grit init [--bare] [--ref-format <files|reftable>] [<path>]
Description
Creates an empty Git repository at <path>, or in the current directory when no path is given. The directory is created if it doesn't exist. A normal repository keeps its data in a .git directory next to your files. A bare repository has no working tree; the repository data is the directory itself, which is what you want for a repository that other people push to.
The first branch is main. It has no commits until you make one.
Use --ref-format reftable to initialize with Git's reftable ref backend (requires a reftable-capable Git for interoperability). The default is files (loose refs under refs/).
Options
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
<path> |
Where to create the repository. Defaults to the current directory. |
--bare |
Create a bare repository, with no working tree. |
--ref-format |
Ref storage backend: files (default) or reftable. |
JSON output
Pass --json for stable, scripting-friendly output:
| Field | Type | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
initialized |
boolean | true when a new repository was created. |
reinitialized |
boolean | true when an existing repository was reinitialized in place (omitted when false). |
path |
string | Repository directory (the .git directory for a normal repository). |
bare |
boolean | Whether the repository is bare. |
branch |
string | Initial branch name. |
ref_format |
string | Ref storage backend (files or reftable). |