git-init-db(1) ============== NAME ---- git-init-db - Creates an empty git repository SYNOPSIS -------- 'git-init-db' [--template=] [--shared] OPTIONS ------- --template=:: Provide the directory from which templates will be used. The default template directory is `/usr/share/git-core/templates`. --shared:: Specify that the git repository is to be shared amongst several users. DESCRIPTION ----------- This command creates an empty git repository - basically a `.git` directory with subdirectories for `objects`, `refs/heads`, `refs/tags`, and templated files. An initial `HEAD` file that references the HEAD of the master branch is also created. If `--template=` is specified, `` is used as the source of the template files rather than the default. The template files include some directory structure, some suggested "exclude patterns", and copies of non-executing "hook" files. The suggested patterns and hook files are all modifiable and extensible. 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 `$GIT_DIR/objects` directory is used. A shared repository allows users belonging to the same group to push into that repository. When specifying `--shared` the config variable "core.sharedRepository" is set to 'true' so that directories under `$GIT_DIR` are made group writable (and g+sx, since the git group may be not the primary group of all users). Running `git-init-db` in an existing repository is safe. It will not overwrite things that are already there. The primary reason for rerunning `git-init-db` is to pick up newly added templates. EXAMPLES -------- Start a new git repository for an existing code base:: + ---------------- $ cd /path/to/my/codebase $ git-init-db <1> $ git-add . <2> <1> prepare /path/to/my/codebase/.git directory <2> add all existing file to the index ---------------- Author ------ Written by Linus Torvalds Documentation -------------- Documentation by David Greaves, Junio C Hamano and the git-list . GIT --- Part of the gitlink:git[7] suite