Ad-hoc serving of git repositories
##################################

:date: 2016-08-16
:summary: Ad-hoc serving of git repositories

On some occasion you want to serve your git repo from your local copy (perhaps
your git repository is quite large and your internet connection is slow or your
build process would benefit from pulling from an intermediary without
authentication). Here are 2 ways to serve your git repository without any
configuration or software installation. Both ways serve a single repository
without authentication or encryption but readonly (no push).

Using the git protocol
----------------------

The git executable is itself a git server using the native git protocol. Inside
the root of the repository run the following command

.. code:: shell

    git daemon --reuseaddr --verbose  --base-path=. --export-all ./.git

And on the client you can clone by running

.. code:: shell

    git clone git://servername/ reponame


Using the http protocol
-----------------------

This way serves the repo over HTTP using Python 2's SimpleHTTPServer. Run the
following in the rot of the git repo

.. code:: shell

    git update-server-info
    cd .git
    python -m SimpleHTTPServer

And on the client clone by running

.. code:: shell

    git clone http://servername:8000/ reponame


Final words
-----------

I've added both ways as git aliases in my `rcfiles repo
<https://www.shore.co.il/cgit/rcfiles/tree/.gitconfig>`_.