| 1 | git-init(1) |
| 2 | =========== |
| 3 | |
| 4 | NAME |
| 5 | ---- |
| 6 | git-init - Create an empty Git repository or reinitialize an existing one |
| 7 | |
| 8 | |
| 9 | SYNOPSIS |
| 10 | -------- |
| 11 | [synopsis] |
| 12 | git init [-q | --quiet] [--bare] [--template=<template-directory>] |
| 13 | [--separate-git-dir <git-dir>] [--object-format=<format>] |
| 14 | [--ref-format=<format>] |
| 15 | [-b <branch-name> | --initial-branch=<branch-name>] |
| 16 | [--shared[=<permissions>]] [<directory>] |
| 17 | |
| 18 | |
| 19 | DESCRIPTION |
| 20 | ----------- |
| 21 | |
| 22 | This command creates an empty Git repository - basically a `.git` |
| 23 | directory with subdirectories for `objects`, `refs/heads`, |
| 24 | `refs/tags`, and template files. An initial branch without any |
| 25 | commits will be created (see the `--initial-branch` option below |
| 26 | for its name). |
| 27 | |
| 28 | If the `GIT_DIR` environment variable is set then it specifies a path |
| 29 | to use instead of `./.git` for the base of the repository. |
| 30 | |
| 31 | If the object storage directory is specified via the |
| 32 | `GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY` environment variable then the sha1 directories |
| 33 | are created underneath; otherwise, the default `$GIT_DIR/objects` |
| 34 | directory is used. |
| 35 | |
| 36 | Running `git init` in an existing repository is safe. It will not |
| 37 | overwrite things that are already there. The primary reason for |
| 38 | rerunning `git init` is to pick up newly added templates (or to move |
| 39 | the repository to another place if `--separate-git-dir` is given). |
| 40 | |
| 41 | OPTIONS |
| 42 | ------- |
| 43 | |
| 44 | `-q`:: |
| 45 | `--quiet`:: |
| 46 | |
| 47 | Only print error and warning messages; all other output will be suppressed. |
| 48 | |
| 49 | `--bare`:: |
| 50 | |
| 51 | Create a bare repository. If `GIT_DIR` environment is not set, it is set to the |
| 52 | current working directory. |
| 53 | |
| 54 | `--object-format=<format>`:: |
| 55 | Specify the given object _<format>_ (hash algorithm) for the repository. The valid |
| 56 | values are `sha1` and (if enabled) `sha256`. `sha1` is the default. |
| 57 | + |
| 58 | include::object-format-disclaimer.adoc[] |
| 59 | |
| 60 | `--ref-format=<format>`:: |
| 61 | Specify the given ref storage _<format>_ for the repository. The valid values are: |
| 62 | + |
| 63 | include::ref-storage-format.adoc[] |
| 64 | |
| 65 | `--template=<template-directory>`:: |
| 66 | Specify the directory from which templates will be used. (See the "TEMPLATE |
| 67 | DIRECTORY" section below.) |
| 68 | |
| 69 | `--separate-git-dir=<git-dir>`:: |
| 70 | Instead of initializing the repository as a directory to either `$GIT_DIR` or |
| 71 | `./.git/`, create a text file there containing the path to the actual |
| 72 | repository. This file acts as a filesystem-agnostic Git symbolic link to the |
| 73 | repository. |
| 74 | + |
| 75 | If this is a reinitialization, the repository will be moved to the specified path. |
| 76 | |
| 77 | `-b <branch-name>`:: |
| 78 | `--initial-branch=<branch-name>`:: |
| 79 | Use _<branch-name>_ for the initial branch in the newly created |
| 80 | repository. If not specified, fall back to the default name |
| 81 | ifndef::with-breaking-changes[] |
| 82 | (currently `master`, but this will change to `main` when Git 3.0 is released). |
| 83 | endif::with-breaking-changes[] |
| 84 | ifdef::with-breaking-changes[] |
| 85 | `main`. |
| 86 | endif::with-breaking-changes[] |
| 87 | The default name can be customized via the `init.defaultBranch` configuration |
| 88 | variable. |
| 89 | |
| 90 | `--shared[=(false|true|umask|group|all|world|everybody|<perm>)]`:: |
| 91 | |
| 92 | Specify that the Git repository is to be shared amongst several users. This |
| 93 | allows users belonging to the same group to push into that |
| 94 | repository. When specified, the config variable `core.sharedRepository` is |
| 95 | set so that files and directories under `$GIT_DIR` are created with the |
| 96 | requested permissions. When not specified, Git will use permissions reported |
| 97 | by `umask`(2). |
| 98 | + |
| 99 | The option can have the following values, defaulting to `group` if no value |
| 100 | is given: |
| 101 | + |
| 102 | -- |
| 103 | `umask`:: |
| 104 | `false`:: |
| 105 | |
| 106 | Use permissions reported by `umask`(2). The default, when `--shared` is not |
| 107 | specified. |
| 108 | |
| 109 | `group`:: |
| 110 | `true`:: |
| 111 | |
| 112 | Make the repository group-writable, (and `g+sx`, since the git group may not be |
| 113 | the primary group of all users). This is used to loosen the permissions of an |
| 114 | otherwise safe `umask`(2) value. Note that the umask still applies to the other |
| 115 | permission bits (e.g. if umask is `0022`, using `group` will not remove read |
| 116 | privileges from other (non-group) users). See `0xxx` for how to exactly specify |
| 117 | the repository permissions. |
| 118 | |
| 119 | `all`:: |
| 120 | `world`:: |
| 121 | `everybody`:: |
| 122 | |
| 123 | Same as `group`, but make the repository readable by all users. |
| 124 | |
| 125 | _<perm>_:: |
| 126 | |
| 127 | _<perm>_ is a 3-digit octal number prefixed with `0` and each file |
| 128 | will have mode _<perm>_. _<perm>_ will override users' `umask`(2) |
| 129 | value (and not only loosen permissions as `group` and `all` |
| 130 | do). `0640` will create a repository which is group-readable, but |
| 131 | not group-writable or accessible to others. `0660` will create a repo |
| 132 | that is readable and writable to the current user and group, but |
| 133 | inaccessible to others (directories and executable files get their |
| 134 | `x` bit from the `r` bit for corresponding classes of users). |
| 135 | -- |
| 136 | |
| 137 | By default, the configuration flag `receive.denyNonFastForwards` is enabled |
| 138 | in shared repositories, so that you cannot force a non fast-forwarding push |
| 139 | into it. |
| 140 | |
| 141 | If you provide a _<directory>_, the command is run inside it. If this directory |
| 142 | does not exist, it will be created. |
| 143 | |
| 144 | TEMPLATE DIRECTORY |
| 145 | ------------------ |
| 146 | |
| 147 | Files and directories in the template directory whose name do not start with a |
| 148 | dot will be copied to the `$GIT_DIR` after it is created. |
| 149 | |
| 150 | The template directory will be one of the following (in order): |
| 151 | |
| 152 | - the argument given with the `--template` option; |
| 153 | |
| 154 | - the contents of the `$GIT_TEMPLATE_DIR` environment variable; |
| 155 | |
| 156 | - the `init.templateDir` configuration variable; or |
| 157 | |
| 158 | - the default template directory: `/usr/share/git-core/templates`. |
| 159 | |
| 160 | The default template directory includes some directory structure, suggested |
| 161 | "exclude patterns" (see linkgit:gitignore[5]), and sample hook files. |
| 162 | |
| 163 | The sample hooks are all disabled by default. To enable one of the |
| 164 | sample hooks rename it by removing its `.sample` suffix. |
| 165 | |
| 166 | See linkgit:githooks[5] for more general info on hook execution. |
| 167 | |
| 168 | EXAMPLES |
| 169 | -------- |
| 170 | |
| 171 | Start a new Git repository for an existing code base:: |
| 172 | + |
| 173 | ---------------- |
| 174 | $ cd /path/to/my/codebase |
| 175 | $ git init <1> |
| 176 | $ git add . <2> |
| 177 | $ git commit <3> |
| 178 | ---------------- |
| 179 | + |
| 180 | <1> Create a `/path/to/my/codebase/.git` directory. |
| 181 | <2> Add all existing files to the index. |
| 182 | <3> Record the pristine state as the first commit in the history. |
| 183 | |
| 184 | CONFIGURATION |
| 185 | ------------- |
| 186 | |
| 187 | include::includes/cmd-config-section-all.adoc[] |
| 188 | |
| 189 | :git-init: |
| 190 | |
| 191 | include::config/init.adoc[] |
| 192 | |
| 193 | GIT |
| 194 | --- |
| 195 | Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite |