[PATCH 1/1] doc: Glossary, describe Flattening

From

Philip Oakley <philipoakley@iee.email>

Date

May 13, 2023, 16:56 UTC

Message-ID

<20230513165657.812-1-philipoakley@iee.email>

In-Reply-To

<xmqq5ybug8s8.fsf@gitster.g>

[1] https://lore.kernel.org/git/xmqqr0ukggk5.fsf@gitster.g/

[2] https://lore.kernel.org/git/xmqq5ybug8s8.fsf@gitster.g/

Signed-off-by: Philip Oakley <philipoakley@iee.email>
---
 Documentation/glossary-content.txt | 13 +++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 13 insertions(+)

diff --git a/Documentation/glossary-content.txt b/Documentation/glossary-content.txt
index 5a537268e2..36125e503c 100644
--- a/Documentation/glossary-content.txt
+++ b/Documentation/glossary-content.txt
@@ -173,6 +173,19 @@ current branch integrates with) obviously do not work, as there is no
 	missing from the local <<def_object_database,object database>>,
 	and to get them, too.  See also linkgit:git-fetch[1].
 
+[[def_flatten]]flatten::
+	Flattening is a common term for the 'linearizing' of a
+	selected portion of the <<def_commit_graph_general,commit graph>>.
+	Flattening may include excluding commits, or rearranging commits,
+	for the linearized sequence.
+	In particular, linkgit:git-log[1] and linkgit:git-show[1] have a
+	range of "History Simplification" techniques that affect which
+	commits are included, and how they are linearized.
+	The default linkgit:git-rebase[1] will drop merge commits when it
+	flattens history, which also may be unexpected.
+	The two common linearization types are chronological (date-time), and
+	topological (shape) based orderings. Generation numbering is topological.
+
 [[def_file_system]]file system::
 	Linus Torvalds originally designed Git to be a user space file system,
 	i.e. the infrastructure to hold files and directories. That ensured the

-- 
2.40.0.windows.1