6 git - the stupid content tracker
11 'git-<command>' <args>
16 This is reference information for the core git commands.
18 Before reading this cover to cover, you may want to take a look
19 at the link:tutorial.html[tutorial] document.
21 The <<Discussion>> section below contains much useful definition and
22 clarification info - read that first. And of the commands, I suggest
23 reading gitlink:git-update-index[1] and
24 gitlink:git-read-tree[1] first - I wish I had!
26 If you are migrating from CVS, link:cvs-migration.html[cvs migration]
27 document may be helpful after you finish the tutorial.
29 After you get the general feel from the tutorial and this
30 overview page, you may want to take a look at the
31 link:howto-index.html[howto] documents.
34 David Greaves <david@dgreaves.com>
37 Updated by Junio C Hamano <junkio@cox.net> on 2005-05-05 to
38 reflect recent changes.
42 The git commands can helpfully be split into those that manipulate
43 the repository, the cache and the working fileset, those that
44 interrogate and compare them, and those that moves objects and
45 references between repositories.
47 In addition, git itself comes with a spartan set of porcelain
48 commands. They are usable but are not meant to compete with real
51 There are also some ancillary programs that can be viewed as useful
52 aids for using the core commands but which are unlikely to be used by
53 SCMs layered over git.
57 gitlink:git-apply[1]::
58 Reads a "diff -up1" or git generated patch file and
59 applies it to the working tree.
61 gitlink:git-checkout-index[1]::
62 Copy files from the cache to the working directory
63 Previously this command was known as git-checkout-cache.
65 gitlink:git-commit-tree[1]::
66 Creates a new commit object
68 gitlink:git-hash-object[1]::
69 Computes the object ID from a file.
71 gitlink:git-index-pack.html[1]::
72 Build pack index file for an existing packed archive.
74 gitlink:git-init-db[1]::
75 Creates an empty git object database
77 gitlink:git-merge-index[1]::
78 Runs a merge for files needing merging
79 Previously this command was known as git-merge-cache.
81 gitlink:git-mktag[1]::
84 gitlink:git-pack-objects[1]::
85 Creates a packed archive of objects.
87 gitlink:git-prune-packed[1]::
88 Remove extra objects that are already in pack files.
90 gitlink:git-read-tree[1]::
91 Reads tree information into the directory cache
93 gitlink:git-unpack-objects[1]::
94 Unpacks objects out of a packed archive.
96 gitlink:git-update-index[1]::
97 Modifies the index or directory cache
98 Previously this command was known as git-update-cache.
100 gitlink:git-write-tree[1]::
101 Creates a tree from the current cache
104 Interrogation commands
105 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
107 gitlink:git-cat-file[1]::
108 Provide content or type information for repository objects
110 gitlink:git-diff-index[1]::
111 Compares content and mode of blobs between the cache and repository
112 Previously this command was known as git-diff-cache.
114 gitlink:git-diff-files[1]::
115 Compares files in the working tree and the cache
117 gitlink:git-diff-stages[1]::
118 Compares two "merge stages" in the index file.
120 gitlink:git-diff-tree[1]::
121 Compares the content and mode of blobs found via two tree objects
123 gitlink:git-fsck-objects[1]::
124 Verifies the connectivity and validity of the objects in the database
125 Previously this command was known as git-fsck-cache.
127 gitlink:git-ls-files[1]::
128 Information about files in the cache/working directory
130 gitlink:git-ls-tree[1]::
131 Displays a tree object in human readable form
133 gitlink:git-merge-base[1]::
134 Finds as good a common ancestor as possible for a merge
136 gitlink:git-rev-list[1]::
137 Lists commit objects in reverse chronological order
139 gitlink:git-show-index[1]::
140 Displays contents of a pack idx file.
142 gitlink:git-tar-tree[1]::
143 Creates a tar archive of the files in the named tree
145 gitlink:git-unpack-file[1]::
146 Creates a temporary file with a blob's contents
149 Displays a git logical variable
151 gitlink:git-verify-pack[1]::
152 Validates packed git archive files
154 The interrogate commands may create files - and you can force them to
155 touch the working file set - but in general they don't
158 Synching repositories
159 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
161 gitlink:git-clone-pack[1]::
162 Clones a repository into the current repository (engine
163 for ssh and local transport)
165 gitlink:git-fetch-pack[1]::
166 Updates from a remote repository.
168 gitlink:git-http-fetch[1]::
169 Downloads a remote git repository via HTTP
170 Previously this command was known as git-http-pull.
172 gitlink:git-local-fetch[1]::
173 Duplicates another git repository on a local system
174 Previously this command was known as git-local-pull.
176 gitlink:git-peek-remote[1]::
177 Lists references on a remote repository using upload-pack protocol.
179 gitlink:git-receive-pack[1]::
180 Invoked by 'git-send-pack' to receive what is pushed to it.
182 gitlink:git-send-pack[1]::
183 Pushes to a remote repository, intelligently.
185 gitlink:git-shell[1]::
186 Restricted shell for GIT-only SSH access.
188 gitlink:git-ssh-fetch[1]::
189 Pulls from a remote repository over ssh connection
190 Previously this command was known as git-ssh-pull.
192 gitlink:git-ssh-upload[1]::
193 Helper "server-side" program used by git-ssh-fetch
194 Previously this command was known as git-ssh-push.
196 gitlink:git-update-server-info[1]::
197 Updates auxiliary information on a dumb server to help
198 clients discover references and packs on it.
200 gitlink:git-upload-pack[1]::
201 Invoked by 'git-clone-pack' and 'git-fetch-pack' to push
205 Porcelain-ish Commands
206 ----------------------
209 Add paths to the index file.
210 Previously this command was known as git-add-script.
212 gitlink:git-applymbox[1]::
213 Apply patches from a mailbox.
215 gitlink:git-bisect[1]::
216 Find the change that introduced a bug.
217 Previously this command was known as git-bisect-script.
219 gitlink:git-branch[1]::
220 Create and Show branches.
221 Previously this command was known as git-branch-script.
223 gitlink:git-checkout[1]::
224 Checkout and switch to a branch.
225 Previously this command was known as git-checkout-script.
227 gitlink:git-cherry-pick[1]::
228 Cherry-pick the effect of an existing commit.
229 Previously this command was known as git-cherry-pick-script.
231 gitlink:git-clone[1]::
232 Clones a repository into a new directory.
233 Previously this command was known as git-clone-script.
235 gitlink:git-commit[1]::
236 Record changes to the repository.
237 Previously this command was known as git-commit-script.
239 gitlink:git-diff[1]::
240 Show changes between commits, commit and working tree, etc.
241 Previously this command was known as git-diff-script.
243 gitlink:git-fetch[1]::
244 Download from a remote repository via various protocols.
245 Previously this command was known as git-fetch-script.
247 gitlink:git-format-patch[1]::
248 Prepare patches for e-mail submission.
249 Previously this command was known as git-format-patch-script.
251 gitlink:git-grep[1]::
252 Print lines matching a pattern
256 Previously this command was known as git-log-script.
258 gitlink:git-ls-remote[1]::
259 Shows references in a remote or local repository.
260 Previously this command was known as git-ls-remote-script.
262 gitlink:git-merge[1]::
263 Grand unified merge driver.
265 gitlink:git-octopus[1]::
266 Merge more than two commits.
267 Previously this command was known as git-octopus-script.
269 gitlink:git-pull[1]::
270 Fetch from and merge with a remote repository.
271 Previously this command was known as git-pull-script.
273 gitlink:git-push[1]::
274 Update remote refs along with associated objects.
275 Previously this command was known as git-push-script.
277 gitlink:git-rebase[1]::
278 Rebase local commits to new upstream head.
279 Previously this command was known as git-rebase-script.
281 gitlink:git-rename[1]::
282 Rename files and directories.
283 Previously this command was known as git-rename-script.
285 gitlink:git-repack[1]::
286 Pack unpacked objects in a repository.
287 Previously this command was known as git-repack-script.
289 gitlink:git-reset[1]::
290 Reset current HEAD to the specified state.
291 Previously this command was known as git-reset-script.
293 gitlink:git-resolve[1]::
295 Previously this command was known as git-resolve-script.
297 gitlink:git-revert[1]::
298 Revert an existing commit.
299 Previously this command was known as git-revert-script.
301 gitlink:git-shortlog[1]::
302 Summarizes 'git log' output.
304 gitlink:git-show-branch[1]::
305 Show branches and their commits.
307 gitlink:git-status[1]::
308 Shows the working tree status.
309 Previously this command was known as git-status-script.
311 gitlink:git-verify-tag[1]::
312 Check the GPG signature of tag.
313 Previously this command was known as git-verify-tag-script.
315 gitlink:git-whatchanged[1]::
316 Shows commit logs and differences they introduce.
323 gitlink:git-applypatch[1]::
324 Apply one patch extracted from an e-mail.
326 gitlink:git-archimport[1]::
327 Import an arch repository into git.
328 Previously this command was known as git-archimport-script.
330 gitlink:git-convert-objects[1]::
331 Converts old-style git repository
332 Previously this command was known as git-convert-cache.
334 gitlink:git-cvsimport[1]::
335 Salvage your data out of another SCM people love to hate.
336 Previously this command was known as git-cvsimport-script.
338 gitlink:git-merge-one-file[1]::
339 The standard helper program to use with "git-merge-index"
340 Previously this command was known as git-merge-one-file-script.
342 gitlink:git-prune[1]::
343 Prunes all unreachable objects from the object database
344 Previously this command was known as git-prune-script.
346 gitlink:git-relink[1]::
347 Hardlink common objects in local repositories.
348 Previously this command was known as git-relink-script.
350 gitlink:git-sh-setup[1]::
351 Common git shell script setup code.
352 Previously this command was known as git-sh-setup-script.
355 An example script to create a tag object signed with GPG
356 Previously this command was known as git-tag-script.
361 gitlink:git-cherry[1]::
362 Find commits not merged upstream.
364 gitlink:git-count-objects[1]::
365 Count unpacked number of objects and their disk consumption.
366 Previously this command was known as git-count-objects-script.
368 gitlink:git-daemon[1]::
369 A really simple server for git repositories.
371 gitlink:git-get-tar-commit-id[1]::
372 Extract commit ID from an archive created using git-tar-tree.
374 gitlink:git-mailinfo[1]::
375 Extracts patch from a single e-mail message.
377 gitlink:git-mailsplit[1]::
380 gitlink:git-patch-id[1]::
381 Compute unique ID for a patch.
383 gitlink:git-parse-remote[1]::
384 Routines to help parsing $GIT_DIR/remotes/
385 Previously this command was known as git-parse-remote-script.
387 gitlink:git-request-pull[1]::
389 Previously this command was known as git-request-pull-script.
391 gitlink:git-rev-parse[1]::
392 Pick out and massage parameters.
394 gitlink:git-send-email[1]::
395 Send patch e-mails out of "format-patch --mbox" output.
396 Previously this command was known as git-send-email-script.
398 gitlink:git-stripspace[1]::
399 Filter out empty lines.
402 Commands not yet documented
403 ---------------------------
409 Identifier Terminology
410 ----------------------
412 Indicates the sha1 identifier for any type of object
415 Indicates a blob object sha1 identifier
418 Indicates a tree object sha1 identifier
421 Indicates a commit object sha1 identifier
424 Indicates a tree, commit or tag object sha1 identifier. A
425 command that takes a <tree-ish> argument ultimately wants to
426 operate on a <tree> object but automatically dereferences
427 <commit> and <tag> objects that point at a <tree>.
430 Indicates that an object type is required.
431 Currently one of: blob/tree/commit/tag
434 Indicates a filename - always relative to the root of
435 the tree structure GIT_INDEX_FILE describes.
439 Any git command accepting any <object> can also use the following
443 indicates the head of the repository (ie the contents of
447 (ie the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/tags/<tag>`)
450 (ie the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/heads/<head>`)
452 a valid snapshot 'name'+
453 (ie the contents of `$GIT_DIR/refs/snap/<snap>`)
456 File/Directory Structure
457 ------------------------
459 Please see link:repository-layout.html[repository layout] document.
461 Higher level SCMs may provide and manage additional information in the
467 Please see link:glossary.html[glossary] document.
470 Environment Variables
471 ---------------------
472 Various git commands use the following environment variables:
476 These environment variables apply to 'all' core git commands. Nb: it
477 is worth noting that they may be used/overridden by SCMS sitting above
478 git so take care if using Cogito etc
481 This environment allows the specification of an alternate
482 cache/index file. If not specified, the default of
483 `$GIT_DIR/index` is used.
485 'GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY'::
486 If the object storage directory is specified via this
487 environment variable then the sha1 directories are created
488 underneath - otherwise the default `$GIT_DIR/objects`
491 'GIT_ALTERNATE_OBJECT_DIRECTORIES'::
492 Due to the immutable nature of git objects, old objects can be
493 archived into shared, read-only directories. This variable
494 specifies a ":" separated list of git object directories which
495 can be used to search for git objects. New objects will not be
496 written to these directories.
499 If the 'GIT_DIR' environment variable is set then it specifies
500 a path to use instead of `./.git` for the base of the
508 'GIT_COMMITTER_NAME'::
509 'GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL'::
510 see gitlink:git-commit-tree[1]
515 'GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF'::
516 see the "generating patches" section in :
517 gitlink:git-diff-index[1];
518 gitlink:git-diff-files[1];
519 gitlink:git-diff-tree[1]
521 Discussion[[Discussion]]
522 ------------------------
527 Written by Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org> and the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
531 Documentation by David Greaves, Junio C Hamano and the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
535 Part of the gitlink:git[7] suite