git-pack-refs(1) — Linux manual page

NAME \| SYNOPSIS \| DESCRIPTION \| OPTIONS \| BUGS \| GIT \| COLOPHON

GIT-PACK-REFS(1)                Git Manual               GIT-PACK-REFS(1)

NAME top

       git-pack-refs - Pack heads and tags for efficient repository
       access

SYNOPSIS top

       git pack-refs [--all] [--no-prune] [--auto] [--include <pattern>] [--exclude <pattern>]

DESCRIPTION top

       Traditionally, tips of branches and tags (collectively known as
       refs) were stored one file per ref in a (sub)directory under
       $GIT_DIR/refs directory. While many branch tips tend to be updated
       often, most tags and some branch tips are never updated. When a
       repository has hundreds or thousands of tags, this
       one-file-per-ref format both wastes storage and hurts performance.

       This command is used to solve the storage and performance problem
       by storing the refs in a single file, $GIT_DIR/packed-refs. When a
       ref is missing from the traditional $GIT_DIR/refs directory
       hierarchy, it is looked up in this file and used if found.

       Subsequent updates to branches always create new files under
       $GIT_DIR/refs directory hierarchy.

       A recommended practice to deal with a repository with too many
       refs is to pack its refs with --all once, and occasionally run git
       pack-refs. Tags are by definition stationary and are not expected
       to change. Branch heads will be packed with the initial pack-refs
       --all, but only the currently active branch heads will become
       unpacked, and the next pack-refs (without --all) will leave them
       unpacked.

OPTIONS top

       --all
           The command by default packs all tags and refs that are
           already packed, and leaves other refs alone. This is because
           branches are expected to be actively developed and packing
           their tips does not help performance. This option causes all
           refs to be packed as well, with the exception of hidden refs,
           broken refs, and symbolic refs. Useful for a repository with
           many branches of historical interests.

       --no-prune
           The command usually removes loose refs under $GIT_DIR/refs
           hierarchy after packing them. This option tells it not to.

       --auto
           Pack refs as needed depending on the current state of the ref
           database. The behavior depends on the ref format used by the
           repository and may change in the future.

           •   "files": Loose references are packed into the packed-refs
               file based on the ratio of loose references to the size of
               the packed-refs file. The bigger the packed-refs file, the
               more loose references need to exist before we repack.

           •   "reftable": Tables are compacted such that they form a
               geometric sequence. For two tables N and N+1, where N+1 is
               newer, this maintains the property that N is at least
               twice as big as N+1. Only tables that violate this
               property are compacted.

       --include <pattern>
           Pack refs based on a glob(7) pattern. Repetitions of this
           option accumulate inclusion patterns. If a ref is both
           included in --include and --exclude, --exclude takes
           precedence. Using --include will preclude all tags from being
           included by default. Symbolic refs and broken refs will never
           be packed. When used with --all, it will be a noop. Use
           --no-include to clear and reset the list of patterns.

       --exclude <pattern>
           Do not pack refs matching the given glob(7) pattern.
           Repetitions of this option accumulate exclusion patterns. Use
           --no-exclude to clear and reset the list of patterns. If a ref
           is already packed, including it with --exclude will not unpack
           it.

           When used with --all, pack only loose refs which do not match
           any of the provided --exclude patterns.

           When used with --include, refs provided to --include, minus
           refs that are provided to --exclude will be packed.

BUGS top

       Older documentation written before the packed-refs mechanism was
       introduced may still say things like ".git/refs/heads/<branch>
       file exists" when it means "branch <branch> exists".

GIT top

       Part of the git(1) suite

COLOPHON top

       This page is part of the git (Git distributed version control
       system) project.  Information about the project can be found at 
       ⟨http://git-scm.com/⟩.  If you have a bug report for this manual
       page, see ⟨http://git-scm.com/community⟩.  This page was obtained
       from the project's upstream Git repository
       ⟨https://github.com/git/git.git⟩ on 2025-08-11.  (At that time,
       the date of the most recent commit that was found in the
       repository was 2025-08-07.)  If you discover any rendering
       problems in this HTML version of the page, or you believe there is
       a better or more up-to-date source for the page, or you have
       corrections or improvements to the information in this COLOPHON
       (which is not part of the original manual page), send a mail to
       man-pages@man7.org

Git 2.51.0.rc1                  2025-08-07               GIT-PACK-REFS(1)

Pages that refer to this page: git(1), git-maintenance(1), gitrepository-layout(5), gitglossary(7)