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git_without_a_central_repository [2012/02/07 15:42]
Joel Dare [Git without a Central Repository]
git_without_a_central_repository [2020/06/01 22:53] (current)
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 +====== Git without a Central Repository ======
  
 +In my mind, the way git is supposed to work is that two people have git repositories and they pull and push code to each other. ​ In the organization where I work, we also need to push code to live web servers. ​ I imagine those servers as if they are just other git users.
 +
 +There is a tenancy to want to use a complex central repository system such as gitosis or github. ​ These systems are good for a central backup but they also make the process more complex and aren't strictly necessary. ​ Instead, you could just create the git repository on the server, ​ initialize it, and then create a branch.
 +
 +Two git users can push and pull data to each other, with one minor gotcha. ​ You cannot push data to a remote repository that already has the same branch checked out.
 +
 +One simple solution is to create two branches on the web server. ​ The master branch and a live branch. ​ Then, checkout the live branch on the production server. ​ With that done, all other git users are free to clone, pull, and push to the master branch or to any other branch besides the live branch.
 +
 +Finally, one last step is necessary. ​ On the server you'll want to setup a cron job or a hook that merges the master into the live branch. ​ Merging from master to live is one simple command that you run from inside the directory where your git repository is setup.
 +
 +  git merge master
 +
 +If I were to set this up in a cron job, here's what my cron job might look like.
 +
 +<​code>​
 +* * * * * cd /​project/​directory/;​ git merge master
 +</​code>​
 +
 +You can also setup hooks in git and doing so is probably better than running this in a cron.  On the flip side, doing a merge from two local branches is probably not that expensive either.
 +
 +====== Creating a Repository on the Server ======
 +
 +Here's the process for creating a new repo on the server that will ultimately host the files. ​ This is a standard git repo setup.
 +
 +<​code>​
 +cd /​project/​directory/​
 +git init
 +git add somefile.ext
 +git commit -m '​Initial commit.'​
 +</​code>​
 +
 +Now we have our master git repository we also need to create a live branch and switch to it.
 +
 +<​code>​
 +git branch live
 +git checkout live
 +</​code>​
 +
 +====== Checking Out from a Workstation ======
 +
 +Now, back on my workstation,​ I'm ready to checkout the master copy from the server. ​ This is just a standard //git clone//.
 +
 +  git clone ssh://​user@example.com/​project/​directory/​
 +  ​
 +If you get any permissions errors, make sure that you have read and write permissions on all the files in the repository including the .git directory and the files it contains.
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git_without_a_central_repository.txt · Last modified: 2020/06/01 22:53 (external edit)