update-index

The git update-index command is used to manipulate the index (staging area) in Git. It allows you to manually update the index with information about the working tree, which can be useful for various advanced Git operations.

Detailed Explanation

Adding Files to the Index: You can add files to the index without using git add. This can be useful for scripting or advanced workflows.
Removing Files from the Index: You can remove files from the index without deleting them from the working directory.
Marking Files as Assumed Unchanged: You can mark files as "assume unchanged" to improve performance when working with large repositories.
Refreshing the Index: You can refresh the index to match the working directory, which can be useful after making changes outside of Git.

Examples

Adding a File to the Index:
git update-index --add path/to/file
This command adds path/to/file to the index.
Marking a File as Assumed Unchanged:
git update-index --assume-unchanged path/to/file
This command marks path/to/file as "assume unchanged," which tells Git to ignore changes to this file in the working directory.

These commands help you manage the index more precisely, allowing for advanced Git operations and optimizations.

Last modified: 29 November 2024