docs: add a FAQ

Git is an enormously flexible and powerful piece of software.  However,
it can be intimidating for many users and there are a set of common
questions that users often ask.  While we already have some new user
documentation, it's worth adding a FAQ to address common questions that
users often have.  Even though some of this is addressed elsewhere in
the documentation, experience has shown that it is difficult for users
to find, so a centralized location is helpful.

Add such a FAQ and fill it with some common questions and answers.
While there are few entries now, we can expand it in the future to cover
more things as we find new questions that users have.  Let's also add
section markers so that people answering questions can directly link
users to the proper answer.

The FAQ also addresses common configuration questions that apply not
only to Git as an independent piece of software but also the ecosystem
of CI tools and hosting providers that people use, since these are the
source of common questions.  An attempt has been made to avoid
mentioning any particular provider or tool, but to nevertheless cover
common configurations that apply to a wide variety of such tools.

Note that the long lines for certain questions are required, since
Asciidoctor does not permit broken lines there.

Signed-off-by: brian m. carlson <sandals@crustytoothpaste.net>
Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
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  363. sha1-array.c
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README.md

Build Status

Git - fast, scalable, distributed revision control system

Git is a fast, scalable, distributed revision control system with an unusually rich command set that provides both high-level operations and full access to internals.

Git is an Open Source project covered by the GNU General Public License version 2 (some parts of it are under different licenses, compatible with the GPLv2). It was originally written by Linus Torvalds with help of a group of hackers around the net.

Please read the file INSTALL for installation instructions.

Many Git online resources are accessible from https://git-scm.com/ including full documentation and Git related tools.

See Documentation/gittutorial.txt to get started, then see Documentation/giteveryday.txt for a useful minimum set of commands, and Documentation/git-<commandname>.txt for documentation of each command. If git has been correctly installed, then the tutorial can also be read with man gittutorial or git help tutorial, and the documentation of each command with man git-<commandname> or git help <commandname>.

CVS users may also want to read Documentation/gitcvs-migration.txt (man gitcvs-migration or git help cvs-migration if git is installed).

The user discussion and development of Git take place on the Git mailing list -- everyone is welcome to post bug reports, feature requests, comments and patches to git@vger.kernel.org (read Documentation/SubmittingPatches for instructions on patch submission). To subscribe to the list, send an email with just “subscribe git” in the body to majordomo@vger.kernel.org. The mailing list archives are available at https://lore.kernel.org/git/, http://marc.info/?l=git and other archival sites.

Issues which are security relevant should be disclosed privately to the Git Security mailing list git-security@googlegroups.com.

The maintainer frequently sends the “What's cooking” reports that list the current status of various development topics to the mailing list. The discussion following them give a good reference for project status, development direction and remaining tasks.

The name “git” was given by Linus Torvalds when he wrote the very first version. He described the tool as “the stupid content tracker” and the name as (depending on your mood):

  • random three-letter combination that is pronounceable, and not actually used by any common UNIX command. The fact that it is a mispronunciation of “get” may or may not be relevant.
  • stupid. contemptible and despicable. simple. Take your pick from the dictionary of slang.
  • “global information tracker”: you're in a good mood, and it actually works for you. Angels sing, and a light suddenly fills the room.
  • “goddamn idiotic truckload of sh*t”: when it breaks