'\" t
.\"     Title: git-multi-pack-index
.\"    Author: [FIXME: author] [see http://www.docbook.org/tdg5/en/html/author]
.\" Generator: DocBook XSL Stylesheets v1.79.2 <http://docbook.sf.net/>
.\"      Date: 2025-07-21
.\"    Manual: Git Manual
.\"    Source: Git 2.50.1.369.g3f2a94875d
.\"  Language: English
.\"
.TH "GIT\-MULTI\-PACK\-INDEX" "1" "2025-07-21" "Git 2\&.50\&.1\&.369\&.g3f2a94" "Git Manual"
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.SH "NAME"
git-multi-pack-index \- Write and verify multi\-pack\-indexes
.SH "SYNOPSIS"
.sp
.nf
\fIgit multi\-pack\-index\fR [\-\-object\-dir=<dir>] [\-\-[no\-]bitmap] <sub\-command>
.fi
.SH "DESCRIPTION"
.sp
Write or verify a multi\-pack\-index (MIDX) file\&.
.SH "OPTIONS"
.PP
\-\-object\-dir=<dir>
.RS 4
Use given directory for the location of Git objects\&. We check
\fI<dir>\fR\fB/packs/multi\-pack\-index\fR
for the current MIDX file, and
\fI<dir>\fR\fB/packs\fR
for the pack\-files to index\&.
.sp
\fI<dir>\fR
must be an alternate of the current repository\&.
.RE
.PP
\-\-[no\-]progress
.RS 4
Turn progress on/off explicitly\&. If neither is specified, progress is shown if standard error is connected to a terminal\&. Supported by sub\-commands
\fBwrite\fR,
\fBverify\fR,
\fBexpire\fR, and `repack\&.
.RE
.sp
The following subcommands are available:
.PP
write
.RS 4
Write a new MIDX file\&. The following options are available for the
\fBwrite\fR
sub\-command:
.PP
\-\-preferred\-pack=<pack>
.RS 4
When specified, break ties in favor of this pack when there are additional copies of its objects in other packs\&. Ties for objects not found in the preferred pack are always resolved in favor of the copy in the pack with the highest mtime\&. If unspecified, the pack with the lowest mtime is used by default\&. The preferred pack must have at least one object\&.
.RE
.PP
\-\-[no\-]bitmap
.RS 4
Control whether or not a multi\-pack bitmap is written\&.
.RE
.PP
\-\-stdin\-packs
.RS 4
Write a multi\-pack index containing only the set of line\-delimited pack index basenames provided over stdin\&.
.RE
.PP
\-\-refs\-snapshot=<path>
.RS 4
With
\fB\-\-bitmap\fR, optionally specify a file which contains a "refs snapshot" taken prior to repacking\&.
.sp
A reference snapshot is composed of line\-delimited OIDs corresponding to the reference tips, usually taken by
\fBgit\fR
\fBrepack\fR
prior to generating a new pack\&. A line may optionally start with a
\fB+\fR
character to indicate that the reference which corresponds to that OID is "preferred" (see
\fBgit-config\fR(1)\*(Aqs
\fBpack\&.preferBitmapTips\fR\&.)
.sp
The file given at
\fI<path>\fR
is expected to be readable, and can contain duplicates\&. (If a given OID is given more than once, it is marked as preferred if at least one instance of it begins with the special
\fB+\fR
marker)\&.
.RE
.PP
\-\-incremental
.RS 4
Write an incremental MIDX file containing only objects and packs not present in an existing MIDX layer\&. Migrates non\-incremental MIDXs to incremental ones when necessary\&. Incompatible with
\fB\-\-bitmap\fR\&.
.RE
.RE
.PP
verify
.RS 4
Verify the contents of the MIDX file\&.
.RE
.PP
expire
.RS 4
Delete the pack\-files that are tracked by the MIDX file, but have no objects referenced by the MIDX (with the exception of \&.\fBkeep\fR
packs and cruft packs)\&. Rewrite the MIDX file afterward to remove all references to these pack\-files\&.
.if n \{\
.sp
.\}
.RS 4
.it 1 an-trap
.nr an-no-space-flag 1
.nr an-break-flag 1
.br
.ps +1
\fBNote\fR
.ps -1
.br
this mode is incompatible with incremental MIDX files\&.
.sp .5v
.RE
.RE
.PP
repack
.RS 4
Create a new pack\-file containing objects in small pack\-files referenced by the multi\-pack\-index\&. If the size given by the
\fB\-\-batch\-size=\fR\fI<size>\fR
argument is zero, then create a pack containing all objects referenced by the multi\-pack\-index\&. For a non\-zero batch size, Select the pack\-files by examining packs from oldest\-to\-newest, computing the "expected size" by counting the number of objects in the pack referenced by the multi\-pack\-index, then divide by the total number of objects in the pack and multiply by the pack size\&. We select packs with expected size below the batch size until the set of packs have total expected size at least the batch size, or all pack\-files are considered\&. If only one pack\-file is selected, then do nothing\&. If a new pack\-file is created, rewrite the multi\-pack\-index to reference the new pack\-file\&. A later run of
\fIgit multi\-pack\-index expire\fR
will delete the pack\-files that were part of this batch\&.
.sp
If
\fBrepack\&.packKeptObjects\fR
is
\fBfalse\fR, then any pack\-files with an associated \&.\fBkeep\fR
file will not be selected for the batch to repack\&.
.if n \{\
.sp
.\}
.RS 4
.it 1 an-trap
.nr an-no-space-flag 1
.nr an-break-flag 1
.br
.ps +1
\fBNote\fR
.ps -1
.br
this mode is incompatible with incremental MIDX files\&.
.sp .5v
.RE
.RE
.SH "EXAMPLES"
.sp
.RS 4
.ie n \{\
\h'-04'\(bu\h'+03'\c
.\}
.el \{\
.sp -1
.IP \(bu 2.3
.\}
Write a MIDX file for the packfiles in the current \&.\fBgit\fR
directory\&.
.sp
.if n \{\
.RS 4
.\}
.nf
$ git multi\-pack\-index write
.fi
.if n \{\
.RE
.\}
.RE
.sp
.RS 4
.ie n \{\
\h'-04'\(bu\h'+03'\c
.\}
.el \{\
.sp -1
.IP \(bu 2.3
.\}
Write a MIDX file for the packfiles in the current \&.\fBgit\fR
directory with a corresponding bitmap\&.
.sp
.if n \{\
.RS 4
.\}
.nf
$ git multi\-pack\-index write \-\-preferred\-pack=<pack> \-\-bitmap
.fi
.if n \{\
.RE
.\}
.RE
.sp
.RS 4
.ie n \{\
\h'-04'\(bu\h'+03'\c
.\}
.el \{\
.sp -1
.IP \(bu 2.3
.\}
Write a MIDX file for the packfiles in an alternate object store\&.
.sp
.if n \{\
.RS 4
.\}
.nf
$ git multi\-pack\-index \-\-object\-dir <alt> write
.fi
.if n \{\
.RE
.\}
.RE
.sp
.RS 4
.ie n \{\
\h'-04'\(bu\h'+03'\c
.\}
.el \{\
.sp -1
.IP \(bu 2.3
.\}
Verify the MIDX file for the packfiles in the current \&.\fBgit\fR
directory\&.
.sp
.if n \{\
.RS 4
.\}
.nf
$ git multi\-pack\-index verify
.fi
.if n \{\
.RE
.\}
.RE
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.sp
See \m[blue]\fBThe Multi\-Pack\-Index Design Document\fR\m[]\&\s-2\u[1]\d\s+2 and \fBgitformat-pack\fR(5) for more information on the multi\-pack\-index feature and its file format\&.
.SH "GIT"
.sp
Part of the \fBgit\fR(1) suite
.SH "NOTES"
.IP " 1." 4
The Multi-Pack-Index Design Document
.RS 4
\%git-htmldocs/technical/multi-pack-index.html
.RE