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Git generates a file named description which contains the name of the repository as set by the user. It is located at .git/description. It has a default value as an unnamed repository and the developers should place the actual project name and description in this file. It is used by Git as a default way to know the name of the repository.
It is used by GitWeb and is not considered by GitHub or GitLab.
GitWeb is a web interface for git projects. It can be used to generate a web application with search feature, RSS feed and many others. It can be seen as a native alternative to external services like GitHub.
Default value of the file description:
Unnamed repository; edit this file 'description' to name the repository.
Example of description file:
opengenus test
This description file is used in several cases such as:
- It is the source of repository name for hooks (shell scripts of Git)
- hooks can be used to send email to contributions in case of a new commit and in the email, the repository name (from the description file) can be placed.
As it is not supported/ used by GitHub, you will find this find in this default value for all GitHub repositories like TensorFlow.
git clone https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow
cd tensorflow
cd .git
ls -a
Output (content list):
. branches description hooks info objects refs
.. config HEAD index logs packed-refs
Edit the description file:
vi description
Add "tensorflow" to the file and save it (ESC + :wq).
Try to commit the changes:
git status
Output:
On branch master
Your branch is up to date with 'origin/master'.
nothing to commit, working tree clean
We cannot even commit it with other changes.
Initial new repository
description file is created when a new git project is initialized. We will check by initializing a new git project.
Create a new folder named test and go within it:
mkdir test
cd test
Initiatize it as a git repository:
git init
Output:
Initialized empty Git repository in /home/opengenus/Desktop/test/.git/
Now, it is a git repository. Let us go into .git folder and list the contents:
cd .git
ls -a
Output:
. .. branches config description HEAD hooks info objects refs
As we see, description file is present. If we open it, following is the content:
Unnamed repository; edit this file 'description' to name the repository.
Conclusion
You can avoid using the description file if you are working with:
- GitHub
- GitLab
- Using git locally without using gitweb
The only use of description file is for:
- gitweb
- For developing custom hooks which will read repository name dynamically
