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REST API endpoints for Git trees
Use the REST API to interact with tree objects in your Git database on GitHub Enterprise Server.
About Git trees
A Git tree object creates the hierarchy between files in a Git repository. You can use the Git tree object to create the relationship between directories and the files they contain. These endpoints allow you to read and write tree objects to your Git database on GitHub Enterprise Server.
Create a tree
The tree creation API accepts nested entries. If you specify both a tree and a nested path modifying that tree, this endpoint will overwrite the contents of the tree with the new path contents, and create a new tree structure.
If you use this endpoint to add, delete, or modify the file contents in a tree, you will need to commit the tree and then update a branch to point to the commit. For more information see "Create a commit" and "Update a reference."
Returns an error if you try to delete a file that does not exist.
Fine-grained access tokens for "Create a tree"
This endpoint works with the following fine-grained token types:
- GitHub App user access tokens
- GitHub App installation access tokens
- Fine-grained personal access tokens
The fine-grained token must have the following permission set:
- "Contents" repository permissions (write)
Parameters for "Create a tree"
Name, Type, Description |
---|
accept string Setting to |
Name, Type, Description |
---|
owner string RequiredThe account owner of the repository. The name is not case sensitive. |
repo string RequiredThe name of the repository without the |
Name, Type, Description | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
tree array of objects RequiredObjects (of | ||||||
Properties of |
Name, Type, Description |
---|
path string The file referenced in the tree. |
mode string The file mode; one of Can be one of: |
type string Either Can be one of: |
sha string or null The SHA1 checksum ID of the object in the tree. Also called Note: Use either |
content string The content you want this file to have. GitHub will write this blob out and use that SHA for this entry. Use either this, or Note: Use either |
base_tree
string The SHA1 of an existing Git tree object which will be used as the base for the new tree. If provided, a new Git tree object will be created from entries in the Git tree object pointed to by base_tree
and entries defined in the tree
parameter. Entries defined in the tree
parameter will overwrite items from base_tree
with the same path
. If you're creating new changes on a branch, then normally you'd set base_tree
to the SHA1 of the Git tree object of the current latest commit on the branch you're working on.
If not provided, GitHub will create a new Git tree object from only the entries defined in the tree
parameter. If you create a new commit pointing to such a tree, then all files which were a part of the parent commit's tree and were not defined in the tree
parameter will be listed as deleted by the new commit.
HTTP response status codes for "Create a tree"
Status code | Description |
---|---|
201 | Created |
403 | Forbidden |
404 | Resource not found |
409 | Conflict |
422 | Validation failed, or the endpoint has been spammed. |
Code samples for "Create a tree"
Request example
curl -L \
-X POST \
-H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR-TOKEN>" \
-H "X-GitHub-Api-Version: 2022-11-28" \
http(s)://HOSTNAME/api/v3/repos/OWNER/REPO/git/trees \
-d '{"base_tree":"9fb037999f264ba9a7fc6274d15fa3ae2ab98312","tree":[{"path":"file.rb","mode":"100644","type":"blob","sha":"44b4fc6d56897b048c772eb4087f854f46256132"}]}'
Response
Status: 201
{
"sha": "cd8274d15fa3ae2ab983129fb037999f264ba9a7",
"url": "https://HOSTNAME/repos/octocat/Hello-World/trees/cd8274d15fa3ae2ab983129fb037999f264ba9a7",
"tree": [
{
"path": "file.rb",
"mode": "100644",
"type": "blob",
"size": 132,
"sha": "7c258a9869f33c1e1e1f74fbb32f07c86cb5a75b",
"url": "https://HOSTNAME/repos/octocat/Hello-World/git/blobs/7c258a9869f33c1e1e1f74fbb32f07c86cb5a75b"
}
],
"truncated": true
}
Get a tree
Returns a single tree using the SHA1 value or ref name for that tree.
If truncated
is true
in the response then the number of items in the tree
array exceeded our maximum limit. If you need to fetch more items, use the non-recursive method of fetching trees, and fetch one sub-tree at a time.
Note
The limit for the tree
array is 100,000 entries with a maximum size of 7 MB when using the recursive
parameter.
Fine-grained access tokens for "Get a tree"
This endpoint works with the following fine-grained token types:
- GitHub App user access tokens
- GitHub App installation access tokens
- Fine-grained personal access tokens
The fine-grained token must have the following permission set:
- "Contents" repository permissions (read)
This endpoint can be used without authentication or the aforementioned permissions if only public resources are requested.
Parameters for "Get a tree"
Name, Type, Description |
---|
accept string Setting to |
Name, Type, Description |
---|
owner string RequiredThe account owner of the repository. The name is not case sensitive. |
repo string RequiredThe name of the repository without the |
tree_sha string RequiredThe SHA1 value or ref (branch or tag) name of the tree. |
Name, Type, Description |
---|
recursive string Setting this parameter to any value returns the objects or subtrees referenced by the tree specified in |
HTTP response status codes for "Get a tree"
Status code | Description |
---|---|
200 | OK |
404 | Resource not found |
409 | Conflict |
422 | Validation failed, or the endpoint has been spammed. |
Code samples for "Get a tree"
Request examples
curl -L \
-H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR-TOKEN>" \
-H "X-GitHub-Api-Version: 2022-11-28" \
http(s)://HOSTNAME/api/v3/repos/OWNER/REPO/git/trees/TREE_SHA
Default response
Status: 200
{
"sha": "9fb037999f264ba9a7fc6274d15fa3ae2ab98312",
"url": "https://HOSTNAME/repos/octocat/Hello-World/trees/9fb037999f264ba9a7fc6274d15fa3ae2ab98312",
"tree": [
{
"path": "file.rb",
"mode": "100644",
"type": "blob",
"size": 30,
"sha": "44b4fc6d56897b048c772eb4087f854f46256132",
"url": "https://HOSTNAME/repos/octocat/Hello-World/git/blobs/44b4fc6d56897b048c772eb4087f854f46256132"
},
{
"path": "subdir",
"mode": "040000",
"type": "tree",
"sha": "f484d249c660418515fb01c2b9662073663c242e",
"url": "https://HOSTNAME/repos/octocat/Hello-World/git/blobs/f484d249c660418515fb01c2b9662073663c242e"
},
{
"path": "exec_file",
"mode": "100755",
"type": "blob",
"size": 75,
"sha": "45b983be36b73c0788dc9cbcb76cbb80fc7bb057",
"url": "https://HOSTNAME/repos/octocat/Hello-World/git/blobs/45b983be36b73c0788dc9cbcb76cbb80fc7bb057"
}
],
"truncated": false
}