bup-validate-object-links(1) Bup 0.34+
Author: Rob Browning rlb@defaultvalue.org
Date: 2026-09-01

# NAME

bup-validate-object-links - scan the repository for broken object links

# SYNOPSIS

bup validate-object-links

# DESCRIPTION

`bup validate-object-links` scans the objects in the repository and reports any references from a tree or commit to an object that does not exist in the repository. Currently, it doesn’t scan “loose objects” (those not in packfiles) or notice them when checking for existence, and it cannot handle tag objects. Note that `bup` doesn’t create tags or loose objects, but `git` may.

The existence check only consults the repository indexes; it does not try to read the object, so it could be misled by an incorrect index.

Whenever a broken link (missing reference) is found, an ASCII encoded line formatted like this will be printed to standard output:

    no MISSING_HASH for PARENT_HASH

# EXIT STATUS

The exit status will be 1 if any broken links are found, 0 if none are found, and some other positive integer for other failures.

# SEE ALSO

`bup-fsck`(1)

# BUP

Part of the `bup`(1) suite.