What does git update-server-info do?

Question

What does git update-server-info do? How do I know if I need it? The manual says:

A dumb server that does not do on-the-fly pack generations must have some auxiliary information files in $GIT_DIR/info and $GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY/info directories to help clients discover what references and packs the server has. This command generates such auxiliary files.

How do I know if my server is dumb, and whether it does or does not do "on-the-fly pack generations", and whether it "must have some auxiliary information files"?

I am pushing a web app via ssh to a bare repository, then pulling from that bare repository into the web root.

Answer 1

Dumb server basically means accessed over HTTP. So if you access your Git repository over http: or https: URLs, you need the update-server-info business, otherwise (git:, ssh:, etc.) you don't need it.