How to convert a normal Git repository to a bare o

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 folder inside the repository containing all relevant data and all other files build your working copy

• in a bare Git repository, there is no working copy and the folder (let's call it repo.git) contains the actual repository data

Answer 1

I just wanted to push to a repository on a network path but git would not let me do that unless that repository was marked as bare. All I needed was to change its config:

git config --bool core.bare true

No need to fiddle with the files unless you want to keep it clean.

Answer 2

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 3

i've read the answers and i have done this:

cd repos
mv .git repos.git
cd repos.git
git config --bool core.bare true # from another answer
cd ../
mv repos.git ../
cd ../
rm -rf repos/ # or delete using a file manager if you like

this will leave the contents of repos/.git as the bare repos.git

Answer 4

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