Git repository within Git repository [duplicate]

Answer 1

You'll want to read about Git submodules.

Answer 2

Use git subtree in git version 1.7.11 and above. git subtree is superior to git submodule because:

• Management of a simple workflow is easy. Older versions of git are supported (even before v1.5.2)
• The sub-project’s code is available right after the clone of the super project is done
• git subtree does not require users of your repository to learn anything new, they can ignore the fact that you are using subtree to manage dependencies
• git subtree does not add new metadata files like git submodule does (such as .gitmodule)
• Contents of the subtree can be modified without having a separate repository copy of the dependency somewhere else

Additionally, if you need to detach a subtree of your existing repository into a new repository, git subtree split can help you with that.

UPDATE February 2020: Nowadays I like subrepo even more.

Answer 3

You can nest two git repo's without using submodules. Suppose ChildRepo is a subdirectory of ParentRepo, and both are git repositories.

+ ParentRepo
  - ChildRepo

If you add a file to ChildRepo, ParentRepo will ignore it. When you commit it it will be added to ChildRepo. It is not possible to add files within ChildRepo to ParentRepo.

More info: Nested GIT repo gotchas!