NAME

       datalad create - create a new dataset from scratch.

SYNOPSIS

       datalad  create  [-h]  [-f]  [-D  DESCRIPTION]  [-d  DATASET]  [--no-annex] [--fake-dates]
              [-c PROC] [PATH] ...

DESCRIPTION

       This command initializes a new dataset at a given location, or the current directory.  The
       new  dataset  can  optionally be registered in an existing superdataset (the new dataset's
       path needs to be located within the superdataset for that, and the superdataset  needs  to
       be  given  explicitly  via --dataset). It is recommended to provide a brief description to
       label the dataset's nature *and* location, e.g. "Michael's music on  black  laptop".  This
       helps  humans  to  identify  data  locations  in  distributed  scenarios.   By  default an
       identifier comprised of user and machine name, plus path will be generated.

       This command only creates a new dataset, it does not add existing content to it,  even  if
       the target directory already contains additional files or directories.

       Plain  Git  repositories can be created via the --no-annex flag.  However, the result will
       not be a full  dataset,  and,  consequently,  not  all  features  are  supported  (e.g.  a
       description).

       To create a local version of a remote dataset use the `install` command instead.

       NOTE   Power-user  info:  This command uses git init and git annex init to prepare the new
              dataset. Registering to a  superdataset  is  performed  via  a  git  submodule  add
              operation in the discovered superdataset.

   Examples
       Create a dataset 'mydataset' in the current directory::

        % datalad create mydataset

       Apply the text2git procedure upon creation of a dataset::

        % datalad create -c text2git mydataset

       Create a subdataset in the root of an existing dataset::

        % datalad create -d . mysubdataset

       Create a dataset in an existing, non-empty directory::

        % datalad create --force

       Create a plain Git repository::

        % datalad create --no-annex

OPTIONS

       PATH   path  where the dataset shall be created, directories will be created as necessary.
              If no location is provided, a dataset  will  be  created  in  the  current  working
              directory.  Either way the command will error if the target directory is not empty.
              Use FORCE to create a dataset in a non-empty directory. Constraints: value must  be
              a  string,  or  Value  must be a Dataset or a valid identifier of a Dataset (e.g. a
              path)

       INIT OPTIONS
              options to pass to git init. Any argument specified after the destination  path  of
              the  repository  will  be  passed to git-init as-is. Note that not all options will
              lead to viable results. For example '--bare' will  not  yield  a  repository  where
              DataLad can adjust files in its worktree.

       -h, -\-help, -\-help-np
              show  this  help  message.  --help-np  forcefully  disables  the use of a pager for
              displaying the help message

       -f, -\-force
              enforce creation of a dataset in a non-empty directory.

       -D DESCRIPTION, -\-description DESCRIPTION
              short description to use for a dataset location. Its primary  purpose  is  to  help
              humans to identify a dataset copy (e.g., "mike's dataset on lab server"). Note that
              when a dataset is published, this information becomes available on the remote side.
              Constraints: value must be a string

       -d DATASET, -\-dataset DATASET
              specify  the  dataset  to perform the create operation on. If a dataset is given, a
              new subdataset will be created in it. Constraints: Value must be  a  Dataset  or  a
              valid identifier of a Dataset (e.g. a path)

       -\-no-annex
              if set, a plain Git repository will be created without any annex.

       -\-fake-dates
              Configure  the  repository to use fake dates. The date for a new commit will be set
              to one second later than the latest commit in the repository. This can be  used  to
              anonymize dates.

       -c PROC, -\-cfg-proc PROC
              Run cfg_PROC procedure(s) (can be specified multiple times) on the created dataset.
              Use run_procedure --discover to  get  a  list  of  available  procedures,  such  as
              cfg_text2git.

AUTHORS

        datalad is developed by The DataLad Team and Contributors <team@datalad.org>.