| 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/<branch> file |
| exists" when it means "branch <branch> exists". |
| |
| |
| GIT |
| --- |
| Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite |
