Re: git-config(1) should mention `git -c`

From: Jeff King <peff@peff.net>
Date: Aug 23, 2016, 21:41 UTC
Message-ID: <20160823214120.ekaq4mul3pamweej@sigill.intra.peff.net>
In-Reply-To: <xmqqpoozwgm5.fsf@gitster.mtv.corp.google.com>

On Tue, Aug 23, 2016 at 10:16:18AM -0700, Junio C Hamano wrote:

Show 12 quoted lines

> Jeff King <peff@peff.net> writes:
> 
> > That seems like the most sensible place, as that is where we should
> > cover the order of reading and precedence. Perhaps FILES should be
> > renamed to SOURCES or something (though I do not recall if we are
> > restricted to "usual" manpage section names or not).
> >
> > Arguably this is not about git-config the program at all, but the
> > general concept of "configuration for git", because the precedence rules
> > apply equally to all of the git programs that read config.
> 
> True, but that argument leads us to say git(1) is the best place ;-)

Sort of. I agree it is a good place to mention the precedence, but...

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> If the user wants to know "how does the configuration values get
> read?", and wishes not having to go around fishing for the
> information in multiple places (and I think that is a reasonable
> thing to wish for), I think adding it to the FILES section of
> git-config(1) is a better option than inventing a separate
> gitconfig(7), which would still require the user to consult two
> places.

The flip side of "fishing for the information in multiple places" is "I know it is somewhere in git-config(1), but I have to wade through a bunch of cruft about git-config command-line options to find it".

So I'd argue that the concept of config (overview, precedence, file syntax, list of options) could be separate from both git-config(1) and from git(1), and that both of those places could point to it. That introduces a level of indirection which is annoying the first time ("I am reading git-config(1), but now I have to jump to another manpage") but helpful the other times ("I know I want config concepts, not the config tool; I can immediately jump to the right place").

Anyway. Just my two cents on the matter. I think we can improve David's complaint without anything so drastic.

-Peff