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

 <repository>::
 	The "remote" repository that is the source of a fetch
 	or pull operation, or the destination of a push operation.
 	One of the following notations can be used
 	to name the remote repository:
 +
 ===============================================================
 - rsync://host.xz/path/to/repo.git/
 - http://host.xz/path/to/repo.git/
 - https://host.xz/path/to/repo.git/
 - git://host.xz/path/to/repo.git/
 - git://host.xz/~user/path/to/repo.git/
 - ssh://host.xz/path/to/repo.git/
 - ssh://host.xz/~user/path/to/repo.git/
 - ssh://host.xz/~/path/to/repo.git
 ===============================================================
 +
 SSH Is the default transport protocol and also supports an
 scp-like syntax.  Both syntaxes support username expansion,
 as does the native git protocol. The following three are
 identical to the last three above, respectively:
 +
 ===============================================================
 - host.xz:/path/to/repo.git/
 - host.xz:~user/path/to/repo.git/
 - host.xz:path/to/repo.git
 ===============================================================
 +
 To sync with a local directory, use:
 +
 ===============================================================
 - /path/to/repo.git/
 ===============================================================
 +
 In addition to the above, as a short-hand, the name of a
 file in `$GIT_DIR/remotes` directory can be given; the
 named file should be in the following format:
 +
 	URL: one of the above URL format
 	Push: <refspec>
 	Pull: <refspec>
 +
 When such a short-hand is specified in place of
 <repository> without <refspec> parameters on the command
 line, <refspec> specified on `Push:` lines or `Pull:`
 lines are used for `git-push` and `git-fetch`/`git-pull`,
 respectively.  Multiple `Push:` and and `Pull:` lines may
 be specified for additional branch mappings.
 +
 The name of a file in `$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` and `git-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.
 +
 [NOTE]
 If the remote branch from which you want to pull is
 modified in non-linear ways such as being rewound and
 rebased frequently, then a pull will attempt a merge with
 an older version of itself, likely conflict, and fail.
 It is under these conditions that you would want to use
 the `+` sign to indicate non-fast-forward updates will
 be needed.  There is currently no easy way to determine
 or declare that a branch will be made available in a
 repository with this behavior; the pulling user simply
 must know this is the expected usage pattern for a branch.
 +
 [NOTE]
 You never do your own development on branches that appear
 on the right hand side of a <refspec> colon on `Pull:` lines;
 they are to be updated by `git-fetch`.  If you intend to do
 development derived from a remote branch `B`, have a `Pull:`
 line to track it (i.e. `Pull: B:remote-B`), and have a separate
 branch `my-B` to do your development on top of it.  The latter
 is created by `git branch my-B remote-B` (or its equivalent `git
 checkout -b my-B remote-B`).  Run `git fetch` to keep track of
 the progress of the remote side, and when you see something new
 on the remote branch, merge it into your development branch with
 `git pull . remote-B`, while you are on `my-B` branch.
 The common `Pull: master:origin` mapping of a remote `master`
 branch to a local `origin` branch, which is then merged to a
 local development branch, again typically named `master`, is made
 when you run `git clone` for you to follow this pattern.
 +
 [NOTE]
 There is a difference between listing multiple <refspec>
 directly on `git-pull` command line and having multiple
 `Pull:` <refspec> lines for a <repository> and running
 `git-pull` command without any explicit <refspec> parameters.
 <refspec> listed explicitly on the command line are always
 merged into the current branch after fetching.  In other words,
 if you list more than one remote refs, you would be making
 an Octopus.  While `git-pull` run without any explicit <refspec>
 parameter takes default <refspec>s from `Pull:` lines, it
 merges only the first <refspec> found into the current branch,
 after fetching all the remote refs.  This is because making an
 Octopus from remote refs is rarely done, while keeping track
 of multiple remote heads in one-go by fetching more than one
 is often useful.
 +
 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 that is the source of a fetch
	or pull operation, or the destination of a push operation.
	One of the following notations can be used
	to name the remote repository:
	+
	===============================================================
	- rsync://host.xz/path/to/repo.git/
	- http://host.xz/path/to/repo.git/
	- https://host.xz/path/to/repo.git/
	- git://host.xz/path/to/repo.git/
	- git://host.xz/~user/path/to/repo.git/
	- ssh://host.xz/path/to/repo.git/
	- ssh://host.xz/~user/path/to/repo.git/
	- ssh://host.xz/~/path/to/repo.git
	===============================================================
	+
	SSH Is the default transport protocol and also supports an
	scp-like syntax. Both syntaxes support username expansion,
	as does the native git protocol. The following three are
	identical to the last three above, respectively:
	+
	===============================================================
	- host.xz:/path/to/repo.git/
	- host.xz:~user/path/to/repo.git/
	- host.xz:path/to/repo.git
	===============================================================
	+
	To sync with a local directory, use:
	+
	===============================================================
	- /path/to/repo.git/
	===============================================================
	+
	In addition to the above, as a short-hand, the name of a
	file in `$GIT_DIR/remotes` directory can be given; the
	named file should be in the following format:
	+
	URL: one of the above URL format
	Push: <refspec>
	Pull: <refspec>
	+
	When such a short-hand is specified in place of
	<repository> without <refspec> parameters on the command
	line, <refspec> specified on `Push:` lines or `Pull:`
	lines are used for `git-push` and `git-fetch`/`git-pull`,
	respectively. Multiple `Push:` and and `Pull:` lines may
	be specified for additional branch mappings.
	+
	The name of a file in `$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` and `git-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.
	+
	[NOTE]
	If the remote branch from which you want to pull is
	modified in non-linear ways such as being rewound and
	rebased frequently, then a pull will attempt a merge with
	an older version of itself, likely conflict, and fail.
	It is under these conditions that you would want to use
	the `+` sign to indicate non-fast-forward updates will
	be needed. There is currently no easy way to determine
	or declare that a branch will be made available in a
	repository with this behavior; the pulling user simply
	must know this is the expected usage pattern for a branch.
	+
	[NOTE]
	You never do your own development on branches that appear
	on the right hand side of a <refspec> colon on `Pull:` lines;
	they are to be updated by `git-fetch`. If you intend to do
	development derived from a remote branch `B`, have a `Pull:`
	line to track it (i.e. `Pull: B:remote-B`), and have a separate
	branch `my-B` to do your development on top of it. The latter
	is created by `git branch my-B remote-B` (or its equivalent `git
	checkout -b my-B remote-B`). Run `git fetch` to keep track of
	the progress of the remote side, and when you see something new
	on the remote branch, merge it into your development branch with
	`git pull . remote-B`, while you are on `my-B` branch.
	The common `Pull: master:origin` mapping of a remote `master`
	branch to a local `origin` branch, which is then merged to a
	local development branch, again typically named `master`, is made
	when you run `git clone` for you to follow this pattern.
	+
	[NOTE]
	There is a difference between listing multiple <refspec>
	directly on `git-pull` command line and having multiple
	`Pull:` <refspec> lines for a <repository> and running
	`git-pull` command without any explicit <refspec> parameters.
	<refspec> listed explicitly on the command line are always
	merged into the current branch after fetching. In other words,
	if you list more than one remote refs, you would be making
	an Octopus. While `git-pull` run without any explicit <refspec>
	parameter takes default <refspec>s from `Pull:` lines, it
	merges only the first <refspec> found into the current branch,
	after fetching all the remote refs. This is because making an
	Octopus from remote refs is rarely done, while keeping track
	of multiple remote heads in one-go by fetching more than one
	is often useful.
	+
	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.