The “git commit-tree” command is a low-level Git command used to create commit objects directly without using the Git index or working tree. It allows you to construct and populate a commit object manually, specifying the tree, parent commits, author, committer, and commit message.
When you run the “git commit-tree” command, you provide the commit information as command-line parameters or through standard input. Here’s a breakdown of the parameters you can use:
- -p [parent]: Specifies the parent commit(s) of the new commit. You can provide multiple parents by using multiple -p options.
- -m [message]: Specifies the commit message for the new commit. The message can be provided as a command-line parameter or through standard input.
- [tree]: Specifies the tree object that represents the snapshot of the project’s contents at the time of the commit. The tree object can be obtained using the “git write-tree” command.
- [author]: Specifies the author of the commit in the format . The timestamp should be in the YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS format.
- [committer]: Specifies the committer of the commit, similar to the author format.
The “git commit-tree” command outputs the SHA-1 hash of the newly created commit object. This hash can be used to reference the commit in other Git operations.
The “git commit-tree” command is rarely used directly by regular Git users. It is more commonly used by scripts or other Git tools that need to programmatically create commits. It provides a way to construct custom commit objects outside the usual Git workflow.
It’s important to note that creating commits directly using “git commit-tree” bypasses the usual Git mechanisms for managing changes, such as the index and working tree. This command is typically used in specialized scenarios where manual commit construction is required.
If you’re looking to create regular commits within your Git workflow, it’s recommended to use higher-level Git commands like “git commit” or “git merge” that automatically handle the necessary steps and provide a more user-friendly interface.
git commit-tree Command Examples
1. Create a commit object with the specified message:
# git commit-tree tree -m "message"
2. Create a commit object reading the message from a file (use – for stdin):
# git commit-tree tree -F /path/to/file
3. Create a GPG-signed commit object:
# git commit-tree tree -m "message" --gpg-sign
4. Create a commit object with the specified parent commit object:
# git commit-tree tree -m "message" -p parent_commit_sha