git-init.txt

git-init(1)
===========

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


SYNOPSIS
--------
[verse]
'git init' [-q | --quiet] [--bare] [--template=<template_directory>]
 [--separate-git-dir <git dir>]
 [--shared[=<permissions>]] [directory]


DESCRIPTION
-----------

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

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

If the object storage directory is specified via the
`$GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY` environment variable then the sha1 directories
are created underneath - otherwise the default `$GIT_DIR/objects`
directory is used.

Running 'git init' in an existing repository is safe. It will not
overwrite things that are already there. The primary reason for
rerunning 'git init' is to pick up newly added templates (or to move
the 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 the
current working directory.

--template=<template_directory>::

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

--separate-git-dir=<git dir>::

Instead of initializing the repository where it is supposed to be,
place a filesytem-agnostic Git symbolic link there, pointing to the
specified path, and initialize a Git repository at the path. The
result is Git repository can be separated from working tree. 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. This
allows users belonging to the same group to push into that
repository. When specified, the config variable "core.sharedRepository" is
set so that files and directories under `$GIT_DIR` are created with the
requested permissions. When not specified, Git will use permissions reported
by umask(2).

The option can have the following values, defaulting to 'group' if no value
is given:

 - 'umask' (or 'false'): Use permissions reported by umask(2). The default,
 when `--shared` is not specified.

 - 'group' (or 'true'): Make the repository group-writable, (and g+sx, since
 the git group may be not the primary group of all users).
 This is used to loosen the permissions of an otherwise safe umask(2) value.
 Note that the umask still applies to the other permission bits (e.g. if
 umask is '0022', using 'group' will not remove read privileges from other
 (non-group) users). See '0xxx' for how to exactly specify the 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' will override users' umask(2) value (and not only loosen permissions
 as 'group' and 'all' does). '0640' will create a repository which is
 group-readable, but not group-writable or accessible to others. '0660' will
 create a repo that is readable and writable to the current user and group,
 but inaccessible to others.

By default, the configuration flag receive.denyNonFastForwards is enabled
in shared repositories, so that you cannot force a non fast-forwarding push
into it.

If you name a (possibly non-existent) directory at the end of the command
line, the command is run inside the directory (possibly after creating it).

--


TEMPLATE DIRECTORY
------------------

The template directory contains files and directories that will be copied to
the `$GIT_DIR` after it is created.

The template directory used will (in order):

 - The argument given with the `--template` option.

 - The contents of the `$GIT_TEMPLATE_DIR` environment variable.

 - The `init.templatedir` configuration variable.

 - The default template directory: `/usr/share/git-core/templates`.

The default template directory includes some directory structure, some
suggested "exclude patterns", and copies of sample "hook" files.
The suggested patterns and hook files are all modifiable and extensible.

EXAMPLES
--------

Start a new Git repository for an existing code base::
+
----------------
$ cd /path/to/my/codebase
$ git init <1>
$ git add . <2>
----------------
+
<1> prepare /path/to/my/codebase/.git directory
<2> add all existing file to the index

GIT
---
Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite