The “dolt init” command is a feature provided by Dolt, a version-controlled database system inspired by Git. The “dolt init” command allows you to create a new and empty Dolt data repository.
Here are some key aspects of the “dolt init” command:
- Repository creation: When you execute the “dolt init” command, it creates a new directory in your current location, which serves as the root directory for your Dolt repository. This directory will contain all the necessary files and metadata to manage your version-controlled database.
- Initializing a Dolt repository: The “dolt init” command initializes the newly created directory as a Dolt repository. This means that Dolt will start tracking changes made to the database tables and provide version control capabilities for managing those changes.
- Database structure: After initializing the Dolt repository, you can start creating and managing database tables within it. Dolt repositories can hold multiple tables, and each table represents a separate entity or data structure.
- Version control: Dolt implements version control principles, allowing you to track changes, create commits, and manage different versions of your database. The “dolt init” command sets up the repository’s structure to support version control operations.
- Collaboration: Once a Dolt repository is initialized, it can be easily shared and collaborated upon. Multiple users can clone the repository, make changes, and contribute them back by creating commits and pushing them to a shared remote repository.
The “dolt init” command is the first step to set up a Dolt repository for your database. It establishes the necessary infrastructure for version control, enabling you to track changes, manage different versions, and collaborate with others effectively.
Please note that the specifics of the “dolt init” command, such as available options or additional functionality, may vary depending on the version of Dolt you are using. For detailed and up-to-date information, it is recommended to refer to the official Dolt documentation or use the “–help” flag alongside the command to access the command-specific help information.
dolt init Command Examples
1. Initialize a new Dolt data repository in the current directory:
# dolt init
2. Initialize a new Dolt data repository creating a commit with the specified metadata:
# dolt init --name "name" --email "email" --date "2021-12-31T00:00:00" -b "branch_name"