What is the .git folder?

Question

What is the folder called .git?

It\'s created in a repository. What is contained within it and why is created?

Answer 1

.git is initialized by git init.

.git contains all information required for version control. If you want to clone your repo, copy .git is enough.

4 sub-directories:

• hooks/ : example scripts
• info/ : exclude file for ignored patterns
• objects/ : all "objects"
• refs/ : pointers to commit objects

4 files:

• HEAD : current branch
• config : configuration options
• description
• index : staging area

Here "object" includes:

• blobs(files)
• trees(directories)
• commits(reference to a tree, parent commit, etc)