From af67e91c39aff2d955e9c325c6c4e843d5faef60 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Junio C Hamano Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2007 22:51:49 -0800 Subject: Documentation: pack-refs --all vs default behaviour Document the recommended way to prime a repository with tons of references with 'pack-refs --all -prune'. Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano diff --git a/Documentation/git-pack-refs.txt b/Documentation/git-pack-refs.txt index 464269f..a20fc7d 100644 --- a/Documentation/git-pack-refs.txt +++ b/Documentation/git-pack-refs.txt @@ -29,12 +29,23 @@ file and used if found. Subsequent updates to branches always creates new file under `$GIT_DIR/refs` hierarchy. +A recommended practice to deal with a repository with too many +refs is to pack its refs with `--all --prune` once, and +occasionally run `git-pack-refs \--prune`. Tags are by +definition stationary and are not expected to change. Branch +heads will be packed with the initial `pack-refs --all`, but +only the currently active branch heads will become unpacked, +and next `pack-refs` (without `--all`) will leave them +unpacked. + + OPTIONS ------- \--all:: -The command by default packs all tags and leaves branch tips +The command by default packs all tags and refs that are already +packed, and leaves other refs alone. This is because branches are expected to be actively developed and packing their tips does not help performance. This option causes branch tips to be packed as well. Useful for -- cgit v0.10.2-6-g49f6