When creating a git repository that will be on the server, can I convert it to a bare repository?

Question

I already created a repository. Can I make it a bare type or shall I start over?

score 41 · Answer 1 · edited Oct 22 '13 at 21:32

41

According to the FAQ, conversion from non-bare to bare can be done in two ways. The best one:

$ git clone --bare -l repo repo.git
$ rm -rf repo

To create a bare repository from scratch:

$ mkdir repo.git
$ cd repo.git
$ git --bare init

edited Oct 22 '13 at 21:32

Arbo

answered Nov 23 '09 at 17:16

Jørn Schou-Rode

Why is the first method "easier"? The second method seems both safer *and* easier (you don't need the renames to get the same result as the first method, just `git clone --bare repo` followed by `rm -rf repo` will do). – Dan Moulding Nov 24 '09 at 14:30
@Dan is right, and I have modified my answer to only contain the safe *and* easy approach. With the version of git on my box (1.5.6.5), I still need to provide the target directory when calling git-clone, though. – Jørn Schou-Rode Nov 24 '09 at 15:04
2

Doesn't `git clone` set the `origin` remote to the one cloned from? In this case to `./repo`, which you `rm`'d... – Boldewyn Feb 04 '10 at 19:12
6

The [FAQ](https://git.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/GitFaq#HowdoImakeexistingnon-barerepositorybare.3F) now suggests `git clone --bare -l`. The `-l` asks for hardlinks, which makes this faster. Although note that by using git clone you lose config settings/remotes, so beware. – Marius Gedminas Dec 24 '10 at 01:28
@Marius: Thanks for the heads-up. I have an `-l` and updated the FAQ link to reflect URL changes. – Jørn Schou-Rode Dec 31 '10 at 08:04
1

Note that hardlinking with -l will save time and space during cloning *and* prevent you from loosing data if you later remove the non-bare repo, as the files are still linked by the bare one. Of course it only works if your file system supports hard links.. – ggll Feb 26 '14 at 10:28

score 20 · Answer 2 · edited Sep 04 '12 at 16:05

20

Just move the .git folder away from the working copy.

mv /var/git/repo/repo/.git /var/git/repos/repo.git

You might want to follow that up with a

git config --bool core.bare true

in that repository, just in case git complains about something not being right.

edited Sep 04 '12 at 16:05

FractalSpace

answered Nov 23 '09 at 17:07

Bombe

how do I create a bare repo rigth from the start? – mrblah Nov 23 '09 at 17:15
1

Pass the `--bare` flag to `git`: `$ mkdir myrepo.git && cd myrepo.git && git --bare init` – mipadi Nov 23 '09 at 17:19
2

Or just `git init --bare myrepo.git` – Jörg W Mittag Nov 23 '09 at 19:53
1

Note that being able to do `git init --bare` as an alternative to `git --bare init` came in in v1.5.6 ~Jun 08. – CB Bailey Nov 23 '09 at 20:49

Dan Moulding · Answer 3 · 2009-11-24T02:29:34.147

5

git clone --bare repo

This will give you a new bare version of repo named repo.git. Easy, no?

edited Nov 24 '09 at 02:29

answered Nov 23 '09 at 19:07

Dan Moulding

3 Answers3