Bash prompt for Git

The main file in this project is the git-prompt.sh file, which is a bash script that defines a function called git_prompt, which outputs a small string showing the status of your Git repository, including the current branch/head, ahead/behind status, and working directory status.

1. source ~/path/to/git-prompt.sh in ~/.bashrc or ~/.bash_profile.
2. Add export PROMPT_COMMAND=... with $(git_prompt) called somewhere within an embedded export of PS1.

For example:

source /path/to/git-prompt/git-prompt.sh
export PROMPT_COMMAND="$PROMPT_COMMAND;"'export PS1="\h:\W \u $(git_prompt) \$"'

The git_prompt function will return a string showing the current branch name as well as how ahead/behind it is from its upstream since the last fetch. It will also show (via * before the branch name) whether the working directory is modified, and (via * after branch name) whether the index is modified. If you are rebasing or merging, it will indicate it by using rebase(...) or merge(...) around of the branch/commit name. Finally, if you are on a detached HEAD, it will attempt to show the tag, branch, path to closest ancestor, or SHA-1 of the commit.

git_prompt will return an empty string if you are not in a Git-managed directory (i.e. if the 'git status' command would fail). Otherwise, a bolded & colored string with 1 space on either side will be output.

By default, git_prompt will bold & colorize its output (red for rebase/merge/detached, and green for everything else). To disable this, set GITPROMPT_NOCOLOR to any non-empty value.

By default, untracked files are not shown because of poor performance in large repositories. To enable it, which will put a '+' to the left of the branch name if there are any untracked files, set GITPROMPT_SHOW_UNTRACKED to any non-empty value.

<master>

You are currently on a branch named master, which has no upstream.

[master]

You are currently on the master branch, you are neither ahead nor behind from master's upstream, and you have no changes in neither your working directory nor index.

[*master]

You are currently on the master branch, you are neither ahead nor behind from master's upstream, and you have changes in your working directory that are unstaged.

[master*]

You are currently on the master branch, you are neither ahead nor behind from master's upstream, and you have changes staged to be committed.

[*master*]

You are currently on the master branch, you are neither ahead nor behind from master's upstream, and you have changes in your working directory that are unstaged as well as changes staged to be committed.

[3 -> master]

You are currently on the master branch, which is 3 ahead of its upstream (i.e. you can push it).

[master -> 2]

You are currently on the master branch, which is 2 behind of its upstream (i.e. you can fast-forward it).

[3 -> master -> 2]

You are currently on the master branch, which is 3 ahead and 2 behind of its upstream (i.e. it's diverged).

[*merge(master)*]

You are currently merging into the master branch, and you have both staged changes (e.g. resolved conflicts) and unstaged changes (e.g. unresolved conflicts).

<detached(1.1.3)>

You are currently in detached HEAD mode, and HEAD points to tag 1.1.3.

<detached(master~1)>

You are currently in detached HEAD mode, and HEAD points to the first parent of master.

<detached(1aaf71b)>

You are currently in detached HEAD mode, and HEAD points to commit 1aaf71b, which not a descendent of any named head.

<detached(ROOT)>

You are currently not on any commit (e.g. right after running git init).

<rebase(1aaf71b)>

You are currently rebasing, and HEAD points to commit 1aaf71b.