How to git commit a single file/directory

git commit
doublejosh picture doublejosh · Jan 9, 2012 · Viewed 319.6k times · Source

Tried the following command:

git commit path/to/my/file.ext -m 'my notes'

Receive an error in git version 1.5.2.1:

error: pathspec '-m' did not match any file(s) known to git.
error: pathspec 'MY MESSAGE' did not match any file(s) known to git.

Is that incorrect syntax for singe file or directory commits?

ANSWER: Arguments were expected in this order...

git commit -m 'my notes' path/to/my/file.ext

UPDATE: it's not strict anymore :)

Answer

Lily Ballard picture Lily Ballard · Jan 9, 2012

Your arguments are in the wrong order. Try git commit -m 'my notes' path/to/my/file.ext, or if you want to be more explicit, git commit -m 'my notes' -- path/to/my/file.ext.

Incidentally, git v1.5.2.1 is 4.5 years old. You may want to update to a newer version (1.7.8.3 is the current release).

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