git-pack-refs(1) [linux man page]
GIT-PACK-REFS(1) Git Manual GIT-PACK-REFS(1) NAME
git-pack-refs - Pack heads and tags for efficient repository access SYNOPSIS
git pack-refs [--all] [--no-prune] DESCRIPTION
Traditionally, tips of branches and tags (collectively known as refs) were stored one file per ref in a (sub)directory under $GIT_DIR/refs directory. While many branch tips tend to be updated often, most tags and some branch tips are never updated. When a repository has hundreds or thousands of tags, this one-file-per-ref format both wastes storage and hurts performance. This command is used to solve the storage and performance problem by storing the refs in a single file, $GIT_DIR/packed-refs. When a ref is missing from the traditional $GIT_DIR/refs directory hierarchy, it is looked up in this file and used if found. Subsequent updates to branches always create new files under $GIT_DIR/refs directory hierarchy. A recommended practice to deal with a repository with too many refs is to pack its refs with --all once, and occasionally run git pack-refs. Tags are by definition stationary and are not expected to change. Branch heads will be packed with the initial pack-refs --all, but only the currently active branch heads will become unpacked, and the next pack-refs (without --all) will leave them unpacked. OPTIONS
--all The command by default packs all tags and refs that are already packed, and leaves other refs alone. This is because branches are expected to be actively developed and packing their tips does not help performance. This option causes branch tips to be packed as well. Useful for a repository with many branches of historical interests. --no-prune The command usually removes loose refs under $GIT_DIR/refs hierarchy after packing them. This option tells it not to. BUGS
Older documentation written before the packed-refs mechanism was introduced may still say things like ".git/refs/heads/<branch> file exists" when it means "branch <branch> exists". GIT
Part of the git(1) suite Git 1.8.5.3 01/14/2014 GIT-PACK-REFS(1)
Check Out this Related Man Page
GIT-LS-REMOTE(1) Git Manual GIT-LS-REMOTE(1) NAME
git-ls-remote - List references in a remote repository SYNOPSIS
git ls-remote [--heads] [--tags] [-u <exec> | --upload-pack <exec>] <repository> <refs>... DESCRIPTION
Displays references available in a remote repository along with the associated commit IDs. OPTIONS
-h, --heads, -t, --tags Limit to only refs/heads and refs/tags, respectively. These options are not mutually exclusive; when given both, references stored in refs/heads and refs/tags are displayed. -u <exec>, --upload-pack=<exec> Specify the full path of git-upload-pack on the remote host. This allows listing references from repositories accessed via SSH and where the SSH daemon does not use the PATH configured by the user. <repository> Location of the repository. The shorthand defined in $GIT_DIR/branches/ can be used. Use "." (dot) to list references in the local repository. <refs>... When unspecified, all references, after filtering done with --heads and --tags, are shown. When <refs>... are specified, only references matching the given patterns are displayed. EXAMPLES
$ git ls-remote --tags ./. d6602ec5194c87b0fc87103ca4d67251c76f233a refs/tags/v0.99 f25a265a342aed6041ab0cc484224d9ca54b6f41 refs/tags/v0.99.1 7ceca275d047c90c0c7d5afb13ab97efdf51bd6e refs/tags/v0.99.3 c5db5456ae3b0873fc659c19fafdde22313cc441 refs/tags/v0.99.2 0918385dbd9656cab0d1d81ba7453d49bbc16250 refs/tags/junio-gpg-pub $ git ls-remote http://www.kernel.org/pub/scm/git/git.git master pu rc 5fe978a5381f1fbad26a80e682ddd2a401966740 refs/heads/master c781a84b5204fb294c9ccc79f8b3baceeb32c061 refs/heads/pu b1d096f2926c4e37c9c0b6a7bf2119bedaa277cb refs/heads/rc $ echo http://www.kernel.org/pub/scm/git/git.git >.git/branches/public $ git ls-remote --tags public v* d6602ec5194c87b0fc87103ca4d67251c76f233a refs/tags/v0.99 f25a265a342aed6041ab0cc484224d9ca54b6f41 refs/tags/v0.99.1 c5db5456ae3b0873fc659c19fafdde22313cc441 refs/tags/v0.99.2 7ceca275d047c90c0c7d5afb13ab97efdf51bd6e refs/tags/v0.99.3 AUTHOR
Written by Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com[1]> GIT
Part of the git(1) suite NOTES
1. gitster@pobox.com mailto:gitster@pobox.com Git 1.7.1 07/05/2010 GIT-LS-REMOTE(1)