Autogenerated HTML docs for v1.5.2-rc3-83-gc906 
diff --git a/glossary.html b/glossary.html index 5e3b56d..6e92a3b 100644 --- a/glossary.html +++ b/glossary.html 
@@ -269,9 +269,9 @@  </dt>   <dd>   <p>  - Via the alternates mechanism, a <a href="#def_repository">repository</a> can  - inherit part of its <a href="#def_object_database">object database</a> from another  - <a href="#def_object_database">object database</a>, which is called "alternate".  + Via the alternates mechanism, a <a href="#def_repository">repository</a>  + can inherit part of its <a href="#def_object_database">object database</a>  + from another object database, which is called "alternate".   </p>   </dd>   <dt>  @@ -279,7 +279,7 @@  </dt>   <dd>   <p>  - A <a href="#def_bare_repository">bare repository</a> is normally an appropriately  + A bare repository is normally an appropriately   named <a href="#def_directory">directory</a> with a <tt>.git</tt> suffix that does not   have a locally checked-out copy of any of the files under   <a href="#def_revision">revision</a> control. That is, all of the <tt>git</tt>  @@ -303,10 +303,15 @@  </dt>   <dd>   <p>  - A non-cyclical graph of revisions, i.e. the complete history of a  - particular <a href="#def_revision">revision</a>, which is called the  - branch <a href="#def_head">head</a>. The heads  - are stored in <tt>$GIT_DIR/refs/heads/</tt>.  + A "branch" is an active line of development. The most recent  + <a href="#def_commit">commit</a> on a branch is referred to as the tip of  + that branch. The tip of the branch is referenced by a branch  + <a href="#def_head">head</a>, which moves forward as additional development  + is done on the branch. A single git  + <a href="#def_repository">repository</a> can track an arbitrary number of  + branches, but your <a href="#def_working_tree">working tree</a> is  + associated with just one of them (the "current" or "checked out"  + branch), and <a href="#def_HEAD">HEAD</a> points to that branch.   </p>   </dd>   <dt>  @@ -357,7 +362,7 @@  as a new series of changes on top of different codebase. In GIT, this is   performed by "git cherry-pick" command to extract the change introduced   by an existing <a href="#def_commit">commit</a> and to record it based on the tip  - of the current <a href="#def_branch">branch</a> as a new <a href="#def_commit">commit</a>.  + of the current <a href="#def_branch">branch</a> as a new commit.   </p>   </dd>   <dt>  @@ -365,7 +370,7 @@  </dt>   <dd>   <p>  - A <a href="#def_working_tree">working tree</a> is <a href="#def_clean">clean</a>, if it  + A <a href="#def_working_tree">working tree</a> is clean, if it   corresponds to the <a href="#def_revision">revision</a> referenced by the current   <a href="#def_head">head</a>. Also see "<a href="#def_dirty">dirty</a>".   </p>  @@ -375,11 +380,17 @@  </dt>   <dd>   <p>  - As a verb: The action of storing the current state of the  - <a href="#def_index">index</a> in the <a href="#def_object_database">object database</a>. The  - result is a <a href="#def_revision">revision</a>. As a noun: Short hand for  - <a href="#def_commit_object">commit object</a>.  + As a noun: A single point in the  + git history; the entire history of a project is represented as a  + set of interrelated commits. The word "commit" is often  + used by git in the same places other revision control systems  + use the words "revision" or "version". Also used as a short  + hand for <a href="#def_commit_object">commit object</a>.   </p>  +<p>As a verb: The action of storing a new snapshot of the project's  +state in the git history, by creating a new commit representing the current  +state of the <a href="#def_index">index</a> and advancing <a href="#def_HEAD">HEAD</a>  +to point at the new commit.</p>   </dd>   <dt>   <a id="def_commit_object"></a>commit object  @@ -409,7 +420,7 @@  <p>   Directed acyclic graph. The <a href="#def_commit">commit</a> objects form a   directed acyclic graph, because they have parents (directed), and the  - graph of <a href="#def_commit">commit</a> objects is acyclic (there is no  + graph of commit objects is acyclic (there is no   <a href="#def_chain">chain</a> which begins and ends with the same   <a href="#def_object">object</a>).   </p>  @@ -421,11 +432,22 @@  <p>   An <a href="#def_unreachable_object">unreachable object</a> which is not   <a href="#def_reachable">reachable</a> even from other unreachable objects; a  - <a href="#def_dangling_object">dangling object</a> has no references to it from any  + dangling object has no references to it from any   reference or <a href="#def_object">object</a> in the <a href="#def_repository">repository</a>.   </p>   </dd>   <dt>  +<a id="def_detached_HEAD"></a>detached HEAD  +</dt>  +<dd>  +<p>  + Normally the <a href="#def_HEAD">HEAD</a> stores the name of a  + <a href="#def_branch">branch</a>. However, git also allows you to check  + out an arbitrary commit that isn't necessarily the tip of any  + particular branch. In this case HEAD is said to be "detached".  +</p>  +</dd>  +<dt>   <a id="def_dircache"></a>dircache   </dt>   <dd>  @@ -446,7 +468,7 @@  </dt>   <dd>   <p>  - A <a href="#def_working_tree">working tree</a> is said to be <a href="#def_dirty">dirty</a> if  + A <a href="#def_working_tree">working tree</a> is said to be "dirty" if   it contains modifications which have not been committed to the current   <a href="#def_branch">branch</a>.   </p>  @@ -471,7 +493,7 @@  <a href="#def_branch">branch</a>'s changes that happen to be a descendant of what   you have. In such these cases, you do not make a new <a href="#def_merge">merge</a>   <a href="#def_commit">commit</a> but instead just update to his  - <a href="#def_revision">revision</a>. This will happen frequently on a  + revision. This will happen frequently on a   <a href="#def_tracking_branch">tracking branch</a> of a remote   <a href="#def_repository">repository</a>.   </p>  @@ -482,10 +504,10 @@  <dd>   <p>   Fetching a <a href="#def_branch">branch</a> means to get the  - <a href="#def_branch">branch</a>'s <a href="#def_head_ref">head ref</a> from a remote  - <a href="#def_repository">repository</a>, to find out which objects are missing  - from the local <a href="#def_object_database">object database</a>, and to get them,  - too.  + branch's <a href="#def_head_ref">head ref</a> from a remote  + <a href="#def_repository">repository</a>, to find out which objects are  + missing from the local <a href="#def_object_database">object database</a>,  + and to get them, too. See also <a href="git-fetch.html">git-fetch(1)</a>.   </p>   </dd>   <dt>  @@ -514,7 +536,7 @@  Grafts enables two otherwise different lines of development to be joined   together by recording fake ancestry information for commits. This way   you can make git pretend the set of parents a <a href="#def_commit">commit</a> has  - is different from what was recorded when the <a href="#def_commit">commit</a> was  + is different from what was recorded when the commit was   created. Configured via the <tt>.git/info/grafts</tt> file.   </p>   </dd>  @@ -531,8 +553,22 @@  </dt>   <dd>   <p>  - The top of a <a href="#def_branch">branch</a>. It contains a <a href="#def_ref">ref</a> to the  - corresponding <a href="#def_commit_object">commit object</a>.  + A named reference to the <a href="#def_commit">commit</a> at the tip of a  + <a href="#def_branch">branch</a>. Heads are stored in  + <tt>$GIT_DIR/refs/heads/</tt>, except when using packed refs. (See  + <a href="git-pack-refs.html">git-pack-refs(1)</a>.)  +</p>  +</dd>  +<dt>  +<a id="def_HEAD"></a>HEAD  +</dt>  +<dd>  +<p>  + The current branch. In more detail: Your <a href="#def_working_tree">working tree</a> is normally derived from the state of the tree  + referred to by HEAD. HEAD is a reference to one of the  + <a href="#def_head">heads</a> in your repository, except when using a  + <a href="#def_detached_HEAD">detached HEAD</a>, in which case it may  + reference an arbitrary commit.   </p>   </dd>   <dt>  @@ -540,9 +576,7 @@  </dt>   <dd>   <p>  - A <a href="#def_ref">ref</a> pointing to a <a href="#def_head">head</a>. Often, this is  - abbreviated to "<a href="#def_head">head</a>". Head refs are stored in  - <tt>$GIT_DIR/refs/heads/</tt>.  + A synonym for <a href="#def_head">head</a>.   </p>   </dd>   <dt>  @@ -554,7 +588,7 @@  to optional scripts that allow a developer to add functionality or   checking. Typically, the hooks allow for a command to be pre-verified   and potentially aborted, and allow for a post-notification after the  - operation is done. The <a href="#def_hook">hook</a> scripts are found in the  + operation is done. The hook scripts are found in the   <tt>$GIT_DIR/hooks/</tt> <a href="#def_directory">directory</a>, and are enabled by simply   making them executable.   </p>  @@ -565,7 +599,7 @@  <dd>   <p>   A collection of files with stat information, whose contents are stored  - as objects. The <a href="#def_index">index</a> is a stored version of your working  + as objects. The index is a stored version of your working   <a href="#def_tree">tree</a>. Truth be told, it can also contain a second, and even   a third version of a <a href="#def_working_tree">working tree</a>, which are used   when merging.  @@ -577,9 +611,9 @@  <dd>   <p>   The information regarding a particular file, stored in the  - <a href="#def_index">index</a>. An <a href="#def_index_entry">index entry</a> can be unmerged,  - if a <a href="#def_merge">merge</a> was started, but not yet finished (i.e. if the  - <a href="#def_index">index</a> contains multiple versions of that file).  + <a href="#def_index">index</a>. An index entry can be unmerged, if a  + <a href="#def_merge">merge</a> was started, but not yet finished (i.e. if  + the index contains multiple versions of that file).   </p>   </dd>   <dt>  @@ -587,11 +621,11 @@  </dt>   <dd>   <p>  - The default development <a href="#def_branch">branch</a>. Whenever you create a git  - <a href="#def_repository">repository</a>, a <a href="#def_branch">branch</a> named  - "<a href="#def_master">master</a>" is created, and becomes the active  - <a href="#def_branch">branch</a>. In most cases, this contains the local  - development, though that is purely conventional and not required.  + The default development <a href="#def_branch">branch</a>. Whenever you  + create a git <a href="#def_repository">repository</a>, a branch named  + "master" is created, and becomes the active branch. In most  + cases, this contains the local development, though that is  + purely by convention and is not required.   </p>   </dd>   <dt>  @@ -599,12 +633,25 @@  </dt>   <dd>   <p>  - To <a href="#def_merge">merge</a> branches means to try to accumulate the changes  - since a common ancestor and apply them to the first  - <a href="#def_branch">branch</a>. An automatic <a href="#def_merge">merge</a> uses heuristics  - to accomplish that. Evidently, an automatic <a href="#def_merge">merge</a> can  - fail.  + As a verb: To bring the contents of another  + <a href="#def_branch">branch</a> (possibly from an external  + <a href="#def_repository">repository</a>) into the current branch. In the  + case where the merged-in branch is from a different repository,  + this is done by first <a href="#def_fetch">fetching</a> the remote branch  + and then merging the result into the current branch. This  + combination of fetch and merge operations is called a  + <a href="#def_pull">pull</a>. Merging is performed by an automatic process  + that identifies changes made since the branches diverged, and  + then applies all those changes together. In cases where changes  + conflict, manual intervention may be required to complete the  + merge.   </p>  +<p>As a noun: unless it is a <a href="#def_fast_forward">fast forward</a>, a  +successful merge results in the creation of a new <a href="#def_commit">commit</a>  +representing the result of the merge, and having as  +<a href="#def_parent">parents</a> the tips of the merged <a href="#def_branch">branches</a>.  +This commit is referred to as a "merge commit", or sometimes just a  +"merge".</p>   </dd>   <dt>   <a id="def_object"></a>object  @@ -613,7 +660,7 @@  <p>   The unit of storage in git. It is uniquely identified by the   <a href="#def_SHA1">SHA1</a> of its contents. Consequently, an  - <a href="#def_object">object</a> can not be changed.  + object can not be changed.   </p>   </dd>   <dt>  @@ -640,9 +687,9 @@  <dd>   <p>   The unique identifier of an <a href="#def_object">object</a>. The <a href="#def_hash">hash</a>  - of the <a href="#def_object">object</a>'s contents using the Secure Hash Algorithm  + of the object's contents using the Secure Hash Algorithm   1 and usually represented by the 40 character hexadecimal encoding of  - the <a href="#def_hash">hash</a> of the <a href="#def_object">object</a> (possibly followed by  + the <a href="#def_hash">hash</a> of the object (possibly followed by   a white space).   </p>   </dd>  @@ -672,7 +719,7 @@  <p>   The default upstream <a href="#def_repository">repository</a>. Most projects have   at least one upstream project which they track. By default  - <em><a href="#def_origin">origin</a></em> is used for that purpose. New upstream updates  + <em>origin</em> is used for that purpose. New upstream updates   will be fetched into remote tracking branches named   origin/name-of-upstream-branch, which you can see using   "git <a href="#def_branch">branch</a> -r".  @@ -694,7 +741,7 @@  <p>   The list of identifiers, and other information, of the objects in a   <a href="#def_pack">pack</a>, to assist in efficiently accessing the contents of a  - <a href="#def_pack">pack</a>.  + pack.   </p>   </dd>   <dt>  @@ -734,7 +781,7 @@  <p>   Cute name for programs and program suites depending on   <a href="#def_core_git">core git</a>, presenting a high level access to  - <a href="#def_core_git">core git</a>. Porcelains expose more of a <a href="#def_SCM">SCM</a>  + core git. Porcelains expose more of a <a href="#def_SCM">SCM</a>   interface than the <a href="#def_plumbing">plumbing</a>.   </p>   </dd>  @@ -744,7 +791,7 @@  <dd>   <p>   Pulling a <a href="#def_branch">branch</a> means to <a href="#def_fetch">fetch</a> it and  - <a href="#def_merge">merge</a> it.  + <a href="#def_merge">merge</a> it. See also <a href="git-pull.html">git-pull(1)</a>.   </p>   </dd>   <dt>  @@ -752,16 +799,16 @@  </dt>   <dd>   <p>  - Pushing a <a href="#def_branch">branch</a> means to get the <a href="#def_branch">branch</a>'s  + Pushing a <a href="#def_branch">branch</a> means to get the branch's   <a href="#def_head_ref">head ref</a> from a remote <a href="#def_repository">repository</a>,  - find out if it is an ancestor to the <a href="#def_branch">branch</a>'s local  - <a href="#def_head_ref">head ref</a> is a direct, and in that case, putting all  + find out if it is an ancestor to the branch's local  + head ref is a direct, and in that case, putting all   objects, which are <a href="#def_reachable">reachable</a> from the local  - <a href="#def_head_ref">head ref</a>, and which are missing from the remote  - <a href="#def_repository">repository</a>, into the remote  + head ref, and which are missing from the remote  + repository, into the remote   <a href="#def_object_database">object database</a>, and updating the remote  - <a href="#def_head_ref">head ref</a>. If the remote <a href="#def_head">head</a> is not an  - ancestor to the local <a href="#def_head">head</a>, the <a href="#def_push">push</a> fails.  + head ref. If the remote <a href="#def_head">head</a> is not an  + ancestor to the local head, the push fails.   </p>   </dd>   <dt>  @@ -770,8 +817,8 @@  <dd>   <p>   All of the ancestors of a given <a href="#def_commit">commit</a> are said to be  - <a href="#def_reachable">reachable</a> from that <a href="#def_commit">commit</a>. More  - generally, one <a href="#def_object">object</a> is <a href="#def_reachable">reachable</a> from  + "reachable" from that commit. More  + generally, one <a href="#def_object">object</a> is reachable from   another if we can reach the one from the other by a <a href="#def_chain">chain</a>   that follows <a href="#def_tag">tags</a> to whatever they tag,   <a href="#def_commit_object">commits</a> to their parents or trees, and  @@ -805,17 +852,16 @@  <dd>   <p>   A <a href="#def_refspec">refspec</a> is used by <a href="#def_fetch">fetch</a> and  - <a href="#def_push">push</a> to describe the mapping between remote <a href="#def_ref">ref</a>  - and local <a href="#def_ref">ref</a>. They are combined with a colon in the format  - &lt;src&gt;:&lt;dst&gt;, preceded by an optional plus sign, +. For example: <tt>git  - fetch $URL refs/heads/master:refs/heads/origin</tt> means  - "grab the master <a href="#def_branch">branch</a> <a href="#def_head">head</a>  - from the $URL and store it as my origin  - <a href="#def_branch">branch</a> <a href="#def_head">head</a>". And <tt>git <a href="#def_push">push</a>  - $URL refs/heads/master:refs/heads/to-upstream</tt> means  - "publish my master <a href="#def_branch">branch</a>  - <a href="#def_head">head</a> as to-upstream <a href="#def_branch">branch</a> at $URL". See  - also <a href="git-push.html">git-push(1)</a>  + <a href="#def_push">push</a> to describe the mapping between remote  + <a href="#def_ref">ref</a> and local ref. They are combined with a colon in  + the format &lt;src&gt;:&lt;dst&gt;, preceded by an optional plus sign, +.  + For example: <tt>git fetch $URL  + refs/heads/master:refs/heads/origin</tt> means "grab the master  + <a href="#def_branch">branch</a> <a href="#def_head">head</a> from the $URL and store  + it as my origin branch head". And <tt>git push  + $URL refs/heads/master:refs/heads/to-upstream</tt> means "publish my  + master branch head as to-upstream branch at $URL". See also  + <a href="git-push.html">git-push(1)</a>   </p>   </dd>   <dt>  @@ -823,10 +869,11 @@  </dt>   <dd>   <p>  - A collection of refs together with an <a href="#def_object_database">object database</a> containing all objects which are <a href="#def_reachable">reachable</a>  - from the refs, possibly accompanied by meta data from one or more  - porcelains. A <a href="#def_repository">repository</a> can share an  - <a href="#def_object_database">object database</a> with other repositories.  + A collection of refs together with an  + <a href="#def_object_database">object database</a> containing all objects  + which are <a href="#def_reachable">reachable</a> from the refs, possibly  + accompanied by meta data from one or more porcelains. A  + repository can share an object database with other repositories.   </p>   </dd>   <dt>  @@ -878,12 +925,12 @@  </dt>   <dd>   <p>  - A <a href="#def_shallow_repository">shallow repository</a> has an incomplete  + A shallow repository has an incomplete   history some of whose commits have parents cauterized away (in other   words, git is told to pretend that these commits do not have the   parents, even though they are recorded in the <a href="#def_commit_object">commit object</a>). This is sometimes useful when you are interested only in the   recent history of a project even though the real history recorded in the  - upstream is much larger. A <a href="#def_shallow_repository">shallow repository</a>  + upstream is much larger. A shallow repository   is created by giving the <tt>&#8212;depth</tt> option to <a href="git-clone.html">git-clone(1)</a>, and   its history can be later deepened with <a href="git-fetch.html">git-fetch(1)</a>.   </p>  @@ -893,11 +940,12 @@  </dt>   <dd>   <p>  - Symbolic reference: instead of containing the <a href="#def_SHA1">SHA1</a> id  - itself, it is of the format <em>ref: refs/some/thing</em> and when  - referenced, it recursively dereferences to this reference. <em>HEAD</em> is a  - prime example of a <a href="#def_symref">symref</a>. Symbolic references are  - manipulated with the <a href="git-symbolic-ref.html">git-symbolic-ref(1)</a> command.  + Symbolic reference: instead of containing the <a href="#def_SHA1">SHA1</a>  + id itself, it is of the format <em>ref: refs/some/thing</em> and when  + referenced, it recursively dereferences to this reference.  + <em><a href="#def_HEAD">HEAD</a></em> is a prime example of a symref. Symbolic  + references are manipulated with the <a href="git-symbolic-ref.html">git-symbolic-ref(1)</a>  + command.   </p>   </dd>   <dt>  @@ -905,14 +953,14 @@  </dt>   <dd>   <p>  - A <a href="#def_ref">ref</a> pointing to a <a href="#def_tag">tag</a> or  + A <a href="#def_ref">ref</a> pointing to a tag or   <a href="#def_commit_object">commit object</a>. In contrast to a <a href="#def_head">head</a>,   a tag is not changed by a <a href="#def_commit">commit</a>. Tags (not   <a href="#def_tag_object">tag objects</a>) are stored in <tt>$GIT_DIR/refs/tags/</tt>. A   git tag has nothing to do with a Lisp tag (which would be   called an <a href="#def_object_type">object type</a> in git's context). A   tag is most typically used to mark a particular point in the  - <a href="#def_commit">commit</a> ancestry <a href="#def_chain">chain</a>.  + commit ancestry <a href="#def_chain">chain</a>.   </p>   </dd>   <dt>  @@ -921,7 +969,7 @@  <dd>   <p>   An <a href="#def_object">object</a> containing a <a href="#def_ref">ref</a> pointing to  - another <a href="#def_object">object</a>, which can contain a message just like a  + another object, which can contain a message just like a   <a href="#def_commit_object">commit object</a>. It can also contain a (PGP)   signature, in which case it is called a "signed <a href="#def_tag_object">tag object</a>".   </p>  @@ -944,8 +992,9 @@  <dd>   <p>   A regular git <a href="#def_branch">branch</a> that is used to follow changes from  - another <a href="#def_repository">repository</a>. A <a href="#def_tracking_branch">tracking branch</a> should not contain direct modifications or have local commits  - made to it. A <a href="#def_tracking_branch">tracking branch</a> can usually be  + another <a href="#def_repository">repository</a>. A tracking  + branch should not contain direct modifications or have local commits  + made to it. A tracking branch can usually be   identified as the right-hand-side <a href="#def_ref">ref</a> in a Pull:   <a href="#def_refspec">refspec</a>.   </p>  @@ -955,8 +1004,8 @@  </dt>   <dd>   <p>  - Either a <a href="#def_working_tree">working tree</a>, or a <a href="#def_tree_object">tree object</a> together with the dependent blob and <a href="#def_tree">tree</a> objects  - (i.e. a stored representation of a <a href="#def_working_tree">working tree</a>).  + Either a <a href="#def_working_tree">working tree</a>, or a <a href="#def_tree_object">tree object</a> together with the dependent blob and tree objects  + (i.e. a stored representation of a working tree).   </p>   </dd>   <dt>  @@ -974,8 +1023,7 @@  </dt>   <dd>   <p>  - A <a href="#def_ref">ref</a> pointing to either a <a href="#def_commit_object">commit object</a>, a <a href="#def_tree_object">tree object</a>, or a <a href="#def_tag_object">tag object</a> pointing to a <a href="#def_tag">tag</a> or <a href="#def_commit">commit</a> or  - <a href="#def_tree_object">tree object</a>.  + A <a href="#def_ref">ref</a> pointing to either a <a href="#def_commit_object">commit object</a>, a <a href="#def_tree_object">tree object</a>, or a <a href="#def_tag_object">tag object</a> pointing to a tag or commit or tree object.   </p>   </dd>   <dt>  @@ -1001,8 +1049,9 @@  </dt>   <dd>   <p>  - The set of files and directories currently being worked on, i.e. you can  - work in your <a href="#def_working_tree">working tree</a> without using git at all.  + The tree of actual checked out files. The working tree is  + normally equal to the <a href="#def_HEAD">HEAD</a> plus any local changes  + that you have made but not yet committed.   </p>   </dd>   </dl>  @@ -1010,7 +1059,7 @@  </div>   <div id="footer">   <div id="footer-text">  -Last updated 04-Apr-2007 18:34:47 UTC  +Last updated 19-May-2007 04:19:47 UTC   </div>   </div>   </body>