# Git trailing blank lines feature configuration 10 messages from 2026-07-31 to 2026-08-02. Participants: Thomas Nemeth, Johannes Sixt, Junio C Hamano, Ben Knoble. Thread: https://gitlist.dev/t/66096 ## Thomas Nemeth, 2026-07-31 10:19 Subject: Git trailing blank lines feature configuration Message-ID: <6022080.DvuYhMxLoT@cixi> ``` Hi ! I have the habit to keep 1 blank line at the end of my files. To me, it eases the EOF modifications (selecting code blocks, pasting them) in vim. Note that I still want to remove blanks at EOL. But I'd like to keep 1 blank trailing line. I still can, of course, but the diff still shows me a red "+"... Would it be possible to have a configuration option to avoid warnings (because I see that as a warning) about trailing blank lines ? Thanks Thomas. ``` ## Johannes Sixt, 2026-07-31 11:08 Subject: Re: Git trailing blank lines feature configuration Message-ID: In-Reply-To: <6022080.DvuYhMxLoT@cixi> ``` Am 31.07.26 um 12:19 schrieb Thomas Nemeth: > I have the habit to keep 1 blank line at the end of my files. To me, > it eases the EOF modifications (selecting code blocks, pasting them) > in vim. (Call this is [x].) > Would it be possible to have a configuration option to avoid warnings > (because I see that as a warning) about trailing blank lines ? Hearing the first time that an extra blank line at EOF is necessary or useful. Would the correct question then perhaps be: how do you all handle [x] without an extra blank line at EOF? That said, are you looking to disable blank-at-eof from core.whitespace? Collect all "enabled by default" except this one from [*]. [*] https://git-scm.com/docs/git-config#Documentation/git-config.txt-corewhitespace -- Hannes ``` ## Thomas Nemeth, 2026-07-31 11:50 Subject: Re: Git trailing blank lines feature configuration Message-ID: <5097209.GXAFRqVoOG@cixi> In-Reply-To: ``` Le vendredi 31 juillet 2026, 13:08 Johannes Sixt a écrit : > Am 31.07.26 um 12:19 schrieb Thomas Nemeth: > > I have the habit to keep 1 blank line at the end of my files. To > > me, > > it eases the EOF modifications (selecting code blocks, pasting > > them) > > in vim. > > (Call this is [x].) > > > Would it be possible to have a configuration option to avoid > > warnings > > (because I see that as a warning) about trailing blank lines ? > > Hearing the first time that an extra blank line at EOF is necessary or > useful. Would the correct question then perhaps be: how do you all I wouldn't say necessary, of course. It's -- at least -- my preference. For _my_ use case, it's useful. When I move code around, and that code is at the end of the file or to be put at the end of the file, I find it easier to already have a blank line there. That is... Because that's how I use vim to code. > handle [x] without an extra blank line at EOF? > > That said, are you looking to disable blank-at-eof from core.whitespace? > Collect all "enabled by default" except this one from [*]. > > [*] > https://git-scm.com/docs/git-config#Documentation/git-config.txt-corewhi > tespace -_-; indeed. ˋˋˋ git config --global core.whitespace "-blank-at-eof" ˋˋˋ -- Thomas. ``` ## Junio C Hamano, 2026-07-31 15:50 Subject: Re: Git trailing blank lines feature configuration Message-ID: In-Reply-To: <6022080.DvuYhMxLoT@cixi> ``` Thomas Nemeth writes: > Hi ! > > I have the habit to keep 1 blank line at the end of my files. To me, > it eases the EOF modifications (selecting code blocks, pasting them) > in vim. > > Note that I still want to remove blanks at EOL. But I'd like to keep > 1 blank trailing line. I still can, of course, but the diff still > shows me a red "+"... > > Would it be possible to have a configuration option to avoid warnings > (because I see that as a warning) about trailing blank lines ? > > Thanks > > Thomas. Would it be possible with the current system? No. Would it be possible to add such a new feature? If designed well, perhaps. Things to consider (though not exhaustive) include: - What mechanism should this modify? - What should the new option be called? - Do we only need to accommodate those who want one trailing blank line? What about those who want two? Three? Thanks. ``` ## Junio C Hamano, 2026-07-31 18:49 Subject: Re: Git trailing blank lines feature configuration Message-ID: In-Reply-To: ``` Johannes Sixt writes: > Am 31.07.26 um 12:19 schrieb Thomas Nemeth: >> I have the habit to keep 1 blank line at the end of my files. To me, >> it eases the EOF modifications (selecting code blocks, pasting them) >> in vim. > > (Call this is [x].) > >> Would it be possible to have a configuration option to avoid warnings >> (because I see that as a warning) about trailing blank lines ? > Hearing the first time that an extra blank line at EOF is necessary or > useful. Would the correct question then perhaps be: how do you all > handle [x] without an extra blank line at EOF? > > That said, are you looking to disable blank-at-eof from core.whitespace? > Collect all "enabled by default" except this one from [*]. > > [*] > https://git-scm.com/docs/git-config#Documentation/git-config.txt-corewhitespace > > -- Hannes Ah, if "I want a configuration that does not complain when it sees any number (including zero) of blank lines" is what is asked for, then yes, 'blank-at-eof' would be sufficient. I misread the request as "I want it to complain if there is not exactly one blank line at the end" (i.e., zero blank lines will be flagged as not vi-friendly and two or more blank lines will be flagged as excess blank lines at the end). That is not something 'blank-at-eof' would help you achieve. ``` ## Ben Knoble, 2026-08-01 00:05 Subject: Re: Git trailing blank lines feature configuration Message-ID: <06230920-FCA6-495C-BFE5-04DF1CC2A426@gmail.com> In-Reply-To: <5097209.GXAFRqVoOG@cixi> ``` > Le 31 juil. 2026 à 20:55, Thomas Nemeth a écrit : > > Le vendredi 31 juillet 2026, 13:08 Johannes Sixt a écrit : >>> Am 31.07.26 um 12:19 schrieb Thomas Nemeth: >>> I have the habit to keep 1 blank line at the end of my files. To >>> me, >>> it eases the EOF modifications (selecting code blocks, pasting >>> them) >>> in vim. >> >> (Call this is [x].) >> >>> Would it be possible to have a configuration option to avoid >>> warnings >>> (because I see that as a warning) about trailing blank lines ? >> >> Hearing the first time that an extra blank line at EOF is necessary or >> useful. Would the correct question then perhaps be: how do you all > > I wouldn't say necessary, of course. It's -- at least -- my > preference. For _my_ use case, it's useful. When I move code > around, and that code is at the end of the file or to be put > at the end of the file, I find it easier to already have a > blank line there. That is... Because that's how I use vim to > code. I use Vim, too, and I’ve not personally encountered the desire for keeping a blank line at EOF (though occasionally certain operations benefit from placing one there first!). I wonder if you could describe example workflows that lead to this desire? I might learn something, and in exchange, if I see a way to accomplish the same thing with less hassle, I’ll suggest it ;) Cheers ``` ## Thomas Nemeth, 2026-08-01 08:21 Subject: Re: Git trailing blank lines feature configuration Message-ID: <2851117.mvXUDI8C0e@cixi> In-Reply-To: ``` Le vendredi 31 juillet 2026, 20:49 Junio C Hamano a écrit : > Johannes Sixt writes: [...] > >> Would it be possible to have a configuration option to avoid > >> warnings > >> (because I see that as a warning) about trailing blank lines ? [...] > > That said, are you looking to disable blank-at-eof from > > core.whitespace? Collect all "enabled by default" except this one > > from [*]. > > Ah, if "I want a configuration that does not complain when it sees > any number (including zero) of blank lines" is what is asked for, > then yes, 'blank-at-eof' would be sufficient. \o/ Thanks to you all :) -- Thomas. ``` ## Thomas Nemeth, 2026-08-01 08:48 Subject: Re: Git trailing blank lines feature configuration Message-ID: <3433010.aeNJFYEL58@cixi> In-Reply-To: <06230920-FCA6-495C-BFE5-04DF1CC2A426@gmail.com> ``` Le samedi 1 août 2026, 02:05 Ben Knoble a écrit : > > Le 31 juil. 2026 à 20:55, Thomas Nemeth a écrit : > > > > I wouldn't say necessary, of course. It's -- at least -- my > > preference. For _my_ use case, it's useful. When I move code > > around, and that code is at the end of the file or to be put > > at the end of the file, I find it easier to already have a > > blank line there. That is... Because that's how I use vim to > > code. > > I use Vim, too, and I’ve not personally encountered the desire for > keeping a blank line at EOF (though occasionally certain operations > benefit from placing one there first!). > > I wonder if you could describe example workflows that lead to this > desire? I might learn something, and in exchange, if I see a way to > accomplish the same thing with less hassle, I’ll suggest it ;) It's hard to describe something like that :) Imagine you are editing a C file. It contains functions, code blocks an so on. I usually organize my code as such : #includes [...] #defines [...] static variables [...] static functions() [...] public_functions() [...] Code reorganization happens quite some times during the development process. If I need to move a previously static function at the end of the public functions section, I switch to VISUAL, select the function to be moved with the blank lines above (I like having neatly spaced code) _and_ including the eol of the function last line. Then I delete it (d), I move to EOF (:$). As the line is blank I just have to paste (p) it back there. The function is moved. The last blank line is kept for other code movements. Conversely, I can select the last function to move it upper in the file. Adding new functions is also eased. It may be because I use only a few vim commands (especially I rarely use the `o` command). But also because I like spaced code :) -- Thomas. ``` ## Johannes Sixt, 2026-08-01 21:05 Subject: Re: Git trailing blank lines feature configuration Message-ID: <48771457-9f10-4176-897a-f8af2606bf2d@kdbg.org> In-Reply-To: <3433010.aeNJFYEL58@cixi> ``` Am 01.08.26 um 10:48 schrieb Thomas Nemeth: > If I need to move a previously static function at the end of the > public functions section, I switch to VISUAL, select the function > to be moved with the blank lines above (I like having neatly spaced > code) _and_ including the eol of the function last line. > Then I delete it (d), I move to EOF (:$). As the line is blank I > just have to paste (p) it back there. The function is moved. The last > blank line is kept for other code movements. Sounds like you are using character-wise visual mode (v) instead of line-wise mode (V). Use line-wise operations, and these problems are gone. Oh, and BTW, just use G instead of :$ -- Hannes ``` ## Thomas Nemeth, 2026-08-02 08:21 Subject: Re: Git trailing blank lines feature configuration Message-ID: <2845859.mvXUDI8C0e@cixi> In-Reply-To: <48771457-9f10-4176-897a-f8af2606bf2d@kdbg.org> ``` Le samedi 1 août 2026, 23:05 Johannes Sixt a écrit : > Am 01.08.26 um 10:48 schrieb Thomas Nemeth: > > If I need to move a previously static function at the end of the > > public functions section, I switch to VISUAL, select the function > > to be moved with the blank lines above (I like having neatly > > spaced > > code) _and_ including the eol of the function last line. > > Then I delete it (d), I move to EOF (:$). As the line is blank I > > just have to paste (p) it back there. The function is moved. The > > last > > blank line is kept for other code movements. > > Sounds like you are using character-wise visual mode (v) instead of > line-wise mode (V). Use line-wise operations, and these problems are > gone. > > Oh, and BTW, just use G instead of :$ Old habits don't die easily ;) -- Thomas. ```