6 git-format-patch - Prepare patches for e-mail submission
12 'git format-patch' [-k] [(-o|--output-directory) <dir> | --stdout]
13 [--no-thread | --thread[=<style>]]
14 [(--attach|--inline)[=<boundary>] | --no-attach]
16 [--signature=<signature> | --no-signature]
17 [-n | --numbered | -N | --no-numbered]
18 [--start-number <n>] [--numbered-files]
19 [--in-reply-to=Message-Id] [--suffix=.<sfx>]
20 [--ignore-if-in-upstream]
21 [--subject-prefix=Subject-Prefix]
22 [--to=<email>] [--cc=<email>]
24 [<common diff options>]
25 [ <since> | <revision range> ]
30 Prepare each commit with its patch in
31 one file per commit, formatted to resemble UNIX mailbox format.
32 The output of this command is convenient for e-mail submission or
33 for use with 'git am'.
35 There are two ways to specify which commits to operate on.
37 1. A single commit, <since>, specifies that the commits leading
38 to the tip of the current branch that are not in the history
39 that leads to the <since> to be output.
41 2. Generic <revision range> expression (see "SPECIFYING
42 REVISIONS" section in linkgit:gitrevisions[7]) means the
43 commits in the specified range.
45 The first rule takes precedence in the case of a single <commit>. To
46 apply the second rule, i.e., format everything since the beginning of
47 history up until <commit>, use the '\--root' option: `git format-patch
48 \--root <commit>`. If you want to format only <commit> itself, you
49 can do this with `git format-patch -1 <commit>`.
51 By default, each output file is numbered sequentially from 1, and uses the
52 first line of the commit message (massaged for pathname safety) as
53 the filename. With the `--numbered-files` option, the output file names
54 will only be numbers, without the first line of the commit appended.
55 The names of the output files are printed to standard
56 output, unless the `--stdout` option is specified.
58 If `-o` is specified, output files are created in <dir>. Otherwise
59 they are created in the current working directory.
61 By default, the subject of a single patch is "[PATCH] First Line" and
62 the subject when multiple patches are output is "[PATCH n/m] First
63 Line". To force 1/1 to be added for a single patch, use `-n`. To omit
64 patch numbers from the subject, use `-N`.
66 If given `--thread`, `git-format-patch` will generate `In-Reply-To` and
67 `References` headers to make the second and subsequent patch mails appear
68 as replies to the first mail; this also generates a `Message-Id` header to
74 include::diff-options.txt[]
77 Prepare patches from the topmost <n> commits.
80 --output-directory <dir>::
81 Use <dir> to store the resulting files, instead of the
82 current working directory.
86 Name output in '[PATCH n/m]' format, even with a single patch.
90 Name output in '[PATCH]' format.
93 Start numbering the patches at <n> instead of 1.
96 Output file names will be a simple number sequence
97 without the default first line of the commit appended.
101 Do not strip/add '[PATCH]' from the first line of the
106 Add `Signed-off-by:` line to the commit message, using
107 the committer identity of yourself.
110 Print all commits to the standard output in mbox format,
111 instead of creating a file for each one.
113 --attach[=<boundary>]::
114 Create multipart/mixed attachment, the first part of
115 which is the commit message and the patch itself in the
116 second part, with `Content-Disposition: attachment`.
119 Disable the creation of an attachment, overriding the
120 configuration setting.
122 --inline[=<boundary>]::
123 Create multipart/mixed attachment, the first part of
124 which is the commit message and the patch itself in the
125 second part, with `Content-Disposition: inline`.
129 Controls addition of `In-Reply-To` and `References` headers to
130 make the second and subsequent mails appear as replies to the
131 first. Also controls generation of the `Message-Id` header to
134 The optional <style> argument can be either `shallow` or `deep`.
135 'shallow' threading makes every mail a reply to the head of the
136 series, where the head is chosen from the cover letter, the
137 `\--in-reply-to`, and the first patch mail, in this order. 'deep'
138 threading makes every mail a reply to the previous one.
140 The default is `--no-thread`, unless the 'format.thread' configuration
141 is set. If `--thread` is specified without a style, it defaults to the
142 style specified by 'format.thread' if any, or else `shallow`.
144 Beware that the default for 'git send-email' is to thread emails
145 itself. If you want `git format-patch` to take care of threading, you
146 will want to ensure that threading is disabled for `git send-email`.
148 --in-reply-to=Message-Id::
149 Make the first mail (or all the mails with `--no-thread`) appear as a
150 reply to the given Message-Id, which avoids breaking threads to
151 provide a new patch series.
153 --ignore-if-in-upstream::
154 Do not include a patch that matches a commit in
155 <until>..<since>. This will examine all patches reachable
156 from <since> but not from <until> and compare them with the
157 patches being generated, and any patch that matches is
160 --subject-prefix=<Subject-Prefix>::
161 Instead of the standard '[PATCH]' prefix in the subject
162 line, instead use '[<Subject-Prefix>]'. This
163 allows for useful naming of a patch series, and can be
164 combined with the `--numbered` option.
167 Add a `To:` header to the email headers. This is in addition
168 to any configured headers, and may be used multiple times.
171 Add a `Cc:` header to the email headers. This is in addition
172 to any configured headers, and may be used multiple times.
174 --add-header=<header>::
175 Add an arbitrary header to the email headers. This is in addition
176 to any configured headers, and may be used multiple times.
177 For example, `--add-header="Organization: git-foo"`
180 In addition to the patches, generate a cover letter file
181 containing the shortlog and the overall diffstat. You can
182 fill in a description in the file before sending it out.
184 --[no]-signature=<signature>::
185 Add a signature to each message produced. Per RFC 3676 the signature
186 is separated from the body by a line with '-- ' on it. If the
187 signature option is omitted the signature defaults to the git version
191 Instead of using `.patch` as the suffix for generated
192 filenames, use specified suffix. A common alternative is
193 `--suffix=.txt`. Leaving this empty will remove the `.patch`
196 Note that the leading character does not have to be a dot; for example,
197 you can use `--suffix=-patch` to get `0001-description-of-my-change-patch`.
200 Do not output contents of changes in binary files, instead
201 display a notice that those files changed. Patches generated
202 using this option cannot be applied properly, but they are
203 still useful for code review.
206 Treat the revision argument as a <revision range>, even if it
207 is just a single commit (that would normally be treated as a
208 <since>). Note that root commits included in the specified
209 range are always formatted as creation patches, independently
214 You can specify extra mail header lines to be added to each message,
215 defaults for the subject prefix and file suffix, number patches when
216 outputting more than one patch, add "To" or "Cc:" headers, configure
217 attachments, and sign off patches with configuration variables.
221 headers = "Organization: git-foo\n"
222 subjectprefix = CHANGE
227 attach [ = mime-boundary-string ]
235 * Extract commits between revisions R1 and R2, and apply them on top of
236 the current branch using 'git am' to cherry-pick them:
239 $ git format-patch -k --stdout R1..R2 | git am -3 -k
242 * Extract all commits which are in the current branch but not in the
246 $ git format-patch origin
249 For each commit a separate file is created in the current directory.
251 * Extract all commits that lead to 'origin' since the inception of the
255 $ git format-patch --root origin
258 * The same as the previous one:
261 $ git format-patch -M -B origin
264 Additionally, it detects and handles renames and complete rewrites
265 intelligently to produce a renaming patch. A renaming patch reduces
266 the amount of text output, and generally makes it easier to review.
267 Note that non-git "patch" programs won't understand renaming patches, so
268 use it only when you know the recipient uses git to apply your patch.
270 * Extract three topmost commits from the current branch and format them
271 as e-mailable patches:
274 $ git format-patch -3
279 linkgit:git-am[1], linkgit:git-send-email[1]
284 Written by Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
288 Documentation by Junio C Hamano and the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
292 Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite
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