From c8bae7493d2f2910b57f13ded012e86bdcfb0532 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Daniel Baumann Date: Sun, 7 Apr 2024 16:47:53 +0200 Subject: Adding upstream version 1:2.39.2. Signed-off-by: Daniel Baumann --- Documentation/git-pack-refs.txt | 73 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 73 insertions(+) create mode 100644 Documentation/git-pack-refs.txt (limited to 'Documentation/git-pack-refs.txt') diff --git a/Documentation/git-pack-refs.txt b/Documentation/git-pack-refs.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..154081f --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/git-pack-refs.txt @@ -0,0 +1,73 @@ +git-pack-refs(1) +================ + +NAME +---- +git-pack-refs - Pack heads and tags for efficient repository access + +SYNOPSIS +-------- +[verse] +'git pack-refs' [--all] [--no-prune] + +DESCRIPTION +----------- + +Traditionally, tips of branches and tags (collectively known as +'refs') were stored one file per ref in a (sub)directory +under `$GIT_DIR/refs` +directory. While many branch tips tend to be updated often, +most tags and some branch tips are never updated. When a +repository has hundreds or thousands of tags, this +one-file-per-ref format both wastes storage and hurts +performance. + +This command is used to solve the storage and performance +problem by storing the refs in a single file, +`$GIT_DIR/packed-refs`. When a ref is missing from the +traditional `$GIT_DIR/refs` directory hierarchy, it is looked +up in this +file and used if found. + +Subsequent updates to branches always create new files under +`$GIT_DIR/refs` directory hierarchy. + +A recommended practice to deal with a repository with too many +refs is to pack its refs with `--all` once, and +occasionally run `git pack-refs`. 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 the next `pack-refs` (without `--all`) will leave them +unpacked. + + +OPTIONS +------- + +--all:: + +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 +a repository with many branches of historical interests. + +--no-prune:: + +The command usually removes loose refs under `$GIT_DIR/refs` +hierarchy after packing them. This option tells it not to. + + +BUGS +---- + +Older documentation written before the packed-refs mechanism was +introduced may still say things like ".git/refs/heads/ file +exists" when it means "branch exists". + + +GIT +--- +Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite -- cgit v1.2.3