# [PATCH v2] gitk: add README with usage, build, and contributing details 4 messages from 2025-08-21 to 2025-08-22. Participants: Michael Rappazzo, Johannes Sixt, Mike Rappazzo, Junio C Hamano. Thread: https://gitlist.dev/t/64009 ## Michael Rappazzo, 2025-08-21 22:25 Subject: [PATCH v2] gitk: add README with usage, build, and contributing details Message-ID: <20250821222605.3993-1-rappazzo@gmail.com> URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/20250821222605.3993-1-rappazzo%40gmail.com ``` Signed-off-by: Michael Rappazzo --- Changes from v1: - Added Usage section with basic gitk command examples - Simplified Contributing section by removing detailed patch workflow instructions - Removed repository status and integration details README.md | 61 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 61 insertions(+) create mode 100644 README.md diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..fd249bc24d --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,61 @@ +# gitk - The Git Repository Browser + +gitk is a graphical Git repository browser. It displays the commit history of a Git repository as a graph, showing the relationships between commits, branches, and tags. + +## Usage + +To view the history of the current repository: +ˋˋˋbash +gitk +ˋˋˋ + +To view the history of specific files or directories: +ˋˋˋbash +gitk path/to/file +gitk path/to/directory +ˋˋˋ + +To view a specific branch or range of commits: +ˋˋˋbash +gitk branch-name +gitk v1.0..v2.0 +ˋˋˋ + +For more usage examples and options, see the [gitk manual](https://git-scm.com/docs/gitk). + +## Building + +gitk is a Tcl/Tk application. It requires Tcl/Tk to be installed on your system. + +### Running directly +ˋˋˋbash +./gitk +ˋˋˋ + +### Installation +To install system-wide, you can use either `make` or `meson`: + +ˋˋˋbash +# Using Make +make install + +# Using Meson +meson setup builddir +meson compile -C builddir +meson install -C builddir +ˋˋˋ + +Both build systems will handle setting the correct Tcl/Tk interpreter path and installing translation files. + +## Contributing + +Contributions are welcome! The preferred method for submitting patches is via email to the Git mailing list, as this allows for more thorough review and broader community feedback. However, GitHub pull requests are also accepted. + +All commits must be signed off (use `git commit --signoff`) and should have commit messages prefixed with `gitk:`. + +#### Email Patches +Send patches to git@vger.kernel.org and CC j6t@kdbg.org. See the Git project's [patch submission guidelines](https://git-scm.com/docs/SubmittingPatches) for detailed instructions on creating and sending patches. + +## License + +gitk is distributed under the GNU General Public License, either version 2, or (at your option) any later version. -- 2.51.0 ``` ## Johannes Sixt, 2025-08-22 18:27 Subject: Re: [PATCH v2] gitk: add README with usage, build, and contributing details Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/cef6487f-aab4-421e-ba04-a5613c12e552%40kdbg.org In-Reply-To: <20250821222605.3993-1-rappazzo@gmail.com> ``` Am 22.08.25 um 00:25 schrieb Michael Rappazzo: > Signed-off-by: Michael Rappazzo > --- > Changes from v1: > - Added Usage section with basic gitk command examples > - Simplified Contributing section by removing detailed patch workflow instructions > - Removed repository status and integration details Thank you very much, this looks a lot better! > > README.md | 61 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > 1 file changed, 61 insertions(+) > create mode 100644 README.md > > diff --git a/README.md b/README.md > new file mode 100644 > index 0000000000..fd249bc24d > --- /dev/null > +++ b/README.md > @@ -0,0 +1,61 @@ > +# gitk - The Git Repository Browser Can we please write "Gitk" (uppercase "G") when we talk about the software, not the command? I would prefer an easy to read text file. Can we have underlined headers where possible: Gitk - The Git Repository Browser ================================= Analogously for the subordinate headers below. > + > +gitk is a graphical Git repository browser. It displays the commit history of a Git repository as a graph, showing the relationships between commits, branches, and tags. Please wrap the lines so that they don't exceed, say, 70 positions. > + > +## Usage > + > +To view the history of the current repository: > +ˋˋˋbash > +gitk > +ˋˋˋ > + > +To view the history of specific files or directories: > +ˋˋˋbash > +gitk path/to/file > +gitk path/to/directory > +ˋˋˋ > + > +To view a specific branch or range of commits: > +ˋˋˋbash > +gitk branch-name > +gitk v1.0..v2.0 > +ˋˋˋ > + > +For more usage examples and options, see the [gitk manual](https://git-scm.com/docs/gitk). > + > +## Building > + > +gitk is a Tcl/Tk application. It requires Tcl/Tk to be installed on your system. > + > +### Running directly At this point we should insert: Gitk can be run from the source directory without installation: > +ˋˋˋbash > +./gitk > +ˋˋˋ This is very convenient during development. > + > +### Installation > +To install system-wide, you can use either `make` or `meson`: > + > +ˋˋˋbash > +# Using Make > +make install This doesn't install system-wide, but in $HOME/bin. I am unsure whether we should encourage this. AFAIC, I would be upset if this works without sudo *and* clutters my $HOME. (I pull Gitk into the Git repository, which I have patched to install in /usr/local.) How do Gitk contributors handle `make install`? > + > +# Using Meson > +meson setup builddir > +meson compile -C builddir > +meson install -C builddir > +ˋˋˋ I haven't used the Meson infrastructure ever. I trust this procedure works. > + > +Both build systems will handle setting the correct Tcl/Tk interpreter path and installing translation files. > + > +## Contributing > + > +Contributions are welcome! The preferred method for submitting patches is via email to the Git mailing list, as this allows for more thorough review and broader community feedback. However, GitHub pull requests are also accepted. > + > +All commits must be signed off (use `git commit --signoff`) and should have commit messages prefixed with `gitk:`. > + > +#### Email Patches > +Send patches to git@vger.kernel.org and CC j6t@kdbg.org. See the Git project's [patch submission guidelines](https://git-scm.com/docs/SubmittingPatches) for detailed instructions on creating and sending patches. > + > +## License > + > +gitk is distributed under the GNU General Public License, either version 2, or (at your option) any later version. Very good! -- Hannes ``` ## Mike Rappazzo, 2025-08-22 19:55 Subject: Re: [PATCH v2] gitk: add README with usage, build, and contributing details Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/CANoM8SW_3dLtQBEcK%3DNgQWCezj2PNbokDyeaUvVMTN1ufYav_w%40mail.gmail.com In-Reply-To: ``` On Fri, Aug 22, 2025 at 2:27 PM Johannes Sixt wrote: > > + > > +### Installation > > +To install system-wide, you can use either `make` or `meson`: > > + > > +ˋˋˋbash > > +# Using Make > > +make install > > This doesn't install system-wide, but in $HOME/bin. I am unsure whether > we should encourage this. AFAIC, I would be upset if this works without > sudo *and* clutters my $HOME. (I pull Gitk into the Git repository, > which I have patched to install in /usr/local.) > > How do Gitk contributors handle `make install`? Maybe I should expand on this section and add details: ˋˋˋ # Install to default location ($HOME/bin) make install # Install to system-wide location sudo make install prefix=/usr/local # Install to custom location make install prefix=/opt/gitk ˋˋˋ > > > + > > +# Using Meson > > +meson setup builddir > > +meson compile -C builddir > > +meson install -C builddir > > +ˋˋˋ > > I haven't used the Meson infrastructure ever. I trust this procedure works. > Yes, I installed `meson` and ran these steps. It replaced my previously installed version I'll send a new revision in a day or two. Thanks for the look, _Mike ``` ## Junio C Hamano, 2025-08-22 20:28 Subject: Re: [PATCH v2] gitk: add README with usage, build, and contributing details Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/xmqqect3w16o.fsf%40gitster.g In-Reply-To: ``` Johannes Sixt writes: > I would prefer an easy to read text file. Can we have underlined headers > where possible: > > Gitk - The Git Repository Browser > ================================= Oooh. Thanks for being brave to say what I couldn't, due to fear of being in the minority with unpopular preference ;-) ```