# [RFC] repo: path representation in `git repo info` (absolute vs relative)

1 messages from 2026-03-18 to 2026-03-18. Participants: jayesh0104.
Thread: https://gitlist.dev/t/65289

## jayesh0104, 2026-03-18 06:55

Subject: [RFC] repo: path representation in `git repo info` (absolute vs relative)
Message-ID: <20260318065545.10001-3-jayeshdaga99@gmail.com>
URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/20260318065545.10001-3-jayeshdaga99%40gmail.com

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From: Jayesh Daga <jayeshdaga99@gmail.com>

Hi,

While working on extending `git repo info` to include additional
path-related values (e.g., `paths.common_dir`, `paths.toplevel`,
and `--git-path` equivalents), I wanted to clarify the expected
representation of paths before proceeding further.

Currently, commands like `git rev-parse` may return paths relative
to the current working directory depending on context. In contrast,
some internal APIs operate on absolute paths.

This raises a design question for `git repo info`:

  Should path-related values be returned as:
  1. Relative paths (consistent with `rev-parse` behavior and more portable), or
  2. Absolute paths (more explicit and unambiguous)?

One possible approach is:
  - Default to relative paths for consistency and portability
  - Provide an optional flag (e.g., `--absolute`) to return absolute paths

This would allow flexibility while maintaining compatibility with
existing expectations.

I would appreciate feedback on the preferred approach before
proceeding with additional path-related keys.

Thanks,
Jayesh

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