NAME

       git-annex-unlock - unlock files for modification

SYNOPSIS

       git annex unlock [path ...]

DESCRIPTION

       Normally, the content of annexed files is protected from being changed.  Unlocking an annexed file allows
       it  to  be  modified. This replaces the symlink for each specified file with the file's content.  You can
       then modify it and git annex add (or git commit) to save your changes.

       In repositories with annex.version 5 or earlier, unlocking a file is local  to  the  repository,  and  is
       temporary.  With  version  6,  unlocking  a  file  changes how it is stored in the git repository (from a
       symlink to a pointer file), so you can commit it like any other change. Also in version 6,  you  can  use
       git  add  to  add  a  file  to  the annex in unlocked form. This allows workflows where a file starts out
       unlocked, is modified as necessary, and is locked once it reaches its final version.

       Normally, unlocking a file requires a copy to be made of its content, so that  its  original  content  is
       preserved,  while the copy can be modified.  To use less space, annex.thin can be set to true; this makes
       a hard link to the content be made instead of a copy. (Only when supported by the file system,  and  only
       in  repository  version  6.) While this can save considerable disk space, any modification made to a file
       will cause the old version of the file to be lost from the local repository. So, enable  annex.thin  with
       care.

OPTIONS

       file matching options

              The git-annex-matching-options(1) can be used to specify files to unlock.

       --json Enable  JSON  output.  This  is intended to be parsed by programs that use git-annex. Each line of
              output is a JSON object.

       --json-error-messages
              Messages that would normally be output to standard error are included in the json instead.

SEE ALSO

       git-annex(1)

       git-annex-edit(1)

       git-annex-add(1)

       git-annex-lock(1)

AUTHOR

       Joey Hess <id@joeyh.name>

                                                                                             git-annex-unlock(1)