How to convert a normal Git repository to a bare one?

Question

How can I convert a \'normal\' Git repository to a bare one?

The main difference seems to be:

• in the normal Git repository, you have a .git

Answer 1

Here's what I think is safest and simplest. There is nothing here not stated above. I just want to see an answer that shows a safe step-by-step procedure. You start one folder up from the repository (repo) you want to make bare. I've adopted the convention implied above that bare repository folders have a .git extension.

(1) Backup, just in case.
    (a) > mkdir backup
    (b) > cd backup
    (c) > git clone ../repo
(2) Make it bare, then move it
    (a) > cd ../repo
    (b) > git config --bool core.bare true
    (c) > mv .git ../repo.git
(3) Confirm the bare repository works (optional, since we have a backup)
    (a) > cd ..
    (b) > mkdir test
    (c) > cd test
    (d) > git clone ../repo.git
(4) Clean up
    (a) > rm -Rf repo
    (b) (optional) > rm -Rf backup/repo
    (c) (optional) > rm -Rf test/repo

Answer 2

In case you have a repository with few local checkedout branches /refs/heads/* and few remote branch branches remotes/origin/* AND if you want to convert this into a BARE repository with all branches in /refs/heads/*

you can do the following to save the history.

1. create a bare repository
2. cd into the local repository which has local checkedout branches and remote branches
3. git push /path/to/bare/repo +refs/remotes/origin/:refs/heads/

Answer 3

I think the following link would be helpful

GitFaq: How do I make existing non-bare repository bare?

$ mv repo/.git repo.git
$ git --git-dir=repo.git config core.bare true
$ rm -rf repo

Answer 4

Simply read

Pro Git Book: 4.2 Git on the Server - Getting Git on a Server

which boild down to

$ git clone --bare my_project my_project.git
Cloning into bare repository 'my_project.git'...
done.

Then put my_project.git to the server

Which mainly is, what answer #42 tried to point out. Shurely one could reinvent the wheel ;-)

Answer 5

Wow, it's simply amazing how many people chimed in on this, especially considering it doesn't seem that not a single on stopped to ask why this person is doing what he's doing.

The ONLY difference between a bare and non-bare git repository is that the non-bare version has a working copy. The main reason you would need a bare repo is if you wanted to make it available to a third party, you can't actually work on it directly so at some point you're going to have to clone it at which point you're right back to a regular working copy version.

That being said, to convert to a bare repo all you have to do is make sure you have no commits pending and then just :

rm -R * && mv .git/* . && rm -R .git

There ya go, bare repo.