git-update-index
Manage files in the Git index
TLDR
Pretend that a modified file is unchanged (git status will not show this as changed)
SYNOPSIS
git update-index [-q] [--unmerged] [--ignore-missing] [--chmod
PARAMETERS
-q
Be quiet.
--unmerged
Show unmerged index entries.
--ignore-missing
Ignore missing files instead of erroring.
--chmod
Change the executable bits of the index entries.
--[no-]assume-unchanged
Mark/unmark files as assumed unchanged. This can speed up status operations if you are certain files are not being modified.
--[no-]skip-worktree
Mark/unmark files as skip-worktree. Useful for excluding files from certain operations (e.g., checkout) without removing them from the repository.
--[no-]fsmonitor-valid
Marks the fsmonitor as valid or invalid for the given paths.
--[no-]cacheinfo [
Add, update or delete a file directly from the object database, bypassing the working directory.
--add
Add the specified file(s) to the index.
--remove
Remove the specified file(s) from the index.
--replace
Replace the specified file(s) in the index.
--refresh
Refresh the index by checking the working directory. Useful after external modifications.
-g
Perform a garbage collection of unreachables.
-z
Use NUL as separator for index-info input.
--index-info
Read index information from standard input.
--force-remove
Remove even if the file is not in the index.
--really-refresh
Like --refresh, but do not only check at the end.
--unresolve
Resets files to their state prior to a merge.
--split-index
Enable split index mode.
--no-split-index
Disable split index mode.
--[no-]resolve-undo
Record / restore information about unmerged file to resolve-undo data.
--test-resolve-undo
Test whether resolve-undo data is usable.
--verbose
Be verbose.
[
The file(s) to operate on.
DESCRIPTION
The git update-index command is a powerful tool for managing the Git index (staging area). It allows you to add, modify, or remove entries from the index, affecting how Git views your working directory changes. It is primarily used to control what gets included in the next commit. Common use cases include:
- Adding new files to be tracked.
- Marking files as assumed-unchanged to speed up status checks.
- Ignoring changes to specific files in the working tree.
The index is a crucial component of Git's architecture, acting as a staging area where changes are prepared before being committed to the repository's history. Understanding and utilizing git update-index effectively is essential for precise control over the commit process.
CAVEATS
Using --assume-unchanged can be risky, as Git will not detect changes made to these files. Be cautious and regularly check the status of your repository.
ASSUME-UNCHANGED VS. SKIP-WORKTREE
Both --assume-unchanged and --skip-worktree can be used to ignore changes in the working directory. The key difference is that --assume-unchanged is a local optimization, and Git may still check the file if it suspects a change. --skip-worktree, on the other hand, is intended for files that should never be touched by Git in the working directory. This makes --skip-worktree the better choice for configuration files that are customized on each machine but should not be tracked in the repository.
INDEX MANIPULATION
The index is a binary file located in the .git/index directory. Directly manipulating the index file is strongly discouraged. Always use git update-index or other Git commands to modify the index.
SEE ALSO
git-add(1), git-rm(1), git-status(1), git-commit(1)
