6 git - the stupid content tracker
12 'git' [--version] [--exec-path[=GIT_EXEC_PATH]] [--html-path]
13 [-p|--paginate|--no-pager]
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:v1.6.3.2/git.html[documentation for release 1.6.3.2]
49 link:RelNotes-1.6.3.2.txt[1.6.3.2],
50 link:RelNotes-1.6.3.1.txt[1.6.3.1],
51 link:RelNotes-1.6.3.txt[1.6.3].
54 link:RelNotes-1.6.2.5.txt[1.6.2.5],
55 link:RelNotes-1.6.2.4.txt[1.6.2.4],
56 link:RelNotes-1.6.2.3.txt[1.6.2.3],
57 link:RelNotes-1.6.2.2.txt[1.6.2.2],
58 link:RelNotes-1.6.2.1.txt[1.6.2.1],
59 link:RelNotes-1.6.2.txt[1.6.2].
61 * link:v1.6.1.3/git.html[documentation for release 1.6.1.3]
64 link:RelNotes-1.6.1.3.txt[1.6.1.3],
65 link:RelNotes-1.6.1.2.txt[1.6.1.2],
66 link:RelNotes-1.6.1.1.txt[1.6.1.1],
67 link:RelNotes-1.6.1.txt[1.6.1].
69 * link:v1.6.0.6/git.html[documentation for release 1.6.0.6]
72 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.6.txt[1.6.0.6],
73 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.5.txt[1.6.0.5],
74 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.4.txt[1.6.0.4],
75 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.3.txt[1.6.0.3],
76 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.2.txt[1.6.0.2],
77 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.1.txt[1.6.0.1],
78 link:RelNotes-1.6.0.txt[1.6.0].
80 * link:v1.5.6.6/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.6.6]
83 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.6.txt[1.5.6.6],
84 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.5.txt[1.5.6.5],
85 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.4.txt[1.5.6.4],
86 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.3.txt[1.5.6.3],
87 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.2.txt[1.5.6.2],
88 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.1.txt[1.5.6.1],
89 link:RelNotes-1.5.6.txt[1.5.6].
91 * link:v1.5.5.6/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.5.6]
94 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.6.txt[1.5.5.6],
95 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.5.txt[1.5.5.5],
96 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.4.txt[1.5.5.4],
97 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.3.txt[1.5.5.3],
98 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.2.txt[1.5.5.2],
99 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.1.txt[1.5.5.1],
100 link:RelNotes-1.5.5.txt[1.5.5].
102 * link:v1.5.4.7/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.4.7]
105 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.7.txt[1.5.4.7],
106 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.6.txt[1.5.4.6],
107 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.5.txt[1.5.4.5],
108 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.4.txt[1.5.4.4],
109 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.3.txt[1.5.4.3],
110 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.2.txt[1.5.4.2],
111 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.1.txt[1.5.4.1],
112 link:RelNotes-1.5.4.txt[1.5.4].
114 * link:v1.5.3.8/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.3.8]
117 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.8.txt[1.5.3.8],
118 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.7.txt[1.5.3.7],
119 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.6.txt[1.5.3.6],
120 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.5.txt[1.5.3.5],
121 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.4.txt[1.5.3.4],
122 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.3.txt[1.5.3.3],
123 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.2.txt[1.5.3.2],
124 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.1.txt[1.5.3.1],
125 link:RelNotes-1.5.3.txt[1.5.3].
127 * link:v1.5.2.5/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.2.5]
130 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.5.txt[1.5.2.5],
131 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.4.txt[1.5.2.4],
132 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.3.txt[1.5.2.3],
133 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.2.txt[1.5.2.2],
134 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.1.txt[1.5.2.1],
135 link:RelNotes-1.5.2.txt[1.5.2].
137 * link:v1.5.1.6/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.1.6]
140 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.6.txt[1.5.1.6],
141 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.5.txt[1.5.1.5],
142 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.4.txt[1.5.1.4],
143 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.3.txt[1.5.1.3],
144 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.2.txt[1.5.1.2],
145 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.1.txt[1.5.1.1],
146 link:RelNotes-1.5.1.txt[1.5.1].
148 * link:v1.5.0.7/git.html[documentation for release 1.5.0.7]
151 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.7.txt[1.5.0.7],
152 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.6.txt[1.5.0.6],
153 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.5.txt[1.5.0.5],
154 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.3.txt[1.5.0.3],
155 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.2.txt[1.5.0.2],
156 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.1.txt[1.5.0.1],
157 link:RelNotes-1.5.0.txt[1.5.0].
159 * documentation for release link:v1.4.4.4/git.html[1.4.4.4],
160 link:v1.3.3/git.html[1.3.3],
161 link:v1.2.6/git.html[1.2.6],
162 link:v1.0.13/git.html[1.0.13].
171 Prints the git suite version that the 'git' program came from.
174 Prints the synopsis and a list of the most commonly used
175 commands. If the option '--all' or '-a' is given then all
176 available commands are printed. If a git command is named this
177 option will bring up the manual page for that command.
179 Other options are available to control how the manual page is
180 displayed. See linkgit:git-help[1] for more information,
181 because `git --help ...` is converted internally into `git
185 Path to wherever your core git programs are installed.
186 This can also be controlled by setting the GIT_EXEC_PATH
187 environment variable. If no path is given, 'git' will print
188 the current setting and then exit.
191 Print the path to wherever your git HTML documentation is installed
196 Pipe all output into 'less' (or if set, $PAGER).
199 Do not pipe git output into a pager.
202 Set the path to the repository. This can also be controlled by
203 setting the GIT_DIR environment variable. It can be an absolute
204 path or relative path to current working directory.
207 Set the path to the working tree. The value will not be
208 used in combination with repositories found automatically in
209 a .git directory (i.e. $GIT_DIR is not set).
210 This can also be controlled by setting the GIT_WORK_TREE
211 environment variable and the core.worktree configuration
212 variable. It can be an absolute path or relative path to
213 the directory specified by --git-dir or GIT_DIR.
214 Note: If --git-dir or GIT_DIR are specified but none of
215 --work-tree, GIT_WORK_TREE and core.worktree is specified,
216 the current working directory is regarded as the top directory
217 of your working tree.
220 Treat the repository as a bare repository. If GIT_DIR
221 environment is not set, it is set to the current working
225 FURTHER DOCUMENTATION
226 ---------------------
228 See the references above to get started using git. The following is
229 probably more detail than necessary for a first-time user.
231 The link:user-manual.html#git-concepts[git concepts chapter of the
232 user-manual] and linkgit:gitcore-tutorial[7] both provide
233 introductions to the underlying git architecture.
235 See linkgit:gitworkflows[7] for an overview of recommended workflows.
237 See also the link:howto-index.html[howto] documents for some useful
240 The internals are documented in the
241 link:technical/api-index.html[GIT API documentation].
246 We divide git into high level ("porcelain") commands and low level
247 ("plumbing") commands.
249 High-level commands (porcelain)
250 -------------------------------
252 We separate the porcelain commands into the main commands and some
253 ancillary user utilities.
255 Main porcelain commands
256 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
258 include::cmds-mainporcelain.txt[]
264 include::cmds-ancillarymanipulators.txt[]
268 include::cmds-ancillaryinterrogators.txt[]
271 Interacting with Others
272 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
274 These commands are to interact with foreign SCM and with other
275 people via patch over e-mail.
277 include::cmds-foreignscminterface.txt[]
280 Low-level commands (plumbing)
281 -----------------------------
283 Although git includes its
284 own porcelain layer, its low-level commands are sufficient to support
285 development of alternative porcelains. Developers of such porcelains
286 might start by reading about linkgit:git-update-index[1] and
287 linkgit:git-read-tree[1].
289 The interface (input, output, set of options and the semantics)
290 to these low-level commands are meant to be a lot more stable
291 than Porcelain level commands, because these commands are
292 primarily for scripted use. The interface to Porcelain commands
293 on the other hand are subject to change in order to improve the
296 The following description divides
297 the low-level commands into commands that manipulate objects (in
298 the repository, index, and working tree), commands that interrogate and
299 compare objects, and commands that move objects and references between
303 Manipulation commands
304 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
306 include::cmds-plumbingmanipulators.txt[]
309 Interrogation commands
310 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
312 include::cmds-plumbinginterrogators.txt[]
314 In general, the interrogate commands do not touch the files in
318 Synching repositories
319 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
321 include::cmds-synchingrepositories.txt[]
323 The following are helper programs used by the above; end users
324 typically do not use them directly.
326 include::cmds-synchelpers.txt[]
329 Internal helper commands
330 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
332 These are internal helper commands used by other commands; end
333 users typically do not use them directly.
335 include::cmds-purehelpers.txt[]
338 Configuration Mechanism
339 -----------------------
341 Starting from 0.99.9 (actually mid 0.99.8.GIT), `.git/config` file
342 is used to hold per-repository configuration options. It is a
343 simple text file modeled after `.ini` format familiar to some
344 people. Here is an example:
348 # A '#' or ';' character indicates a comment.
353 ; Don't trust file modes
358 name = "Junio C Hamano"
359 email = "junkio@twinsun.com"
363 Various commands read from the configuration file and adjust
364 their operation accordingly.
367 Identifier Terminology
368 ----------------------
370 Indicates the object name for any type of object.
373 Indicates a blob object name.
376 Indicates a tree object name.
379 Indicates a commit object name.
382 Indicates a tree, commit or tag object name. A
383 command that takes a <tree-ish> argument ultimately wants to
384 operate on a <tree> object but automatically dereferences
385 <commit> and <tag> objects that point at a <tree>.
388 Indicates a commit or tag object name. A
389 command that takes a <commit-ish> argument ultimately wants to
390 operate on a <commit> object but automatically dereferences
391 <tag> objects that point at a <commit>.
394 Indicates that an object type is required.
395 Currently one of: `blob`, `tree`, `commit`, or `tag`.
398 Indicates a filename - almost always relative to the
399 root of the tree structure `GIT_INDEX_FILE` describes.
403 Any git command accepting any <object> can also use the following
407 indicates the head of the current branch (i.e. the
408 contents of `$GIT_DIR/HEAD`).
412 (i.e. the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/tags/<tag>`).
416 (i.e. the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/heads/<head>`).
418 For a more complete list of ways to spell object names, see
419 "SPECIFYING REVISIONS" section in linkgit:git-rev-parse[1].
422 File/Directory Structure
423 ------------------------
425 Please see the linkgit:gitrepository-layout[5] document.
427 Read linkgit:githooks[5] for more details about each hook.
429 Higher level SCMs may provide and manage additional information in the
435 Please see linkgit:gitglossary[7].
438 Environment Variables
439 ---------------------
440 Various git commands use the following environment variables:
444 These environment variables apply to 'all' core git commands. Nb: it
445 is worth noting that they may be used/overridden by SCMS sitting above
446 git so take care if using Cogito etc.
449 This environment allows the specification of an alternate
450 index file. If not specified, the default of `$GIT_DIR/index`
453 'GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY'::
454 If the object storage directory is specified via this
455 environment variable then the sha1 directories are created
456 underneath - otherwise the default `$GIT_DIR/objects`
459 'GIT_ALTERNATE_OBJECT_DIRECTORIES'::
460 Due to the immutable nature of git objects, old objects can be
461 archived into shared, read-only directories. This variable
462 specifies a ":" separated (on Windows ";" separated) list
463 of git object directories which can be used to search for git
464 objects. New objects will not be written to these directories.
467 If the 'GIT_DIR' environment variable is set then it
468 specifies a path to use instead of the default `.git`
469 for the base of the repository.
472 Set the path to the working tree. The value will not be
473 used in combination with repositories found automatically in
474 a .git directory (i.e. $GIT_DIR is not set).
475 This can also be controlled by the '--work-tree' command line
476 option and the core.worktree configuration variable.
478 'GIT_CEILING_DIRECTORIES'::
479 This should be a colon-separated list of absolute paths.
480 If set, it is a list of directories that git should not chdir
481 up into while looking for a repository directory.
482 It will not exclude the current working directory or
483 a GIT_DIR set on the command line or in the environment.
484 (Useful for excluding slow-loading network directories.)
491 'GIT_COMMITTER_NAME'::
492 'GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL'::
493 'GIT_COMMITTER_DATE'::
495 see linkgit:git-commit-tree[1]
500 Only valid setting is "--unified=??" or "-u??" to set the
501 number of context lines shown when a unified diff is created.
502 This takes precedence over any "-U" or "--unified" option
503 value passed on the git diff command line.
505 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF'::
506 When the environment variable 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' is set, the
507 program named by it is called, instead of the diff invocation
508 described above. For a path that is added, removed, or modified,
509 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' is called with 7 parameters:
511 path old-file old-hex old-mode new-file new-hex new-mode
515 <old|new>-file:: are files GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF can use to read the
516 contents of <old|new>,
517 <old|new>-hex:: are the 40-hexdigit SHA1 hashes,
518 <old|new>-mode:: are the octal representation of the file modes.
521 The file parameters can point at the user's working file
522 (e.g. `new-file` in "git-diff-files"), `/dev/null` (e.g. `old-file`
523 when a new file is added), or a temporary file (e.g. `old-file` in the
524 index). 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' should not worry about unlinking the
525 temporary file --- it is removed when 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' exits.
527 For a path that is unmerged, 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF' is called with 1
532 'GIT_MERGE_VERBOSITY'::
533 A number controlling the amount of output shown by
534 the recursive merge strategy. Overrides merge.verbosity.
535 See linkgit:git-merge[1]
538 This environment variable overrides `$PAGER`. If it is set
539 to an empty string or to the value "cat", git will not launch
540 a pager. See also the `core.pager` option in
541 linkgit:git-config[1].
544 If this environment variable is set then 'git-fetch'
545 and 'git-push' will use this command instead
546 of 'ssh' when they need to connect to a remote system.
547 The '$GIT_SSH' command will be given exactly two arguments:
548 the 'username@host' (or just 'host') from the URL and the
549 shell command to execute on that remote system.
551 To pass options to the program that you want to list in GIT_SSH
552 you will need to wrap the program and options into a shell script,
553 then set GIT_SSH to refer to the shell script.
555 Usually it is easier to configure any desired options through your
556 personal `.ssh/config` file. Please consult your ssh documentation
560 If this environment variable is set to "1", then commands such
561 as 'git-blame' (in incremental mode), 'git-rev-list', 'git-log',
562 and 'git-whatchanged' will force a flush of the output stream
563 after each commit-oriented record have been flushed. If this
564 variable is set to "0", the output of these commands will be done
565 using completely buffered I/O. If this environment variable is
566 not set, git will choose buffered or record-oriented flushing
567 based on whether stdout appears to be redirected to a file or not.
570 If this variable is set to "1", "2" or "true" (comparison
571 is case insensitive), git will print `trace:` messages on
572 stderr telling about alias expansion, built-in command
573 execution and external command execution.
574 If this variable is set to an integer value greater than 1
575 and lower than 10 (strictly) then git will interpret this
576 value as an open file descriptor and will try to write the
577 trace messages into this file descriptor.
578 Alternatively, if this variable is set to an absolute path
579 (starting with a '/' character), git will interpret this
580 as a file path and will try to write the trace messages
583 Discussion[[Discussion]]
584 ------------------------
586 More detail on the following is available from the
587 link:user-manual.html#git-concepts[git concepts chapter of the
588 user-manual] and linkgit:gitcore-tutorial[7].
590 A git project normally consists of a working directory with a ".git"
591 subdirectory at the top level. The .git directory contains, among other
592 things, a compressed object database representing the complete history
593 of the project, an "index" file which links that history to the current
594 contents of the working tree, and named pointers into that history such
595 as tags and branch heads.
597 The object database contains objects of three main types: blobs, which
598 hold file data; trees, which point to blobs and other trees to build up
599 directory hierarchies; and commits, which each reference a single tree
600 and some number of parent commits.
602 The commit, equivalent to what other systems call a "changeset" or
603 "version", represents a step in the project's history, and each parent
604 represents an immediately preceding step. Commits with more than one
605 parent represent merges of independent lines of development.
607 All objects are named by the SHA1 hash of their contents, normally
608 written as a string of 40 hex digits. Such names are globally unique.
609 The entire history leading up to a commit can be vouched for by signing
610 just that commit. A fourth object type, the tag, is provided for this
613 When first created, objects are stored in individual files, but for
614 efficiency may later be compressed together into "pack files".
616 Named pointers called refs mark interesting points in history. A ref
617 may contain the SHA1 name of an object or the name of another ref. Refs
618 with names beginning `ref/head/` contain the SHA1 name of the most
619 recent commit (or "head") of a branch under development. SHA1 names of
620 tags of interest are stored under `ref/tags/`. A special ref named
621 `HEAD` contains the name of the currently checked-out branch.
623 The index file is initialized with a list of all paths and, for each
624 path, a blob object and a set of attributes. The blob object represents
625 the contents of the file as of the head of the current branch. The
626 attributes (last modified time, size, etc.) are taken from the
627 corresponding file in the working tree. Subsequent changes to the
628 working tree can be found by comparing these attributes. The index may
629 be updated with new content, and new commits may be created from the
630 content stored in the index.
632 The index is also capable of storing multiple entries (called "stages")
633 for a given pathname. These stages are used to hold the various
634 unmerged version of a file when a merge is in progress.
638 * git's founding father is Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org>.
639 * The current git nurse is Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>.
640 * The git potty was written by Andreas Ericsson <ae@op5.se>.
641 * General upbringing is handled by the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
645 The documentation for git suite was started by David Greaves
646 <david@dgreaves.com>, and later enhanced greatly by the
647 contributors on the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
651 linkgit:gittutorial[7], linkgit:gittutorial-2[7],
652 link:everyday.html[Everyday Git], linkgit:gitcvs-migration[7],
653 linkgit:gitglossary[7], linkgit:gitcore-tutorial[7],
654 linkgit:gitcli[7], link:user-manual.html[The Git User's Manual],
655 linkgit:gitworkflows[7]
659 Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite