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:v1.6.5.6/git.html[documentation for release 1.6.5.6]
49 link:RelNotes-1.6.5.6.txt[1.6.5.6],
50 link:RelNotes-1.6.5.5.txt[1.6.5.5],
51 link:RelNotes-1.6.5.4.txt[1.6.5.4],
52 link:RelNotes-1.6.5.3.txt[1.6.5.3],
53 link:RelNotes-1.6.5.2.txt[1.6.5.2],
54 link:RelNotes-1.6.5.1.txt[1.6.5.1],
55 link:RelNotes-1.6.5.txt[1.6.5].
57 * link:v1.6.4.4/git.html[documentation for release 1.6.4.4]
60 link:RelNotes-1.6.4.4.txt[1.6.4.4],
61 link:RelNotes-1.6.4.3.txt[1.6.4.3],
62 link:RelNotes-1.6.4.2.txt[1.6.4.2],
63 link:RelNotes-1.6.4.1.txt[1.6.4.1],
64 link:RelNotes-1.6.4.txt[1.6.4].
66 * link:v1.6.3.4/git.html[documentation for release 1.6.3.4]
69 link:RelNotes-1.6.3.4.txt[1.6.3.4],
70 link:RelNotes-1.6.3.3.txt[1.6.3.3],
71 link:RelNotes-1.6.3.2.txt[1.6.3.2],
72 link:RelNotes-1.6.3.1.txt[1.6.3.1],
73 link:RelNotes-1.6.3.txt[1.6.3].
76 link:RelNotes-1.6.2.5.txt[1.6.2.5],
77 link:RelNotes-1.6.2.4.txt[1.6.2.4],
78 link:RelNotes-1.6.2.3.txt[1.6.2.3],
79 link:RelNotes-1.6.2.2.txt[1.6.2.2],
80 link:RelNotes-1.6.2.1.txt[1.6.2.1],
81 link:RelNotes-1.6.2.txt[1.6.2].
83 * link:v1.6.1.3/git.html[documentation for release 1.6.1.3]
86 link:RelNotes-1.6.1.3.txt[1.6.1.3],
87 link:RelNotes-1.6.1.2.txt[1.6.1.2],
88 link:RelNotes-1.6.1.1.txt[1.6.1.1],
89 link:RelNotes-1.6.1.txt[1.6.1].
91 * link:v1.6.0.6/git.html[documentation for release 1.6.0.6]
94 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.6.txt[1.6.0.6],
95 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.5.txt[1.6.0.5],
96 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.4.txt[1.6.0.4],
97 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.3.txt[1.6.0.3],
98 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.2.txt[1.6.0.2],
99 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.1.txt[1.6.0.1],
100 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.txt[1.6.0].
102 * link:v1.5.6.6/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.6.6]
105 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.6.txt[1.5.6.6],
106 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.5.txt[1.5.6.5],
107 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.4.txt[1.5.6.4],
108 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.3.txt[1.5.6.3],
109 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.2.txt[1.5.6.2],
110 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.1.txt[1.5.6.1],
111 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.txt[1.5.6].
113 * link:v1.5.5.6/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.5.6]
116 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.6.txt[1.5.5.6],
117 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.5.txt[1.5.5.5],
118 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.4.txt[1.5.5.4],
119 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.3.txt[1.5.5.3],
120 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.2.txt[1.5.5.2],
121 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.1.txt[1.5.5.1],
122 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.txt[1.5.5].
124 * link:v1.5.4.7/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.4.7]
127 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.7.txt[1.5.4.7],
128 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.6.txt[1.5.4.6],
129 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.5.txt[1.5.4.5],
130 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.4.txt[1.5.4.4],
131 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.3.txt[1.5.4.3],
132 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.2.txt[1.5.4.2],
133 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.1.txt[1.5.4.1],
134 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.txt[1.5.4].
136 * link:v1.5.3.8/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.3.8]
139 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.8.txt[1.5.3.8],
140 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.7.txt[1.5.3.7],
141 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.6.txt[1.5.3.6],
142 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.5.txt[1.5.3.5],
143 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.4.txt[1.5.3.4],
144 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.3.txt[1.5.3.3],
145 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.2.txt[1.5.3.2],
146 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.1.txt[1.5.3.1],
147 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.txt[1.5.3].
149 * link:v1.5.2.5/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.2.5]
152 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.5.txt[1.5.2.5],
153 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.4.txt[1.5.2.4],
154 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.3.txt[1.5.2.3],
155 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.2.txt[1.5.2.2],
156 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.1.txt[1.5.2.1],
157 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.txt[1.5.2].
159 * link:v1.5.1.6/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.1.6]
162 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.6.txt[1.5.1.6],
163 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.5.txt[1.5.1.5],
164 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.4.txt[1.5.1.4],
165 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.3.txt[1.5.1.3],
166 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.2.txt[1.5.1.2],
167 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.1.txt[1.5.1.1],
168 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.txt[1.5.1].
170 * link:v1.5.0.7/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.0.7]
173 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.7.txt[1.5.0.7],
174 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.6.txt[1.5.0.6],
175 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.5.txt[1.5.0.5],
176 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.3.txt[1.5.0.3],
177 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.2.txt[1.5.0.2],
178 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.1.txt[1.5.0.1],
179 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.txt[1.5.0].
181 * documentation for release link:v1.4.4.4/git.html[1.4.4.4],
182 link:v1.3.3/git.html[1.3.3],
183 link:v1.2.6/git.html[1.2.6],
184 link:v1.0.13/git.html[1.0.13].
193 Prints the git suite version that the 'git' program came from.
196 Prints the synopsis and a list of the most commonly used
197 commands. If the option '--all' or '-a' is given then all
198 available commands are printed. If a git command is named this
199 option will bring up the manual page for that command.
201 Other options are available to control how the manual page is
202 displayed. See linkgit:git-help[1] for more information,
203 because `git --help ...` is converted internally into `git
207 Path to wherever your core git programs are installed.
208 This can also be controlled by setting the GIT_EXEC_PATH
209 environment variable. If no path is given, 'git' will print
210 the current setting and then exit.
213 Print the path to wherever your git HTML documentation is installed
218 Pipe all output into 'less' (or if set, $PAGER).
221 Do not pipe git output into a pager.
224 Set the path to the repository. This can also be controlled by
225 setting the GIT_DIR environment variable. It can be an absolute
226 path or relative path to current working directory.
229 Set the path to the working tree. The value will not be
230 used in combination with repositories found automatically in
231 a .git directory (i.e. $GIT_DIR is not set).
232 This can also be controlled by setting the GIT_WORK_TREE
233 environment variable and the core.worktree configuration
234 variable. It can be an absolute path or relative path to
235 the directory specified by --git-dir or GIT_DIR.
236 Note: If --git-dir or GIT_DIR are specified but none of
237 --work-tree, GIT_WORK_TREE and core.worktree is specified,
238 the current working directory is regarded as the top directory
239 of your working tree.
242 Treat the repository as a bare repository. If GIT_DIR
243 environment is not set, it is set to the current working
246 --no-replace-objects::
247 Do not use replacement refs to replace git objects. See
248 linkgit:git-replace[1] for more information.
251 FURTHER DOCUMENTATION
252 ---------------------
254 See the references above to get started using git. The following is
255 probably more detail than necessary for a first-time user.
257 The link:user-manual.html#git-concepts[git concepts chapter of the
258 user-manual] and linkgit:gitcore-tutorial[7] both provide
259 introductions to the underlying git architecture.
261 See linkgit:gitworkflows[7] for an overview of recommended workflows.
263 See also the link:howto-index.html[howto] documents for some useful
266 The internals are documented in the
267 link:technical/api-index.html[GIT API documentation].
272 We divide git into high level ("porcelain") commands and low level
273 ("plumbing") commands.
275 High-level commands (porcelain)
276 -------------------------------
278 We separate the porcelain commands into the main commands and some
279 ancillary user utilities.
281 Main porcelain commands
282 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
284 include::cmds-mainporcelain.txt[]
290 include::cmds-ancillarymanipulators.txt[]
294 include::cmds-ancillaryinterrogators.txt[]
297 Interacting with Others
298 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
300 These commands are to interact with foreign SCM and with other
301 people via patch over e-mail.
303 include::cmds-foreignscminterface.txt[]
306 Low-level commands (plumbing)
307 -----------------------------
309 Although git includes its
310 own porcelain layer, its low-level commands are sufficient to support
311 development of alternative porcelains. Developers of such porcelains
312 might start by reading about linkgit:git-update-index[1] and
313 linkgit:git-read-tree[1].
315 The interface (input, output, set of options and the semantics)
316 to these low-level commands are meant to be a lot more stable
317 than Porcelain level commands, because these commands are
318 primarily for scripted use. The interface to Porcelain commands
319 on the other hand are subject to change in order to improve the
322 The following description divides
323 the low-level commands into commands that manipulate objects (in
324 the repository, index, and working tree), commands that interrogate and
325 compare objects, and commands that move objects and references between
329 Manipulation commands
330 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
332 include::cmds-plumbingmanipulators.txt[]
335 Interrogation commands
336 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
338 include::cmds-plumbinginterrogators.txt[]
340 In general, the interrogate commands do not touch the files in
344 Synching repositories
345 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
347 include::cmds-synchingrepositories.txt[]
349 The following are helper commands used by the above; end users
350 typically do not use them directly.
352 include::cmds-synchelpers.txt[]
355 Internal helper commands
356 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
358 These are internal helper commands used by other commands; end
359 users typically do not use them directly.
361 include::cmds-purehelpers.txt[]
364 Configuration Mechanism
365 -----------------------
367 Starting from 0.99.9 (actually mid 0.99.8.GIT), `.git/config` file
368 is used to hold per-repository configuration options. It is a
369 simple text file modeled after `.ini` format familiar to some
370 people. Here is an example:
374 # A '#' or ';' character indicates a comment.
379 ; Don't trust file modes
384 name = "Junio C Hamano"
385 email = "junkio@twinsun.com"
389 Various commands read from the configuration file and adjust
390 their operation accordingly.
393 Identifier Terminology
394 ----------------------
396 Indicates the object name for any type of object.
399 Indicates a blob object name.
402 Indicates a tree object name.
405 Indicates a commit object name.
408 Indicates a tree, commit or tag object name. A
409 command that takes a <tree-ish> argument ultimately wants to
410 operate on a <tree> object but automatically dereferences
411 <commit> and <tag> objects that point at a <tree>.
414 Indicates a commit or tag object name. A
415 command that takes a <commit-ish> argument ultimately wants to
416 operate on a <commit> object but automatically dereferences
417 <tag> objects that point at a <commit>.
420 Indicates that an object type is required.
421 Currently one of: `blob`, `tree`, `commit`, or `tag`.
424 Indicates a filename - almost always relative to the
425 root of the tree structure `GIT_INDEX_FILE` describes.
429 Any git command accepting any <object> can also use the following
433 indicates the head of the current branch (i.e. the
434 contents of `$GIT_DIR/HEAD`).
438 (i.e. the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/tags/<tag>`).
442 (i.e. the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/heads/<head>`).
444 For a more complete list of ways to spell object names, see
445 "SPECIFYING REVISIONS" section in linkgit:git-rev-parse[1].
448 File/Directory Structure
449 ------------------------
451 Please see the linkgit:gitrepository-layout[5] document.
453 Read linkgit:githooks[5] for more details about each hook.
455 Higher level SCMs may provide and manage additional information in the
461 Please see linkgit:gitglossary[7].
464 Environment Variables
465 ---------------------
466 Various git commands use the following environment variables:
470 These environment variables apply to 'all' core git commands. Nb: it
471 is worth noting that they may be used/overridden by SCMS sitting above
472 git so take care if using Cogito etc.
475 This environment allows the specification of an alternate
476 index file. If not specified, the default of `$GIT_DIR/index`
479 'GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY'::
480 If the object storage directory is specified via this
481 environment variable then the sha1 directories are created
482 underneath - otherwise the default `$GIT_DIR/objects`
485 'GIT_ALTERNATE_OBJECT_DIRECTORIES'::
486 Due to the immutable nature of git objects, old objects can be
487 archived into shared, read-only directories. This variable
488 specifies a ":" separated (on Windows ";" separated) list
489 of git object directories which can be used to search for git
490 objects. New objects will not be written to these directories.
493 If the 'GIT_DIR' environment variable is set then it
494 specifies a path to use instead of the default `.git`
495 for the base of the repository.
498 Set the path to the working tree. The value will not be
499 used in combination with repositories found automatically in
500 a .git directory (i.e. $GIT_DIR is not set).
501 This can also be controlled by the '--work-tree' command line
502 option and the core.worktree configuration variable.
504 'GIT_CEILING_DIRECTORIES'::
505 This should be a colon-separated list of absolute paths.
506 If set, it is a list of directories that git should not chdir
507 up into while looking for a repository directory.
508 It will not exclude the current working directory or
509 a GIT_DIR set on the command line or in the environment.
510 (Useful for excluding slow-loading network directories.)
517 'GIT_COMMITTER_NAME'::
518 'GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL'::
519 'GIT_COMMITTER_DATE'::
521 see linkgit:git-commit-tree[1]
526 Only valid setting is "--unified=??" or "-u??" to set the
527 number of context lines shown when a unified diff is created.
528 This takes precedence over any "-U" or "--unified" option
529 value passed on the git diff command line.
531 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF'::
532 When the environment variable 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' is set, the
533 program named by it is called, instead of the diff invocation
534 described above. For a path that is added, removed, or modified,
535 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' is called with 7 parameters:
537 path old-file old-hex old-mode new-file new-hex new-mode
541 <old|new>-file:: are files GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF can use to read the
542 contents of <old|new>,
543 <old|new>-hex:: are the 40-hexdigit SHA1 hashes,
544 <old|new>-mode:: are the octal representation of the file modes.
547 The file parameters can point at the user's working file
548 (e.g. `new-file` in "git-diff-files"), `/dev/null` (e.g. `old-file`
549 when a new file is added), or a temporary file (e.g. `old-file` in the
550 index). 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' should not worry about unlinking the
551 temporary file --- it is removed when 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' exits.
553 For a path that is unmerged, 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' is called with 1
558 'GIT_MERGE_VERBOSITY'::
559 A number controlling the amount of output shown by
560 the recursive merge strategy. Overrides merge.verbosity.
561 See linkgit:git-merge[1]
564 This environment variable overrides `$PAGER`. If it is set
565 to an empty string or to the value "cat", git will not launch
566 a pager. See also the `core.pager` option in
567 linkgit:git-config[1].
570 If this environment variable is set then 'git-fetch'
571 and 'git-push' will use this command instead
572 of 'ssh' when they need to connect to a remote system.
573 The '$GIT_SSH' command will be given exactly two arguments:
574 the 'username@host' (or just 'host') from the URL and the
575 shell command to execute on that remote system.
577 To pass options to the program that you want to list in GIT_SSH
578 you will need to wrap the program and options into a shell script,
579 then set GIT_SSH to refer to the shell script.
581 Usually it is easier to configure any desired options through your
582 personal `.ssh/config` file. Please consult your ssh documentation
586 If this environment variable is set to "1", then commands such
587 as 'git-blame' (in incremental mode), 'git-rev-list', 'git-log',
588 and 'git-whatchanged' will force a flush of the output stream
589 after each commit-oriented record have been flushed. If this
590 variable is set to "0", the output of these commands will be done
591 using completely buffered I/O. If this environment variable is
592 not set, git will choose buffered or record-oriented flushing
593 based on whether stdout appears to be redirected to a file or not.
596 If this variable is set to "1", "2" or "true" (comparison
597 is case insensitive), git will print `trace:` messages on
598 stderr telling about alias expansion, built-in command
599 execution and external command execution.
600 If this variable is set to an integer value greater than 1
601 and lower than 10 (strictly) then git will interpret this
602 value as an open file descriptor and will try to write the
603 trace messages into this file descriptor.
604 Alternatively, if this variable is set to an absolute path
605 (starting with a '/' character), git will interpret this
606 as a file path and will try to write the trace messages
609 Discussion[[Discussion]]
610 ------------------------
612 More detail on the following is available from the
613 link:user-manual.html#git-concepts[git concepts chapter of the
614 user-manual] and linkgit:gitcore-tutorial[7].
616 A git project normally consists of a working directory with a ".git"
617 subdirectory at the top level. The .git directory contains, among other
618 things, a compressed object database representing the complete history
619 of the project, an "index" file which links that history to the current
620 contents of the working tree, and named pointers into that history such
621 as tags and branch heads.
623 The object database contains objects of three main types: blobs, which
624 hold file data; trees, which point to blobs and other trees to build up
625 directory hierarchies; and commits, which each reference a single tree
626 and some number of parent commits.
628 The commit, equivalent to what other systems call a "changeset" or
629 "version", represents a step in the project's history, and each parent
630 represents an immediately preceding step. Commits with more than one
631 parent represent merges of independent lines of development.
633 All objects are named by the SHA1 hash of their contents, normally
634 written as a string of 40 hex digits. Such names are globally unique.
635 The entire history leading up to a commit can be vouched for by signing
636 just that commit. A fourth object type, the tag, is provided for this
639 When first created, objects are stored in individual files, but for
640 efficiency may later be compressed together into "pack files".
642 Named pointers called refs mark interesting points in history. A ref
643 may contain the SHA1 name of an object or the name of another ref. Refs
644 with names beginning `ref/head/` contain the SHA1 name of the most
645 recent commit (or "head") of a branch under development. SHA1 names of
646 tags of interest are stored under `ref/tags/`. A special ref named
647 `HEAD` contains the name of the currently checked-out branch.
649 The index file is initialized with a list of all paths and, for each
650 path, a blob object and a set of attributes. The blob object represents
651 the contents of the file as of the head of the current branch. The
652 attributes (last modified time, size, etc.) are taken from the
653 corresponding file in the working tree. Subsequent changes to the
654 working tree can be found by comparing these attributes. The index may
655 be updated with new content, and new commits may be created from the
656 content stored in the index.
658 The index is also capable of storing multiple entries (called "stages")
659 for a given pathname. These stages are used to hold the various
660 unmerged version of a file when a merge is in progress.
664 * git's founding father is Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org>.
665 * The current git nurse is Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>.
666 * The git potty was written by Andreas Ericsson <ae@op5.se>.
667 * General upbringing is handled by the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
671 The documentation for git suite was started by David Greaves
672 <david@dgreaves.com>, and later enhanced greatly by the
673 contributors on the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
677 linkgit:gittutorial[7], linkgit:gittutorial-2[7],
678 link:everyday.html[Everyday Git], linkgit:gitcvs-migration[7],
679 linkgit:gitglossary[7], linkgit:gitcore-tutorial[7],
680 linkgit:gitcli[7], link:user-manual.html[The Git User's Manual],
681 linkgit:gitworkflows[7]
685 Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite