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+git-format-patch(1)
+===================
+
+NAME
+----
+git-format-patch - Prepare patches for e-mail submission
+
+
+SYNOPSIS
+--------
+[verse]
+'git-format-patch' [-n | -k] [-o <dir> | --stdout] [--thread]
+                   [--attach[=<boundary>] | --inline[=<boundary>]]
+                   [-s | --signoff] [<common diff options>] [--start-number <n>]
+                   [--in-reply-to=Message-Id] [--suffix=.<sfx>]
+                   [--ignore-if-in-upstream]
+                   [--subject-prefix=Subject-Prefix]
+                   <since>[..<until>]
+
+DESCRIPTION
+-----------
+
+Prepare each commit between <since> and <until> with its patch in
+one file per commit, formatted to resemble UNIX mailbox format.
+If ..<until> is not specified, the head of the current working
+tree is implied.  For a more complete list of ways to spell
+<since> and <until>, see "SPECIFYING REVISIONS" section in
+gitlink:git-rev-parse[1].
+
+The output of this command is convenient for e-mail submission or
+for use with gitlink:git-am[1].
+
+Each output file is numbered sequentially from 1, and uses the
+first line of the commit message (massaged for pathname safety) as
+the filename. The names of the output files are printed to standard
+output, unless the --stdout option is specified.
+
+If -o is specified, output files are created in <dir>.  Otherwise
+they are created in the current working directory.
+
+If -n is specified, instead of "[PATCH] Subject", the first line
+is formatted as "[PATCH n/m] Subject".
+
+If given --thread, git-format-patch will generate In-Reply-To and
+References headers to make the second and subsequent patch mails appear
+as replies to the first mail; this also generates a Message-Id header to
+reference.
+
+OPTIONS
+-------
+include::diff-options.txt[]
+
+-o|--output-directory <dir>::
+	Use <dir> to store the resulting files, instead of the
+	current working directory.
+
+-n|--numbered::
+	Name output in '[PATCH n/m]' format.
+
+--start-number <n>::
+	Start numbering the patches at <n> instead of 1.
+
+-k|--keep-subject::
+	Do not strip/add '[PATCH]' from the first line of the
+	commit log message.
+
+-s|--signoff::
+	Add `Signed-off-by:` line to the commit message, using
+	the committer identity of yourself.
+
+--stdout::
+	Print all commits to the standard output in mbox format,
+	instead of creating a file for each one.
+
+--attach[=<boundary>]::
+	Create multipart/mixed attachment, the first part of
+	which is the commit message and the patch itself in the
+	second part, with "Content-Disposition: attachment".
+
+--inline[=<boundary>]::
+	Create multipart/mixed attachment, the first part of
+	which is the commit message and the patch itself in the
+	second part, with "Content-Disposition: inline".
+
+--thread::
+	Add In-Reply-To and References headers to make the second and
+	subsequent mails appear as replies to the first.  Also generates
+	the Message-Id header to reference.
+
+--in-reply-to=Message-Id::
+	Make the first mail (or all the mails with --no-thread) appear as a
+	reply to the given Message-Id, which avoids breaking threads to
+	provide a new patch series.
+
+--ignore-if-in-upstream::
+	Do not include a patch that matches a commit in
+	<until>..<since>.  This will examine all patches reachable
+	from <since> but not from <until> and compare them with the
+	patches being generated, and any patch that matches is
+	ignored.
+
+--subject-prefix=<Subject-Prefix>::
+	Instead of the standard '[PATCH]' prefix in the subject
+	line, instead use '[<Subject-Prefix>]'. This
+	allows for useful naming of a patch series, and can be
+	combined with the --numbered option.
+
+--suffix=.<sfx>::
+	Instead of using `.patch` as the suffix for generated
+	filenames, use specifed suffix.  A common alternative is
+	`--suffix=.txt`.
++
+Note that you would need to include the leading dot `.` if you
+want a filename like `0001-description-of-my-change.patch`, and
+the first letter does not have to be a dot.  Leaving it empty would
+not add any suffix.
+
+CONFIGURATION
+-------------
+You can specify extra mail header lines to be added to each
+message in the repository configuration.  Also you can specify
+the default suffix different from the built-in one:
+
+------------
+[format]
+        headers = "Organization: git-foo\n"
+        suffix = .txt
+------------
+
+
+EXAMPLES
+--------
+
+git-format-patch -k --stdout R1..R2 | git-am -3 -k::
+	Extract commits between revisions R1 and R2, and apply
+	them on top of the current branch using `git-am` to
+	cherry-pick them.
+
+git-format-patch origin::
+	Extract all commits which are in the current branch but
+	not in the origin branch.  For each commit a separate file
+	is created in the current directory.
+
+git-format-patch -M -B origin::
+	The same as the previous one.  Additionally, it detects
+	and handles renames and complete rewrites intelligently to
+	produce a renaming patch.  A renaming patch reduces the
+	amount of text output, and generally makes it easier to
+	review it.  Note that the "patch" program does not
+	understand renaming patches, so use it only when you know
+	the recipient uses git to apply your patch.
+
+git-format-patch -3::
+	Extract three topmost commits from the current branch
+	and format them as e-mailable patches.
+
+See Also
+--------
+gitlink:git-am[1], gitlink:git-send-email[1]
+
+
+Author
+------
+Written by Junio C Hamano <junkio@cox.net>
+
+Documentation
+--------------
+Documentation by Junio C Hamano and the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
+
+GIT
+---
+Part of the gitlink:git[7] suite
+