git-root

Print the absolute path of the current Git repository

$ git root

$ git root [[-r|--relative]]

git root
or
git-root

git-root is a utility command commonly found in community-driven Git extensions like git-extras, or implemented as a custom script. Its primary function is to locate and print the absolute path of the top-level directory of the current Git repository. It serves as a convenient shorthand, often encapsulating the functionality of core Git commands like git rev-parse --show-toplevel. When executed within any subdirectory of a Git repository, it will output the path to the repository's root, making it useful for scripting and navigation. If not within a Git repository, it typically exits with an error. While not part of Git's core distribution, its simplicity and utility have made it a popular addition for many Git users seeking quick access to the repository's base directory.

• git-root is not a standard, built-in Git command. Its availability depends on whether it's installed via a third-party package (like git-extras) or a custom script.
• The behavior and exact implementation of git-root can vary if it's a custom script.
• It requires being executed within a Git repository. If not, it will typically fail and exit with a non-zero status code.
• For cross-platform compatibility and official Git behavior, git rev-parse --show-toplevel is the recommended alternative.

The official and most robust way to find the Git repository root using core Git is git rev-parse --show-toplevel. This command is always available with a standard Git installation and offers more advanced parsing options if needed. git-root is often merely a convenient wrapper around this.

Imagine your current directory is /home/user/myproject/src/components, and /home/user/myproject is the root of your Git repository.
Running git root from /home/user/myproject/src/components would output:
/home/user/myproject

The concept behind git-root likely arose from the frequent need to quickly identify the top-level directory of a Git repository, particularly in shell scripts or when manually navigating complex project structures. While git rev-parse --show-toplevel provided this functionality within core Git, the desire for a simpler, dedicated command led to the creation of wrapper scripts. git-root gained popularity as part of community-driven collections like git-extras, which bundles many useful, non-core Git commands. Its development reflects a common pattern in command-line tools: abstracting complex or verbose commands into simpler, more memorable aliases for user convenience and scripting efficiency.

git-rev-parse(1), pwd(1), cd(1)