gittutorial-2[7],
673 link:everyday.html[Everyday Git], linkgit:gitcvs-migration[7],
674 linkgit:gitglossary[7], linkgit:gitcore-tutorial[7],
675 linkgit:gitcli[7], link:user-manual.html[The Git User's Manual],
676 linkgit:gitworkflows[7]
680 Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite