Synopsis
git checkout-index [-a] [-f] [-u] [--prefix=<dir>] [<file>...]Description
The git checkout-index command writes file content from the index out to the working tree (or to an arbitrary directory using --prefix). It does not change the index, the current branch, or HEAD — making it safer than git checkout for scripted file extraction.
In day-to-day use, git checkout-index integrates closely with shell aliases, editor plugins, and continuous integration. Power users often add aliases that combine flags they always pass, or wrap the command in scripts that enforce team conventions. Output formatting can be customized via Git config — pretty formats, color schemes, and pager behavior are all tunable. When something goes wrong, the first diagnostic step is usually to re-run the command with GIT_TRACE=1 in the environment, which reveals the underlying plumbing calls. For unusual situations, the --help output (git checkout-index --help) opens the full manual page with details on every option, including those rarely used in casual workflows but essential for debugging or scripting at scale.
Understanding how git checkout-index interacts with the rest of Git's data model — the object database, the index, refs, and the working tree — pays dividends. Each command operates on some subset of these pieces, and knowing which it touches helps predict outcomes and recover from mistakes. Reading the official Git documentation alongside hands-on practice in a throwaway repository is the fastest way to internalize the nuances. Most production issues with Git stem from one of three causes: surprising default behavior, partial network operations, or rewriting history that was already shared. A working mental model of git checkout-index's side effects helps avoid all three.
When to Use
Most users never need this. Use it when scripting deployment from the index, building source tarballs, or exporting a snapshot to a directory other than the working tree.
Common Options
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
-a, --all | Check out every file in the index. |
-f, --force | Overwrite existing files. |
-u | Update stat information for files written. |
--prefix=<dir> | Write into <dir> instead of working tree. |
--stage=<n> | Check out a specific stage (1=base, 2=ours, 3=theirs). |
-z | NUL-terminated input/output. |
--no-create | Don't create files; just update stats. |
Examples
git checkout-index -a -f --prefix=/tmp/snapshot/
# Export the entire index to /tmp/snapshot/
git checkout-index --prefix=build/ src/main.c
# Copy a single file into build/
git checkout-index --stage=2 -f -- conflicted.txt
# Pick "ours" version during a conflict
git ls-files | git checkout-index -f --stdin
# Restore every tracked file from the indexCommon Mistakes
The --prefix argument must end with a slash, otherwise filenames concatenate awkwardly. Without -f, existing files in the destination cause errors. Picking the wrong --stage during conflict resolution applies a worse version than intended.
Related Commands
git checkout, git restore, git archive, git ls-files