Documentation/pull-fetch-param.txt - git - Git at Google

 <repository>::
 	The "remote" repository to pull from.  One of the
 	following notations can be used to name the repository
 	to pull from:

 		Rsync URL
 			rsync://remote.machine/path/to/repo.git/

 		HTTP(s) URL
 			http://remote.machine/path/to/repo.git/

 		GIT URL
 			git://remote.machine/path/to/repo.git/
 			remote.machine:/path/to/repo.git/

 		Local directory
 			/path/to/repo.git/

 	In addition to the above, as a short-hand, the name of a
 	file in $GIT_DIR/remotes directory can be given; the
 	named file should be in the following format:

 		URL: one of the above URL format
 		Push: <refspec>...
 		Pull: <refspec>...

 	When such a short-hand is specified in place of
 	<repository> without <refspec> parameters on the command
 	line, <refspec>... specified on Push lines or Pull lines
 	are used for "git push" and "git fetch/pull",
 	respectively.

 	The name of a file in $GIT_DIR/branches directory can be
 	specified as an older notation short-hand; the named
 	file should contain a single line, a URL in one of the
 	above formats, optionally followed by a hash '#' and the
 	name of remote head (URL fragment notation).
 	$GIT_DIR/branches/<remote> file that stores a <url>
 	without the fragment is equivalent to have this in the
 	corresponding file in the $GIT_DIR/remotes/ directory

 		URL: <url>
 		Pull: refs/heads/master:<remote>

 	while having <url>#<head> is equivalent to

 		URL: <url>
 		Pull: refs/heads/<head>:<remote>

 <refspec>::
 	The canonical format of a <refspec> parameter is
 	'+?<src>:<dst>'; that is, an optional plus '+', followed
 	by the source ref, followed by a colon ':', followed by
 	the destination ref.

 	When used in "git push", the <src> side can be an
 	arbitrary "SHA1 expression" that can be used as an
 	argument to "git-cat-file -t".  E.g. "master~4" (push
 	four parents before the current master head).

         For "git push", the local ref that matches <src> is used
         to fast forward the remote ref that matches <dst>.  If
         the optional plus '+' is used, the remote ref is updated
         even if it does not result in a fast forward update.

 	For "git fetch/pull", the remote ref that matches <src>
 	is fetched, and if <dst> is not empty string, the local
 	ref that matches it is fast forwarded using <src>.
 	Again, if the optional plus '+' is used, the local ref
 	is updated even if it does not result in a fast forward
 	update.

 	Some short-cut notations are also supported.

 	* For backward compatibility, "tag" is almost ignored;
           it just makes the following parameter <tag> to mean a
           refspec "refs/tags/<tag>:refs/tags/<tag>".

         * A parameter <ref> without a colon is equivalent to
           <ref>: when pulling/fetching, and <ref>:<ref> when
           pushing.  That is, do not store it locally if
           fetching, and update the same name if pushing.
	<repository>::
	The "remote" repository to pull from. One of the
	following notations can be used to name the repository
	to pull from:

	Rsync URL
	rsync://remote.machine/path/to/repo.git/

	HTTP(s) URL
	http://remote.machine/path/to/repo.git/

	GIT URL
	git://remote.machine/path/to/repo.git/
	remote.machine:/path/to/repo.git/

	Local directory
	/path/to/repo.git/

	In addition to the above, as a short-hand, the name of a
	file in $GIT_DIR/remotes directory can be given; the
	named file should be in the following format:

	URL: one of the above URL format
	Push: <refspec>...
	Pull: <refspec>...

	When such a short-hand is specified in place of
	<repository> without <refspec> parameters on the command
	line, <refspec>... specified on Push lines or Pull lines
	are used for "git push" and "git fetch/pull",
	respectively.

	The name of a file in $GIT_DIR/branches directory can be
	specified as an older notation short-hand; the named
	file should contain a single line, a URL in one of the
	above formats, optionally followed by a hash '#' and the
	name of remote head (URL fragment notation).
	$GIT_DIR/branches/<remote> file that stores a <url>
	without the fragment is equivalent to have this in the
	corresponding file in the $GIT_DIR/remotes/ directory

	URL: <url>
	Pull: refs/heads/master:<remote>

	while having <url>#<head> is equivalent to

	URL: <url>
	Pull: refs/heads/<head>:<remote>

	<refspec>::
	The canonical format of a <refspec> parameter is
	'+?<src>:<dst>'; that is, an optional plus '+', followed
	by the source ref, followed by a colon ':', followed by
	the destination ref.

	When used in "git push", the <src> side can be an
	arbitrary "SHA1 expression" that can be used as an
	argument to "git-cat-file -t". E.g. "master~4" (push
	four parents before the current master head).

	For "git push", the local ref that matches <src> is used
	to fast forward the remote ref that matches <dst>. If
	the optional plus '+' is used, the remote ref is updated
	even if it does not result in a fast forward update.

	For "git fetch/pull", the remote ref that matches <src>
	is fetched, and if <dst> is not empty string, the local
	ref that matches it is fast forwarded using <src>.
	Again, if the optional plus '+' is used, the local ref
	is updated even if it does not result in a fast forward
	update.

	Some short-cut notations are also supported.

	* For backward compatibility, "tag" is almost ignored;
	it just makes the following parameter <tag> to mean a
	refspec "refs/tags/<tag>:refs/tags/<tag>".

	* A parameter <ref> without a colon is equivalent to
	<ref>: when pulling/fetching, and <ref>:<ref> when
	pushing. That is, do not store it locally if
	fetching, and update the same name if pushing.