Importing via web interface

For a small number of repositories, it may be easier to create the target repositories through the Kallithea web interface, via Admin > Repositories or via the Add Repository button on the entry page of the web interface.

Repositories can be nested in repository groups by first creating the group (via Admin > Repository Groups or via the Add Repository Group button on the entry page of the web interface) and then selecting the appropriate group when adding the repository.

After creation of the (empty) repository, push the existing commits to the Clone URL displayed on the repository summary page. For Git repositories, first add the Clone URL as remote, then push the commits to that remote. The specific commands to execute are shown under the Existing repository? section of the new repository's summary page.

A benefit of this method particular for Git repositories, is that the Kallithea-specific Git hooks are installed automatically. For Mercurial, no hooks are required anyway.

Importing via the filesystem

The alternative method of importing repositories consists of creating the repositories in the desired hierarchy on the filesystem and letting Kallithea scan that location.

All repositories are stored in a central location on the filesystem. This location is specified during installation (via db-create) and can be reviewed at Admin > Settings > VCS > Location of repositories. Repository groups (defined in Admin > Repository Groups) are represented by a directory in that repository location. Repositories of the repository group are nested under that directory.

To import a set of repositories and organize them in a certain repository group structure, first place clones in the desired hierarchy at the configured repository location. These clones should be created without working directory. For Mercurial, this is done with hg clone -U, for Git with git clone --bare.

When the repositories are added correctly on the filesystem:

• go to Admin > Settings > Remap and Rescan in the Kallithea web interface
• select the Install Git hooks checkbox when importing Git repositories
• click Rescan Repositories

This step will scan the filesystem and create the appropriate repository groups and repositories in Kallithea.

Note: Once repository groups have been created this way, manage their access permissions through the Kallithea web interface.

Working with subrepositories

This section explains how to use Mercurial subrepositories in Kallithea.

Example usage:

## init a simple repo
hg init mainrepo
cd mainrepo
echo "file" > file
hg add file
hg ci --message "initial file"

# clone subrepo we want to add from Kallithea
hg clone http://kallithea.local/subrepo

## specify URL to existing repo in Kallithea as subrepository path
echo "subrepo = http://kallithea.local/subrepo" > .hgsub
hg add .hgsub
hg ci --message "added remote subrepo"

In the file list of a clone of mainrepo you will see a connected subrepository at the revision it was cloned with. Clicking on the subrepository link sends you to the proper repository in Kallithea.

Cloning mainrepo will also clone the attached subrepository.

Next we can edit the subrepository data, and push back to Kallithea. This will update both repositories.