NAME

git-init - Create an empty Git repository or reinitialize an existing one

SYNOPSIS

  1. git init [-q | --quiet] [--bare] [--template=<template_directory>]
  2.       [--separate-git-dir <git dir>]
  3.       [--shared[=<permissions>]] [directory]

DESCRIPTION

This command creates an empty Git repository - basically a .gitdirectory with subdirectories for objects, refs/heads,refs/tags, and template files. An initial HEAD file thatreferences the HEAD of the master branch is also created.

If the $GIT_DIR environment variable is set then it specifies a pathto use instead of ./.git for the base of the repository.

If the object storage directory is specified via the$GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY environment variable then the sha1 directoriesare created underneath - otherwise the default $GIT_DIR/objectsdirectory is used.

Running git init in an existing repository is safe. It will notoverwrite things that are already there. The primary reason forrerunning git init is to pick up newly added templates (or to movethe repository to another place if —separate-git-dir is given).

OPTIONS

  • -q
  • —quiet

  • Only print error and warning messages; all other output will be suppressed.

  • —bare

  • Create a bare repository. If GIT_DIR environment is not set, it is set to thecurrent working directory.

  • —template=

  • Specify the directory from which templates will be used. (See the "TEMPLATEDIRECTORY" section below.)

  • —separate-git-dir=

  • Instead of initializing the repository as a directory to either $GIT_DIR or./.git/, create a text file there containing the path to the actualrepository. This file acts as filesystem-agnostic Git symbolic link to therepository.

If this is reinitialization, the repository will be moved to the specified path.

  • —shared[=(false|true|umask|group|all|world|everybody|0xxx)]
  • Specify that the Git repository is to be shared amongst several users. Thisallows users belonging to the same group to push into thatrepository. When specified, the config variable "core.sharedRepository" isset so that files and directories under $GIT_DIR are created with therequested permissions. When not specified, Git will use permissions reportedby umask(2).

The option can have the following values, defaulting to group if no valueis given:

  • umask (or false)

  • Use permissions reported by umask(2). The default, when —shared is notspecified.

  • group (or true)

  • Make the repository group-writable, (and g+sx, since the git group may be notthe primary group of all users). This is used to loosen the permissions of anotherwise safe umask(2) value. Note that the umask still applies to the otherpermission bits (e.g. if umask is 0022, using group will not remove readprivileges from other (non-group) users). See 0xxx for how to exactly specifythe repository permissions.

  • all (or world or everybody)

  • Same as group, but make the repository readable by all users.

  • 0xxx

  • 0xxx is an octal number and each file will have mode 0xxx. 0xxx willoverride users' umask(2) value (and not only loosen permissions as group andall does). 0640 will create a repository which is group-readable, but notgroup-writable or accessible to others. 0660 will create a repo that isreadable and writable to the current user and group, but inaccessible to others.

By default, the configuration flag receive.denyNonFastForwards is enabledin shared repositories, so that you cannot force a non fast-forwarding pushinto it.

If you provide a directory, the command is run inside it. If this directorydoes not exist, it will be created.

TEMPLATE DIRECTORY

Files and directories in the template directory whose name do not start with adot will be copied to the $GIT_DIR after it is created.

The template directory will be one of the following (in order):

  • the argument given with the —template option;

  • the contents of the $GIT_TEMPLATE_DIR environment variable;

  • the init.templateDir configuration variable; or

  • the default template directory: /usr/share/git-core/templates.

The default template directory includes some directory structure, suggested"exclude patterns" (see gitignore[5]), and sample hook files.

The sample hooks are all disabled by default. To enable one of thesample hooks rename it by removing its .sample suffix.

See githooks[5] for more general info on hook execution.

EXAMPLES

  • Start a new Git repository for an existing code base 
  1. $ cd /path/to/my/codebase
  2. $ git init      (1)
  3. $ git add .     (2)
  4. $ git commit    (3)

  • Create a /path/to/my/codebase/.git directory.

  • Add all existing files to the index.

  • Record the pristine state as the first commit in the history.

GIT

Part of the git[1] suite