git-remote-ext

git remote-ext

    The name of the remote.


    The URL of the remote repository.

The `git-remote-ext` command allows Git to interact with remote repositories through an external helper program. This offers flexibility in supporting various protocols or authentication mechanisms not natively supported by Git. The external program is responsible for handling the communication with the remote repository, including fetching, pushing, and listing references. `git-remote-ext` acts as a bridge, enabling Git to leverage custom or specialized protocols. This command simplifies integrating new remote repository types without modifying the core Git codebase. The communication happens via standard input and output between `git` and the helper program. Error handling is essential in the external helper, as errors in the program will be propagated back to the user. This functionality is valuable for environments where standard Git protocols are insufficient or require specialized handling.

It is useful for integrating with cloud storage solutions, proprietary version control systems, or custom authentication schemes. Proper configuration and a robust external helper program are crucial for reliable operation.

The external helper program must be executable and accessible in the system's PATH. Careful error handling is crucial in the helper program as errors are directly propagated to the user.

The external helper program needs to implement a specific interface, interacting with Git via standard input and output. The details of this interface are described in `git-remote-helpers(7)`.

After creating the helper executable, configure the remote using `git remote add ext::`. 'ext::' prefix is mandatory.
For example `git remote add myremote ext::http://example.com/repo.git`.

git remote add ext::
git fetch
This runs the helper program and git interacts with it based on the implementation to fetch the objects.

Introduced in Git to facilitate extending remote repository support via external programs.

git-remote(1), git-fetch(1), git-push(1), git-remote-helpers(7)