6 git-replace - Create, list, delete refs to replace objects
11 'git replace' [-f] <object> <replacement>
12 'git replace' -d <object>...
13 'git replace' -l [<pattern>]
17 Adds a 'replace' reference in `refs/replace/` namespace.
19 The name of the 'replace' reference is the SHA-1 of the object that is
20 replaced. The content of the 'replace' reference is the SHA-1 of the
23 The replaced object and the replacement object must be of the same type.
24 This restriction can be bypassed using `-f`.
26 Unless `-f` is given, the 'replace' reference must not yet exist.
28 There is no other restriction on the replaced and replacement objects.
30 Replacement references will be used by default by all Git commands
31 except those doing reachability traversal (prune, pack transfer and
34 It is possible to disable use of replacement references for any
35 command using the `--no-replace-objects` option just after 'git'.
37 For example if commit 'foo' has been replaced by commit 'bar':
39 ------------------------------------------------
40 $ git --no-replace-objects cat-file commit foo
41 ------------------------------------------------
43 shows information about commit 'foo', while:
45 ------------------------------------------------
46 $ git cat-file commit foo
47 ------------------------------------------------
49 shows information about commit 'bar'.
51 The 'GIT_NO_REPLACE_OBJECTS' environment variable can be set to
52 achieve the same effect as the `--no-replace-objects` option.
57 If an existing replace ref for the same object exists, it will
58 be overwritten (instead of failing).
61 Delete existing replace refs for the given objects.
64 List replace refs for objects that match the given pattern (or
65 all if no pattern is given).
66 Typing "git replace" without arguments, also lists all replace
69 CREATING REPLACEMENT OBJECTS
70 ----------------------------
72 linkgit:git-filter-branch[1], linkgit:git-hash-object[1] and
73 linkgit:git-rebase[1], among other git commands, can be used to create
74 replacement objects from existing objects.
76 If you want to replace many blobs, trees or commits that are part of a
77 string of commits, you may just want to create a replacement string of
78 commits and then only replace the commit at the tip of the target
79 string of commits with the commit at the tip of the replacement string
84 Comparing blobs or trees that have been replaced with those that
85 replace them will not work properly. And using `git reset --hard` to
86 go back to a replaced commit will move the branch to the replacement
87 commit instead of the replaced commit.
89 There may be other problems when using 'git rev-list' related to
94 linkgit:git-hash-object[1]
95 linkgit:git-filter-branch[1]
103 Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite