7e0c2036b4
Our documentation used to assume having files in .git/refs/* directories was the only to have branches and tags, but that is not true for quite some time. * jc/tag-doc: Documentation: do not mention .git/refs/* directories
74 lines
2.1 KiB
Plaintext
74 lines
2.1 KiB
Plaintext
git-pack-refs(1)
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================
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NAME
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----
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git-pack-refs - Pack heads and tags for efficient repository access
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SYNOPSIS
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--------
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[verse]
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'git pack-refs' [--all] [--no-prune]
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DESCRIPTION
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-----------
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Traditionally, tips of branches and tags (collectively known as
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'refs') were stored one file per ref in a (sub)directory
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under `$GIT_DIR/refs`
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directory. While many branch tips tend to be updated often,
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most tags and some branch tips are never updated. When a
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repository has hundreds or thousands of tags, this
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one-file-per-ref format both wastes storage and hurts
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performance.
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This command is used to solve the storage and performance
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problem by storing the refs in a single file,
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`$GIT_DIR/packed-refs`. When a ref is missing from the
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traditional `$GIT_DIR/refs` directory hierarchy, it is looked
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up in this
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file and used if found.
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Subsequent updates to branches always create new files under
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`$GIT_DIR/refs` directory hierarchy.
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A recommended practice to deal with a repository with too many
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refs is to pack its refs with `--all --prune` once, and
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occasionally run `git pack-refs --prune`. Tags are by
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definition stationary and are not expected to change. Branch
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heads will be packed with the initial `pack-refs --all`, but
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only the currently active branch heads will become unpacked,
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and the next `pack-refs` (without `--all`) will leave them
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unpacked.
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OPTIONS
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-------
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--all::
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The command by default packs all tags and refs that are already
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packed, and leaves other refs
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alone. This is because branches are expected to be actively
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developed and packing their tips does not help performance.
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This option causes branch tips to be packed as well. Useful for
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a repository with many branches of historical interests.
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--no-prune::
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The command usually removes loose refs under `$GIT_DIR/refs`
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hierarchy after packing them. This option tells it not to.
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BUGS
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----
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Older documentation written before the packed-refs mechanism was
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introduced may still say things like ".git/refs/heads/<branch> file
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exists" when it means "branch <branch> exists".
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GIT
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---
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Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite
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