git-credential-cache.adoc

git-credential-cache(1)
=======================

NAME
----
git-credential-cache - Helper to temporarily store passwords in memory

SYNOPSIS
--------
-----------------------------
git config credential.helper 'cache [<options>]'
-----------------------------

DESCRIPTION
-----------

This command caches credentials for use by future Git programs.
The stored credentials are kept in memory of the cache-daemon
process (instead of being written to a file) and are forgotten after a
configurable timeout. Credentials are forgotten sooner if the
cache-daemon dies, for example if the system restarts. The cache
is accessible over a Unix domain socket, restricted to the current
user by filesystem permissions.

You probably don't want to invoke this command directly; it is meant to
be used as a credential helper by other parts of Git. See
linkgit:gitcredentials[7] or `EXAMPLES` below.

OPTIONS
-------

--timeout <seconds>::

	Number of seconds to cache credentials (default: 900).

--socket <path>::

	Use `<path>` to contact a running cache daemon (or start a new
	cache daemon if one is not started).
	Defaults to `$XDG_CACHE_HOME/git/credential/socket` unless
	`~/.git-credential-cache/` exists in which case
	`~/.git-credential-cache/socket` is used instead.
	If your home directory is on a network-mounted filesystem, you
	may need to change this to a local filesystem. You must specify
	an absolute path.

CONTROLLING THE DAEMON
----------------------

If you would like the daemon to exit early, forgetting all cached
credentials before their timeout, you can issue an `exit` action:

--------------------------------------
git credential-cache exit
--------------------------------------

EXAMPLES
--------

The point of this helper is to reduce the number of times you must type
your username or password. For example:

------------------------------------
$ git config credential.helper cache
$ git push http://example.com/repo.git
Username: <type your username>
Password: <type your password>

[work for 5 more minutes]
$ git push http://example.com/repo.git
[your credentials are used automatically]
------------------------------------

You can provide options via the credential.helper configuration
variable (this example increases the cache time to 1 hour):

-------------------------------------------------------
$ git config credential.helper 'cache --timeout=3600'
-------------------------------------------------------

PERSONAL ACCESS TOKENS
----------------------

Some remotes accept personal access tokens, which are randomly
generated and hard to memorise. They typically have a lifetime of weeks
or months.

git-credential-cache is inherently unsuitable for persistent storage of
personal access tokens. The credential will be forgotten after the cache
timeout. Even if you configure a long timeout, credentials will be
forgotten if the daemon dies.

To avoid frequently regenerating personal access tokens, configure a
credential helper with persistent storage. Alternatively, configure an
OAuth credential helper to generate credentials automatically. See
linkgit:gitcredentials[7], sections "Available helpers" and "OAuth".

GIT
---
Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite