---
title: git_init_repository
description: Ensure an empty SHA-1 or SHA-256 Git repository exists.
---

# `git_init_repository`

`git_init_repository` ensures an empty Git repository exists at a project-relative destination. It registers a root task, shows initialization progress in the run UI, and returns a dependency. Repeated calls do nothing when repository mode, object format, and requested initial branch are compatible.

The function never empties an existing directory or repository. It fails when destination contains non-repository files, repository has a commit, or existing repository is incompatible.

## Arguments

| Argument | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `destination` | Yes | Project-relative repository directory. |
| `bare` | No | Create or require a bare repository. Defaults to `False`. |
| `initial_branch` | No | Initial branch short name. Defaults to host global `init.defaultBranch`, then `master`. When omitted, any initial branch in an existing compatible empty repository is accepted. |
| `object_format` | No | Object ID format: `sha1` or `sha256`. Defaults to `sha256`. Set `sha1` explicitly for compatibility with hosts that do not support SHA-256 repositories. |

## Example

```starlark
load("@git@1", "git_init_repository")

git_init_repository(
    destination=".xx/repositories/output.git",
    bare=True,
    initial_branch="main",
    object_format="sha256",
)
```

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