GIT-UPDATE-INDEX(1) Git Manual GIT-UPDATE-INDEX(1)
git-update-index - Register file contents in the working tree to the
index
git update-index
[--add] [--remove | --force-remove] [--replace]
[--refresh] [-q] [--unmerged] [--ignore-missing]
[(--cacheinfo <mode>,<object>,<file>)...]
[--chmod=(+|-)x]
[--[no-]assume-unchanged]
[--[no-]skip-worktree]
[--ignore-submodules]
[--[no-]split-index]
[--[no-|test-|force-]untracked-cache]
[--really-refresh] [--unresolve] [--again | -g]
[--info-only] [--index-info]
[-z] [--stdin] [--index-version <n>]
[--verbose]
[--] [<file>...]
Modifies the index or directory cache. Each file mentioned is updated
into the index and any unmerged or needs updating state is cleared.
See also git-add(1) for a more user-friendly way to do some of the
most common operations on the index.
The way git update-index handles files it is told about can be
modified using the various options:
--add
If a specified file isn’t in the index already then it’s added.
Default behaviour is to ignore new files.
--remove
If a specified file is in the index but is missing then it’s
removed. Default behavior is to ignore removed file.
--refresh
Looks at the current index and checks to see if merges or updates
are needed by checking stat() information.
-q
Quiet. If --refresh finds that the index needs an update, the
default behavior is to error out. This option makes git
update-index continue anyway.
--ignore-submodules
Do not try to update submodules. This option is only respected
when passed before --refresh.
--unmerged
If --refresh finds unmerged changes in the index, the default
behavior is to error out. This option makes git update-index
continue anyway.
--ignore-missing
Ignores missing files during a --refresh
--cacheinfo <mode>,<object>,<path>, --cacheinfo <mode> <object>
<path>
Directly insert the specified info into the index. For backward
compatibility, you can also give these three arguments as three
separate parameters, but new users are encouraged to use a
single-parameter form.
--index-info
Read index information from stdin.
--chmod=(+|-)x
Set the execute permissions on the updated files.
--[no-]assume-unchanged
When this flag is specified, the object names recorded for the
paths are not updated. Instead, this option sets/unsets the
"assume unchanged" bit for the paths. When the "assume unchanged"
bit is on, the user promises not to change the file and allows
Git to assume that the working tree file matches what is recorded
in the index. If you want to change the working tree file, you
need to unset the bit to tell Git. This is sometimes helpful when
working with a big project on a filesystem that has very slow
lstat(2) system call (e.g. cifs).
Git will fail (gracefully) in case it needs to modify this file
in the index e.g. when merging in a commit; thus, in case the
assumed-untracked file is changed upstream, you will need to
handle the situation manually.
--really-refresh
Like --refresh, but checks stat information unconditionally,
without regard to the "assume unchanged" setting.
--[no-]skip-worktree
When one of these flags is specified, the object name recorded
for the paths are not updated. Instead, these options set and
unset the "skip-worktree" bit for the paths. See section
"Skip-worktree bit" below for more information.
-g, --again
Runs git update-index itself on the paths whose index entries are
different from those from the HEAD commit.
--unresolve
Restores the unmerged or needs updating state of a file during a
merge if it was cleared by accident.
--info-only
Do not create objects in the object database for all <file>
arguments that follow this flag; just insert their object IDs
into the index.
--force-remove
Remove the file from the index even when the working directory
still has such a file. (Implies --remove.)
--replace
By default, when a file path exists in the index, git
update-index refuses an attempt to add path/file. Similarly if a
file path/file exists, a file path cannot be added. With
--replace flag, existing entries that conflict with the entry
being added are automatically removed with warning messages.
--stdin
Instead of taking list of paths from the command line, read list
of paths from the standard input. Paths are separated by LF (i.e.
one path per line) by default.
--verbose
Report what is being added and removed from index.
--index-version <n>
Write the resulting index out in the named on-disk format
version. Supported versions are 2, 3 and 4. The current default
version is 2 or 3, depending on whether extra features are used,
such as git add -N.
Version 4 performs a simple pathname compression that reduces
index size by 30%-50% on large repositories, which results in
faster load time. Version 4 is relatively young (first released
in in 1.8.0 in October 2012). Other Git implementations such as
JGit and libgit2 may not support it yet.
-z
Only meaningful with --stdin or --index-info; paths are separated
with NUL character instead of LF.
--split-index, --no-split-index
Enable or disable split index mode. If split-index mode is
already enabled and --split-index is given again, all changes in
$GIT_DIR/index are pushed back to the shared index file.
These options take effect whatever the value of the
core.splitIndex configuration variable (see git-config(1)). But a
warning is emitted when the change goes against the configured
value, as the configured value will take effect next time the
index is read and this will remove the intended effect of the
option.
--untracked-cache, --no-untracked-cache
Enable or disable untracked cache feature. Please use
--test-untracked-cache before enabling it.
These options take effect whatever the value of the
core.untrackedCache configuration variable (see git-config(1)).
But a warning is emitted when the change goes against the
configured value, as the configured value will take effect next
time the index is read and this will remove the intended effect
of the option.
--test-untracked-cache
Only perform tests on the working directory to make sure
untracked cache can be used. You have to manually enable
untracked cache using --untracked-cache or
--force-untracked-cache or the core.untrackedCache configuration
variable afterwards if you really want to use it. If a test fails
the exit code is 1 and a message explains what is not working as
needed, otherwise the exit code is 0 and OK is printed.
--force-untracked-cache
Same as --untracked-cache. Provided for backwards compatibility
with older versions of Git where --untracked-cache used to imply
--test-untracked-cache but this option would enable the extension
unconditionally.
--
Do not interpret any more arguments as options.
<file>
Files to act on. Note that files beginning with . are discarded.
This includes ./file and dir/./file. If you don’t want this, then
use cleaner names. The same applies to directories ending / and
paths with //
--refresh does not calculate a new sha1 file or bring the index
up-to-date for mode/content changes. But what it does do is to
"re-match" the stat information of a file with the index, so that you
can refresh the index for a file that hasn’t been changed but where
the stat entry is out of date.
For example, you’d want to do this after doing a git read-tree, to
link up the stat index details with the proper files.
--cacheinfo is used to register a file that is not in the current
working directory. This is useful for minimum-checkout merging.
To pretend you have a file with mode and sha1 at path, say:
$ git update-index --cacheinfo <mode>,<sha1>,<path>
--info-only is used to register files without placing them in the
object database. This is useful for status-only repositories.
Both --cacheinfo and --info-only behave similarly: the index is
updated but the object database isn’t. --cacheinfo is useful when the
object is in the database but the file isn’t available locally.
--info-only is useful when the file is available, but you do not wish
to update the object database.
--index-info is a more powerful mechanism that lets you feed multiple
entry definitions from the standard input, and designed specifically
for scripts. It can take inputs of three formats:
1. mode SP sha1 TAB path
The first format is what "git-apply --index-info" reports, and
used to reconstruct a partial tree that is used for phony merge
base tree when falling back on 3-way merge.
2. mode SP type SP sha1 TAB path
The second format is to stuff git ls-tree output into the index
file.
3. mode SP sha1 SP stage TAB path
This format is to put higher order stages into the index file and
matches git ls-files --stage output.
To place a higher stage entry to the index, the path should first be
removed by feeding a mode=0 entry for the path, and then feeding
necessary input lines in the third format.
For example, starting with this index:
$ git ls-files -s
100644 8a1218a1024a212bb3db30becd860315f9f3ac52 0 frotz
you can feed the following input to --index-info:
$ git update-index --index-info
0 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000 frotz
100644 8a1218a1024a212bb3db30becd860315f9f3ac52 1 frotz
100755 8a1218a1024a212bb3db30becd860315f9f3ac52 2 frotz
The first line of the input feeds 0 as the mode to remove the path;
the SHA-1 does not matter as long as it is well formatted. Then the
second and third line feeds stage 1 and stage 2 entries for that
path. After the above, we would end up with this:
$ git ls-files -s
100644 8a1218a1024a212bb3db30becd860315f9f3ac52 1 frotz
100755 8a1218a1024a212bb3db30becd860315f9f3ac52 2 frotz
Many operations in Git depend on your filesystem to have an efficient
lstat(2) implementation, so that st_mtime information for working
tree files can be cheaply checked to see if the file contents have
changed from the version recorded in the index file. Unfortunately,
some filesystems have inefficient lstat(2). If your filesystem is one
of them, you can set "assume unchanged" bit to paths you have not
changed to cause Git not to do this check. Note that setting this bit
on a path does not mean Git will check the contents of the file to
see if it has changed — it makes Git to omit any checking and assume
it has not changed. When you make changes to working tree files, you
have to explicitly tell Git about it by dropping "assume unchanged"
bit, either before or after you modify them.
In order to set "assume unchanged" bit, use --assume-unchanged
option. To unset, use --no-assume-unchanged. To see which files have
the "assume unchanged" bit set, use git ls-files -v (see
git-ls-files(1)).
The command looks at core.ignorestat configuration variable. When
this is true, paths updated with git update-index paths... and paths
updated with other Git commands that update both index and working
tree (e.g. git apply --index, git checkout-index -u, and git
read-tree -u) are automatically marked as "assume unchanged". Note
that "assume unchanged" bit is not set if git update-index --refresh
finds the working tree file matches the index (use git update-index
--really-refresh if you want to mark them as "assume unchanged").
To update and refresh only the files already checked out:
$ git checkout-index -n -f -a && git update-index --ignore-missing --refresh
On an inefficient filesystem with core.ignorestat set
$ git update-index --really-refresh (1)
$ git update-index --no-assume-unchanged foo.c (2)
$ git diff --name-only (3)
$ edit foo.c
$ git diff --name-only (4)
M foo.c
$ git update-index foo.c (5)
$ git diff --name-only (6)
$ edit foo.c
$ git diff --name-only (7)
$ git update-index --no-assume-unchanged foo.c (8)
$ git diff --name-only (9)
M foo.c
1. forces lstat(2) to set "assume unchanged" bits for paths that
match index.
2. mark the path to be edited.
3. this does lstat(2) and finds index matches the path.
4. this does lstat(2) and finds index does not match the path.
5. registering the new version to index sets "assume unchanged"
bit.
6. and it is assumed unchanged.
7. even after you edit it.
8. you can tell about the change after the fact.
9. now it checks with lstat(2) and finds it has been changed.
Skip-worktree bit can be defined in one (long) sentence: When reading
an entry, if it is marked as skip-worktree, then Git pretends its
working directory version is up to date and read the index version
instead.
To elaborate, "reading" means checking for file existence, reading
file attributes or file content. The working directory version may be
present or absent. If present, its content may match against the
index version or not. Writing is not affected by this bit, content
safety is still first priority. Note that Git can update working
directory file, that is marked skip-worktree, if it is safe to do so
(i.e. working directory version matches index version)
Although this bit looks similar to assume-unchanged bit, its goal is
different from assume-unchanged bit’s. Skip-worktree also takes
precedence over assume-unchanged bit when both are set.
This mode is designed for repositories with very large indexes, and
aims at reducing the time it takes to repeatedly write these indexes.
In this mode, the index is split into two files, $GIT_DIR/index and
$GIT_DIR/sharedindex.<SHA-1>. Changes are accumulated in
$GIT_DIR/index, the split index, while the shared index file contains
all index entries and stays unchanged.
All changes in the split index are pushed back to the shared index
file when the number of entries in the split index reaches a level
specified by the splitIndex.maxPercentChange config variable (see
git-config(1)).
Each time a new shared index file is created, the old shared index
files are deleted if their modification time is older than what is
specified by the splitIndex.sharedIndexExpire config variable (see
git-config(1)).
To avoid deleting a shared index file that is still used, its
modification time is updated to the current time everytime a new
split index based on the shared index file is either created or read
from.
This cache is meant to speed up commands that involve determining
untracked files such as git status.
This feature works by recording the mtime of the working tree
directories and then omitting reading directories and stat calls
against files in those directories whose mtime hasn’t changed. For
this to work the underlying operating system and file system must
change the st_mtime field of directories if files in the directory
are added, modified or deleted.
You can test whether the filesystem supports that with the
--test-untracked-cache option. The --untracked-cache option used to
implicitly perform that test in older versions of Git, but that’s no
longer the case.
If you want to enable (or disable) this feature, it is easier to use
the core.untrackedCache configuration variable (see git-config(1))
than using the --untracked-cache option to git update-index in each
repository, especially if you want to do so across all repositories
you use, because you can set the configuration variable to true (or
false) in your $HOME/.gitconfig just once and have it affect all
repositories you touch.
When the core.untrackedCache configuration variable is changed, the
untracked cache is added to or removed from the index the next time a
command reads the index; while when --[no-|force-]untracked-cache are
used, the untracked cache is immediately added to or removed from the
index.
The command honors core.filemode configuration variable. If your
repository is on a filesystem whose executable bits are unreliable,
this should be set to false (see git-config(1)). This causes the
command to ignore differences in file modes recorded in the index and
the file mode on the filesystem if they differ only on executable
bit. On such an unfortunate filesystem, you may need to use git
update-index --chmod=.
Quite similarly, if core.symlinks configuration variable is set to
false (see git-config(1)), symbolic links are checked out as plain
files, and this command does not modify a recorded file mode from
symbolic link to regular file.
The command looks at core.ignorestat configuration variable. See
Using "assume unchanged" bit section above.
The command also looks at core.trustctime configuration variable. It
can be useful when the inode change time is regularly modified by
something outside Git (file system crawlers and backup systems use
ctime for marking files processed) (see git-config(1)).
The untracked cache extension can be enabled by the
core.untrackedCache configuration variable (see git-config(1)).
git-config(1), git-add(1), git-ls-files(1)
Part of the git(1) suite
This page is part of the git (Git distributed version control system)
project. Information about the project can be found at
⟨http://git-scm.com/⟩. If you have a bug report for this manual page,
see ⟨http://git-scm.com/community⟩. This page was obtained from the
project's upstream Git repository ⟨https://github.com/git/git.git⟩ on
2017-07-05. If you discover any rendering problems in this HTML ver‐
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Git 2.13.0.rc0.45.ge 04/24/2017 GIT-UPDATE-INDEX(1)
Pages that refer to this page: git(1), git-add(1), git-config(1), git-filter-branch(1), git-ls-files(1), git-read-tree(1)