Code Repository

Mesa uses git as its source code management system.

The master git repository is hosted on freedesktop.org.

You may access the repository either as an anonymous user (read-only) or as a developer (read/write).

You may also browse the main Mesa git repository and the Mesa demos and tests git repository.

Anonymous git Access

To get the Mesa sources anonymously (read-only):

Install the git software on your computer if needed.

Get an initial, local copy of the repository with:

    git clone git://anongit.freedesktop.org/git/mesa/mesa

Later, you can update your tree from the master repository with:
```
    git pull origin
    
```

If you also want the Mesa demos/tests repository:

    git clone git://anongit.freedesktop.org/git/mesa/demos

Developer git Access

Mesa developers need to first have an account on freedesktop.org. To get an account, please ask Brian or the other Mesa developers for permission. Then, if there are no objections, follow this procedure.

Once your account is established:

Install the git software on your computer if needed.
Get an initial, local copy of the repository with:
```
    git clone git+ssh://username@git.freedesktop.org/git/mesa/mesa
    
```
Replace username with your actual login name.
Later, you can update your tree from the master repository with:
```
    git pull origin
    
```

If you also want the Mesa demos/tests repository:

    git clone git+ssh://username@git.freedesktop.org/git/mesa/demos

Windows Users

If you're using git on Windows you'll want to enable automatic CR/LF conversion in your local copy of the repository:

   git config --global core.autocrlf true

This will cause git to convert all text files to CR+LF on checkout, and to LF on commit.

Unix users don't need to set this option.

Development Branches

At any given time, there may be several active branches in Mesa's repository. Generally, the trunk contains the latest development (unstable) code while a branch has the latest stable code.

The command git-branch will list all available branches.

Questions about branch status/activity should be posted to the mesa3d-dev mailing list.

Developer Git Tips

Setting up to edit the master branch

If you try to do a pull by just saying git pull and git complains that you have not specified a branch, try:

    git config branch.master.remote origin
    git config branch.master.merge master

Otherwise, you have to say git pull origin master each time you do a pull.

Small changes to master
If you are an experienced git user working on substancial modifications, you are probably working on a separate branch and would rebase your branch prior to merging with master. But for small changes to the master branch itself, you also need to use the rebase feature in order to avoid an unnecessary and distracting branch in master.

If it has been awhile since you've done the initial clone, try
```
    git pull
```
to get the latest files before you start working.

Make your changes and use
```
    git add <files to commit>
    git commit
```
to get your changes ready to push back into the fd.o repository.

It is possible (and likely) that someone has changed master since you did your last pull. Even if your changes do not conflict with their changes, git will make a fast-forward merge branch, branching from the point in time where you did your last pull and merging it to a point after the other changes.

To avoid this,
```
    git pull --rebase
    git push
```
If you are familiar with CVS or similar system, this is similar to doing a cvs update in order to update your source tree to the current repository state, instead of the time you did the last update. (CVS doesn't work like git in this respect, but this is easiest way to explain it.)
In any case, your repository now looks like you made your changes after all the other changes.

If the rebase resulted in conflicts or changes that could affect the proper operation of your changes, you'll need to investigate those before doing the push.

If you want the rebase action to be the default action, then
```
    git config branch.master.rebase true
    git config --global branch.autosetuprebase=always
```
See Understanding Git Conceptually for a fairly clear explanation about all of this.