What is Git Server Name? Understanding Your Git Server Setup

Git, a distributed version control system, operates differently from centralized systems like SVN or CVS. Instead of “checking out,” Git uses cloning to download the complete repository history, not just the latest version. While your server might be considered the “gold copy,” in reality, any clone can serve as a backup, highlighting the importance of regular backups.

To effectively manage your Git repositories, understanding your Git server setup is crucial. Finding out the software used to configure your server – whether it’s Gitolite, Gitosis, or a custom ssh and git-daemon setup – is the first step. This knowledge dictates how you access and manage your repositories.

Identifying Git Server Software

Several methods can help you determine your Git server software:

Gitolite and Gitosis Setups

Gitolite and Gitosis are popular tools that utilize a central configuration file and typically house repositories within the home directory of a user named git.

• Locate Repositories: Use the command cd ~git to navigate to the git user’s home directory and examine the repository structure.
• Repository URLs: Public access URLs often follow the format git:///.git, while SSH-based pushing URLs usually look like git@:.git.
• Management Tools: Both Gitolite and Gitosis come with dedicated management tools. Try using the gitolite command to interact with the server.

Custom ssh + git-daemon Setups

If you don’t find a git user with the expected repository structure, or if the home directory lacks an “admin” repository, investigate if git-daemon is running.

• Port 9418 Check: See if anything is listening on port 9418, the standard port for Git’s smart protocol, using tools like netstat or lsof.
• Process Inspection: If git-daemon is running, use ps www to examine its command-line arguments. These arguments will reveal details about repository paths, virtual host configurations, and user directory settings.
• Public URLs: Public repository URLs will still begin with git:///, but the rest of the path depends on git-daemon‘s configuration. It might require full file system paths or support virtual hosts and ~username/path/repo.git style user directories.
• SSH Access: Remember that SSH access (git@:.git) will always function, even without git-daemon running.

Web Interface (cgit or gitweb)

Many Git servers also implement web interfaces like cgit or gitweb, which provide a visual listing of configured repositories.

• Web Browser Access: Try accessing your server via a web browser. The web interface should display available repositories.
• Configuration Files: Look for configuration files for gitweb or cgit in /etc to understand the server’s web-based setup.

Accessing Repository Information

Using git ls-remote

A valuable command for quickly checking repository details without cloning is git ls-remote <URL>. This command displays a summary of the repository and helps verify if URLs are valid and accessible.

By systematically checking these areas, you can effectively determine your Git server software and understand how repositories are accessed and managed within your environment.