git-send-email Tutorial

What you will learn

• Understand the core purpose of git-send-email Tutorial
• Master the basic usage and common options of git-send-email Tutorial
• Send patch series produced by format-patch through email while preserving commit boundaries and thread context.
• Understand key concepts: Typical scenarios
• Know when to use this feature and when to avoid it

Start with a problem

You're working in a Git repository and need to perform a specific task — but you're not sure which command or option is the right fit, or what this command can and cannot do.

The short version

git send-email sends patch series via email, preserving commit granularity and discussion threading.

Typical scenarios

• mailing-list based contribution workflows
• maintainer projects requiring patch-by-email
• environments without direct hosted-platform access

Common companion flow

git format-patch -3 origin/main
git send-email *.patch

Generate patches first, then send.

Pre-send checklist

1. SMTP/auth configuration works
2. To/Cc recipients are correct
3. thread conventions (subject prefix, reply chain) match project rules
4. patch ordering and cover letter are complete

Safer send pattern

Dry-run or self-send before real list submission:

git send-email --dry-run *.patch

Frequent failure modes

• encoding/line-wrap issues corrupt patch application
• incorrect subject prefix violates list rules
• missing one patch in a series breaks review/application continuity

!Dry-run before real send

Once patches are mailed to public lists, correction cost rises quickly. Validate formatting and threading first.

Good follow-up reads

1. git-format-patch
2. git-request-pull
3. open source fork pr contribution git send-email transmits patch files as emails to a mailing list or reviewer. It handles threading, encoding, and SMTP configuration — making it the delivery step after git format-patch has prepared the patches.

Typical use cases

• Send a series of generated patch files to a project's mailing list: git send-email *.patch.
• Use --to and --cc to direct patches to maintainers and interested reviewers.
• Configure SMTP settings in .gitconfig so that sending patches becomes a repeatable, one-command step.

Diagram view

Input

Patch files (.patch)SMTP configurationRecipient addresses

→git send-email

Output

Emails sent to recipientsThreaded patch series

Always do a dry run or test with a small scope first to verify recipients, threading, and encoding before the real send.

Special cases and boundaries

• Do a dry run or small-scope test first so recipients, threading, and encoding are all correct before the real send.
• SMTP credentials and server settings must be configured in .gitconfig or via command-line flags before sending.
• send-email preserves the threading structure from format-patch, so patches arrive as a coherent email thread.
• Some projects have specific patch submission guidelines (subject prefixes, sign-off requirements) — check the project's contribution guide before sending.

Try it yourself

1. Practice the git-send-email command in a test repository and observe state changes before and after
2. Experiment with different options and compare the output differences
3. Simulate a real scenario where you would need to use this, and walk through the full process

Further reading

Keep going on the same topic:

• git rm
• git-shortlog Tutorial
• git-show-ref Tutorial