hg pull is a command in Mercurial, a distributed version control system, used to fetch changesets from a specified repository and integrate them into the local repository. Here’s a detailed explanation of hg pull:
- Fetching Changesets: The primary function of hg pull is to retrieve changesets from a remote repository specified by its URL. This allows users to access updates made by other contributors to the project and incorporate them into their local copy of the repository.
- Remote Repository: Users can specify the URL of the remote repository from which they want to pull changes. This could be a central server hosting the main project repository or another contributor’s repository. hg pull establishes a connection to this remote repository and fetches the latest changesets.
- Integration with Local Repository: Upon fetching changesets from the remote repository, hg pull integrates them into the local repository. It does not automatically merge the changes with the working directory but instead updates the local repository’s history to include the newly fetched changesets.
- Update Without Merging: Unlike hg pull, which only retrieves changesets without merging them, the hg pull –update command combines the hg pull operation with an hg update operation. This updates the working directory to reflect the changes fetched from the remote repository, potentially incorporating them into the local files.
- Collaborative Development: hg pull is essential for collaborative development workflows, allowing multiple developers to work on the same project concurrently. By pulling changes from a shared remote repository, developers can stay up-to-date with the latest developments in the project and contribute their own changes effectively.
- Documentation Reference: The Mercurial documentation provides detailed information about the hg pull command, including usage examples, options, and advanced features. Developers can refer to this documentation for guidance on pulling changes from remote repositories and managing their local repositories effectively.
“hg pull” Command Examples
1. Pull from the “default” source path:
# hg pull
2. Pull from a specified source repository:
# hg pull [path/to/source_repository]
3. Update the local repository to the head of the remote:
# hg pull --update
4. Pull changes even when the remote repository is unrelated:
# hg pull --force
5. Specify a specific revision changeset to pull up to:
# hg pull --rev [revision]
6. Specify a specific branch to pull:
# hg pull --branch [branch]
7. Specify a specific bookmark to pull:
# hg pull --bookmark [bookmark]
Summary
In summary, hg pull is a fundamental command in Mercurial used to fetch changesets from a remote repository and integrate them into the local repository, enabling collaborative development and ensuring that developers have access to the latest project updates.