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[PATCH v6 0/4] docs: update email credential helpers and improve formatting

From
Aditya Garg <gargaditya08@live.com>
Date
May 30, 2025, 11:37 UTC
Message-ID
<20250530113627.8639-1-gargaditya08@live.com>
In-Reply-To
<PN3PR01MB95971131BD3CD89771F19E5DB896A@PN3PR01MB9597.INDPRD01.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM>
Hi all,
This patch series included three patches:
1. The first patch adds a link to the `git-credential-yahoo` helper for
   Yahoo accounts and links Google's `sendgmail` tool as an alternative
   method for sending emails through Gmail.
2. The second patch improves the formatting of the `git-send-email`
   documentation, making it more readable and consistent.
3. The third patch removed the email credential helper links from the
   `gitcredentials` page. The links are still available in the
   `git-send-email` documentation, which is the right place for them.
Detailed explanation of the changes has been done in individual patch.
v2: - Removed instructions for Yahoo SMTP server since I've realised that
      Yahoo *was* a popular email service. Also, the instructions were
      just making the docs more crowded. I've also added a link to
      Google's `sendgmail` tool in the first patch. The second patch has been
      added to address the issues that came up here:
      https://github.com/git/git-scm.com/pull/2005
v3: - Added a patch to improve the formatting of the `git-send-email`
      documentation.
v4: - Added cpan links of the perl modules requires for `git-send-email`
      to work.
v5: - Added a patch to make the purpose of using app password for Gmail
      more clear in `send-email` documentation.
v6: - Reword the documentation a bit more in last patch.
    - Markdown Git: -> 'Git:' in the second patch.
    - Restore the non-existent link (atleast what I believed that to be) in the
      second patch.
    - Remove the unnecessary use of $ with <num> and <int> placeholders in the
      second patch.
    - White at it, also prefer using the word "mechanism" over "method" for
      `OAUTHBEARER` and `XOAUTH2` in git-send-email docs since that is what
      official docs use. This changes has been done in the last patch.
    NOTE: I have not used `` for Headers in the second patch. I think its ok
          to deviate a bit from the rules and not be army men here. If I
          markdown them as code, the whole doc will be filled with codestyled
          blocks, and I think, these headers demand "different treatement"
          than rest other code and variables. Codeblocks everywhere are more
          of hurting the readability of the documentation than helping it.
Aditya Garg (4):
  docs: add credential helper for yahoo and link Google's sendgmail tool
  docs: improve formatting in git-send-email documentation
  docs: remove credential helper links for emails from gitcredentials
  docs: make the purpose of using app password for Gmail more clear in
    send-email
 Documentation/config/sendemail.adoc |   8 +-
 Documentation/git-send-email.adoc   | 203 +++++++++++++++-------------
 Documentation/gitcredentials.adoc   |   4 -
 3 files changed, 114 insertions(+), 101 deletions(-)
Range-diff against v5:
-:  ---------- > 1:  2c47cc5396 docs: add credential helper for yahoo and link Google's sendgmail tool
1:  bc1d0471ca ! 2:  20da5d6a58 docs: improve formatting in git-send-email documentation
    @@ Commit message
     
         The current documentation for git-send-email had an inconsistent use of
         "", ``, and '' for quoting. This commit improves the formatting by
    -    using the same style throughout the documentation.
    -
    -    Also, at some places, minor grammatical errors were fixed, and some
    -    non existent links were removed.
    +    using the same style throughout the documentation. Missing full stops
    +    have also been added at some places.
     
         Finally, the cpan links of necessary perl modules have been added to
         make their installation easier.
     
    +    While at it, the unecessary use of $ with <num> and <int> placeholders
    +    has also been removed.
    +
         Signed-off-by: Aditya Garg <gargaditya08@live.com>
     
      ## Documentation/config/sendemail.adoc ##
    @@ Documentation/git-send-email.adoc: This option may be specified multiple times.
     +When `--compose` is used, `git send-email` will use the 'From', 'To', 'Cc',
     +'Bcc', 'Subject', 'Reply-To', and 'In-Reply-To' headers specified in the
     +message. If the body of the message (what you type after the headers and a
    -+blank line) only contains blank (or Git: prefixed) lines, the summary won't be
    ++blank line) only contains blank (or 'Git:' prefixed) lines, the summary won't be
      sent, but the headers mentioned above will be used unless they are
      removed.
      +
    @@ Documentation/git-send-email.adoc: must be used for each option.
      	Path to a store of trusted CA certificates for SMTP SSL/TLS
      	certificate validation (either a directory that has been processed
     -	by 'c_rehash', or a single file containing one or more PEM format
    --	certificates concatenated together: see verify(1) -CAfile and
    --	-CApath for more information on these). Set it to an empty string
     +	by `c_rehash`, or a single file containing one or more PEM format
    -+	certificates concatenated together). Set it to an empty string
    + 	certificates concatenated together: see verify(1) -CAfile and
    + 	-CApath for more information on these). Set it to an empty string
      	to disable certificate verification. Defaults to the value of the
    - 	`sendemail.smtpSSLCertPath` configuration variable, if set, or the
    - 	backing SSL library's compiled-in default otherwise (which should
     @@ Documentation/git-send-email.adoc: must be used for each option.
      	connection and authentication problems.
      
    @@ Documentation/git-send-email.adoc: must be used for each option.
     -	and reconnect, to work around such a limit.  You may want to
     -	use some form of credential helper to avoid having to retype
     -	your password every time this happens.  Defaults to the
    -+	sending `$<num>` messages and wait for a few seconds
    ++	sending _<num>_ messages and wait for a few seconds
     +	(see `--relogin-delay`) and reconnect, to work around such a limit.
     +	You may want to use some form of credential helper to avoid having to
     +	retype your password every time this happens.  Defaults to the
    @@ Documentation/git-send-email.adoc: must be used for each option.
      --relogin-delay=<int>::
     -	Waiting $<int> seconds before reconnecting to SMTP server. Used together
     -	with --batch-size option.  Defaults to the `sendemail.smtpReloginDelay`
    -+	Waiting `$<int>` seconds before reconnecting to SMTP server. Used together
    ++	Waiting _<int>_ seconds before reconnecting to SMTP server. Used together
     +	with `--batch-size` option.  Defaults to the `sendemail.smtpReloginDelay`
      	configuration variable.
      
2:  b9e41e2492 = 3:  a05958c7aa docs: remove credential helper links for emails from gitcredentials
3:  a6ad7ac810 ! 4:  0bf48ac27d docs: make the purpose of using app password for Gmail more clear in send-email
    @@ Commit message
         enabled. Most likely the example was written in the days when Google
         allowed using normal passwords without multi-factor authentication.
     
    -    This commit clarifies that app passwords are required and suggests using
    -    OAuth2 if the user does not want to enable multi-factor authentication.
    +    Clarify that regular passwords do not work for Gmail and app-passwords
    +    are the only way for basic authentication. Also encourage users to use
    +    OAuth2 as a more secure alternative.
    +
    +    While at it, also prefer using the word "mechanism" over "method" for
    +    `OAUTHBEARER` and `XOAUTH2` since that is what official docs use.
    +
    +    Signed-off-by: Aditya Garg <gargaditya08@live.com>
     
      ## Documentation/git-send-email.adoc ##
     @@ Documentation/git-send-email.adoc: edit `~/.gitconfig` to specify your account settings:
      	smtpServerPort = 587
      ----
      
    -+Gmail does not allow using your account password for `git send-email`.
    ++Gmail does not allow using your regular password for `git send-email`.
      If you have multi-factor authentication set up on your Gmail account, you can
      generate an app-specific password for use with `git send-email`. Visit
      https://security.google.com/settings/security/apppasswords to create it.
    -+If you do not want to enable multi-factor authentication, you can use OAuth2.0
    -+authentication as described below.
      
    - You can also use OAuth2.0 authentication with Gmail. `OAUTHBEARER` and
    - `XOAUTH2` are common methods used for this type of authentication. Gmail
    +-You can also use OAuth2.0 authentication with Gmail. `OAUTHBEARER` and
    +-`XOAUTH2` are common methods used for this type of authentication. Gmail
    +-supports both of them. As an example, if you want to use `OAUTHBEARER`, edit
    +-your `~/.gitconfig` file and add `smtpAuth = OAUTHBEARER` to your account
    +-settings:
    ++Alternatively, instead of using an app-specific password, you can use
    ++OAuth2.0 authentication with Gmail. OAuth2.0 is more secure than
    ++app-specific passwords, and works regardless of whether you have multi-factor
    ++authentication set up. `OAUTHBEARER` and `XOAUTH2` are common mechanisms used
    ++for this type of authentication. Gmail supports both of them. As an example,
    ++if you want to use `OAUTHBEARER`, edit your `~/.gitconfig` file and add
    ++`smtpAuth = OAUTHBEARER` to your account settings:
    + 
    + ----
    + [sendemail]
    +@@ Documentation/git-send-email.adoc: settings:
    + 	smtpAuth = OAUTHBEARER
    + ----
    + 
    +-Alternatively, you can use a tool developed by Google known as
    ++Another alternative is using a tool developed by Google known as
    + https://github.com/google/gmail-oauth2-tools/tree/master/go/sendgmail[sendgmail]
    + to send emails using `git send-email`.
    + 
    +@@ Documentation/git-send-email.adoc: Use Microsoft Outlook as the SMTP Server
    + ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + Unlike Gmail, Microsoft Outlook no longer supports app-specific passwords.
    + Therefore, OAuth2.0 authentication must be used for Outlook. Also, it only
    +-supports `XOAUTH2` authentication method.
    ++supports `XOAUTH2` authentication mechanism.
    + 
    + Edit `~/.gitconfig` to specify your account settings for Outlook and use its
    + SMTP server with `git send-email`:
-- 
2.49.0.638.g03d7d6a772
Previous: Aditya GargNext: Aditya Garg
Message 42 of 52 in “docs: add instructions to use Yahoo with send-mail”
  1. docs: add instructions to use Yahoo with send-mailAditya Garg, May 13, 2025
  2. Aditya GargMay 13, 2025
  3. Junio C HamanoMay 13, 2025
  4. Aditya GargMay 13, 2025
  5. Aditya GargMay 13, 2025
  6. Junio C HamanoMay 14, 2025
  7. Aditya GargMay 14, 2025
  8. 0/2 docs: update email credential helpersAditya Garg, May 15, 2025
  9. 1/2 docs: add credential helper for yahoo and link Google's sendgmail toolAditya Garg, May 15, 2025
  10. 2/2 docs: remove credential helper links for emails from gitcredentialsAditya Garg, May 15, 2025
  11. 0/3 docs: update email credential helpers and improve formattingAditya Garg, May 18, 2025
  12. 1/3 docs: add credential helper for yahoo and link Google's sendgmail toolAditya Garg, May 18, 2025
  13. 2/3 docs: improve formatting in git-send-email documentationAditya Garg, May 18, 2025
  14. 3/3 docs: remove credential helper links for emails from gitcredentialsAditya Garg, May 18, 2025
  15. 0/3 docs: update email credential helpers and improve formattingAditya Garg, May 19, 2025
  16. 1/3 docs: add credential helper for yahoo and link Google's sendgmail toolAditya Garg, May 19, 2025
  17. 2/3 docs: improve formatting in git-send-email documentationAditya Garg, May 19, 2025
  18. 3/3 docs: remove credential helper links for emails from gitcredentialsAditya Garg, May 19, 2025
  19. Junio C HamanoMay 19, 2025
  20. Aditya GargMay 19, 2025
  21. 0/4 docs: update email credential helpers and improve formattingAditya Garg, May 28, 2025
  22. 1/4 docs: add credential helper for yahoo and link Google's sendgmail toolAditya Garg, May 28, 2025
  23. 2/4 docs: improve formatting in git-send-email documentationAditya Garg, May 28, 2025
  24. Junio C HamanoMay 29, 2025
  25. Aditya GargMay 29, 2025
  26. Junio C HamanoMay 30, 2025
  27. Aditya GargMay 30, 2025
  28. Junio C HamanoMay 30, 2025
  29. Aditya GargMay 30, 2025
  30. Junio C HamanoMay 30, 2025
  31. Ben KnobleMay 30, 2025
  32. Aditya GargMay 30, 2025
  33. 4/4 docs: make the purpose of using app password for Gmail more clear in send-emailAditya Garg, May 28, 2025
  34. Junio C HamanoMay 29, 2025
  35. Aditya GargMay 29, 2025
  36. 3/4 docs: remove credential helper links for emails from gitcredentialsAditya Garg, May 28, 2025
  37. Eric SunshineMay 28, 2025
  38. Aditya GargMay 28, 2025
  39. Aditya GargMay 28, 2025
  40. Aditya GargMay 28, 2025
  41. Aditya GargMay 28, 2025
  42. 0/4 docs: update email credential helpers and improve formattingAditya Garg, May 30, 2025
  43. 1/4 docs: add credential helper for yahoo and link Google's sendgmail toolAditya Garg, May 30, 2025
  44. 2/4 docs: improve formatting in git-send-email documentationAditya Garg, May 30, 2025
  45. 3/4 docs: remove credential helper links for emails from gitcredentialsAditya Garg, May 30, 2025
  46. 4/4 docs: make the purpose of using app password for Gmail more clear in send-emailAditya Garg, May 30, 2025
  47. 0/4 docs: add credential helper for yahoo and link Google's sendgmail toolAditya Garg, May 30, 2025
  48. 1/4 docs: add credential helper for yahoo and link Google's sendgmail toolAditya Garg, May 30, 2025
  49. 2/4 docs: improve formatting in git-send-email documentationAditya Garg, May 30, 2025
  50. 3/4 docs: remove credential helper links for emails from gitcredentialsAditya Garg, May 30, 2025
  51. 4/4 docs: make the purpose of using app password for Gmail more clear in send-emailAditya Garg, May 30, 2025
  52. Junio C HamanoMay 30, 2025

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