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[PATCH v4 09/10] builtin/maintenance: make "gc" strategy accessible

From
Patrick Steinhardt <ps@pks.im>
Date
Oct 27, 2025, 08:30 UTC
Message-ID
<20251027-pks-maintenance-geometric-strategy-v4-9-18049e4a0adf@pks.im>
In-Reply-To
<20251027-pks-maintenance-geometric-strategy-v4-0-18049e4a0adf@pks.im>

While the user can pick the "incremental" maintenance strategy, it is not possible to explicitly use the "gc" strategy. This has two downsides:

  - It is impossible to use the default "gc" strategy for a specific
    repository when the strategy was globally set to a different strategy.
  - It is not possible to use git-gc(1) for scheduled maintenance.

Address these issues by making making the "gc" strategy configurable. Furthermore, extend the strategy so that git-gc(1) runs for both manual and scheduled maintenance.

Signed-off-by: Patrick Steinhardt <ps@pks.im>
---
 Documentation/config/maintenance.adoc |  2 ++
 builtin/gc.c                          |  9 ++++++---
 t/t7900-maintenance.sh                | 14 +++++++++++++-
 3 files changed, 21 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)
diff --git a/Documentation/config/maintenance.adoc b/Documentation/config/maintenance.adoc
index b7e90a71a3d..b2bacdc8220 100644
--- a/Documentation/config/maintenance.adoc
+++ b/Documentation/config/maintenance.adoc
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ The possible strategies are:
 +
 * `none`: This strategy implies no tasks are run at all. This is the default
   strategy for scheduled maintenance.
+* `gc`: This strategy runs the `gc` task. This is the default strategy for
+  manual maintenance.
 * `incremental`: This setting optimizes for performing small maintenance
   activities that do not delete any data. This does not schedule the `gc`
   task, but runs the `prefetch` and `commit-graph` tasks hourly, the
diff --git a/builtin/gc.c b/builtin/gc.c
index 3c0a9a2e5df..8cab1450095 100644
--- a/builtin/gc.c
+++ b/builtin/gc.c
@@ -1843,10 +1843,11 @@ struct maintenance_strategy {
 
 static const struct maintenance_strategy none_strategy = { 0 };
 
-static const struct maintenance_strategy default_strategy = {
+static const struct maintenance_strategy gc_strategy = {
 	.tasks = {
 		[TASK_GC] = {
-			.type = MAINTENANCE_TYPE_MANUAL,
+			.type = MAINTENANCE_TYPE_MANUAL | MAINTENANCE_TYPE_SCHEDULED,
+			.schedule = SCHEDULE_DAILY,
 		},
 	},
 };
@@ -1894,6 +1895,8 @@ static struct maintenance_strategy parse_maintenance_strategy(const char *name)
 {
 	if (!strcasecmp(name, "incremental"))
 		return incremental_strategy;
+	if (!strcasecmp(name, "gc"))
+		return gc_strategy;
 	die(_("unknown maintenance strategy: '%s'"), name);
 }
 
@@ -1937,7 +1940,7 @@ static void initialize_task_config(struct maintenance_run_opts *opts,
 		strategy = none_strategy;
 		type = MAINTENANCE_TYPE_SCHEDULED;
 	} else {
-		strategy = default_strategy;
+		strategy = gc_strategy;
 		type = MAINTENANCE_TYPE_MANUAL;
 	}
 
diff --git a/t/t7900-maintenance.sh b/t/t7900-maintenance.sh
index a791a38916e..65417a1e9c3 100755
--- a/t/t7900-maintenance.sh
+++ b/t/t7900-maintenance.sh
@@ -915,7 +915,7 @@ test_expect_success 'maintenance.strategy is respected' '
 		git gc --quiet --no-detach --skip-foreground-tasks
 		EOF
 
-		test_strategy incremental --schedule=weekly <<-\EOF
+		test_strategy incremental --schedule=weekly <<-\EOF &&
 		git pack-refs --all --prune
 		git prune-packed --quiet
 		git multi-pack-index write --no-progress
@@ -923,6 +923,18 @@ test_expect_success 'maintenance.strategy is respected' '
 		git multi-pack-index repack --no-progress --batch-size=1
 		git commit-graph write --split --reachable --no-progress
 		EOF
+
+		test_strategy gc <<-\EOF &&
+		git pack-refs --all --prune
+		git reflog expire --all
+		git gc --quiet --no-detach --skip-foreground-tasks
+		EOF
+
+		test_strategy gc --schedule=weekly <<-\EOF
+		git pack-refs --all --prune
+		git reflog expire --all
+		git gc --quiet --no-detach --skip-foreground-tasks
+		EOF
 	)
 '
 
-- 
2.51.1.930.gacf6e81ea2.dirty
Previous: Patrick SteinhardtNext: Patrick Steinhardt
Message 65 of 69 in “builtin/maintenance: introduce "geometric" strategy”
  1. 0/8 builtin/maintenance: introduce "geometric" strategyPatrick Steinhardt, Oct 16, 2025
  2. 1/8 builtin/gc: remove global `repack` variablePatrick Steinhardt, Oct 16, 2025
  3. Justin ToblerOct 16, 2025
  4. Taylor BlauOct 17, 2025
  5. 2/8 builtin/gc: make `too_many_loose_objects()` reusable without GC configPatrick Steinhardt, Oct 16, 2025
  6. Junio C HamanoOct 16, 2025
  7. 3/8 builtin/maintenance: introduce "geometric-repack" taskPatrick Steinhardt, Oct 16, 2025
  8. Justin ToblerOct 16, 2025
  9. Patrick SteinhardtOct 17, 2025
  10. Taylor BlauOct 17, 2025
  11. Patrick SteinhardtOct 21, 2025
  12. Taylor BlauOct 23, 2025
  13. Patrick SteinhardtOct 24, 2025
  14. 4/8 builtin/maintenance: don't silently ignore invalid strategyPatrick Steinhardt, Oct 16, 2025
  15. 5/8 builtin/maintenance: run maintenance tasks depending on typePatrick Steinhardt, Oct 16, 2025
  16. 6/8 builtin/maintenance: extend "maintenance.strategy" to manual maintenancePatrick Steinhardt, Oct 16, 2025
  17. 7/8 builtin/maintenance: make "gc" strategy accessiblePatrick Steinhardt, Oct 16, 2025
  18. 8/8 builtin/maintenance: introduce "geometric" strategyPatrick Steinhardt, Oct 16, 2025
  19. 0/9 builtin/maintenance: introduce "geometric" strategyPatrick Steinhardt, Oct 21, 2025
  20. 1/9 builtin/gc: remove global `repack` variablePatrick Steinhardt, Oct 21, 2025
  21. 2/9 builtin/gc: make `too_many_loose_objects()` reusable without GC configPatrick Steinhardt, Oct 21, 2025
  22. 3/9 builtin/maintenance: introduce "geometric-repack" taskPatrick Steinhardt, Oct 21, 2025
  23. Taylor BlauOct 23, 2025
  24. Patrick SteinhardtOct 24, 2025
  25. 4/9 builtin/maintenance: make the geometric factor configurablePatrick Steinhardt, Oct 21, 2025
  26. Taylor BlauOct 23, 2025
  27. Patrick SteinhardtOct 24, 2025
  28. Taylor BlauOct 24, 2025
  29. 5/9 builtin/maintenance: don't silently ignore invalid strategyPatrick Steinhardt, Oct 21, 2025
  30. Taylor BlauOct 23, 2025
  31. 6/9 builtin/maintenance: run maintenance tasks depending on typePatrick Steinhardt, Oct 21, 2025
  32. Taylor BlauOct 23, 2025
  33. 7/9 builtin/maintenance: extend "maintenance.strategy" to manual maintenancePatrick Steinhardt, Oct 21, 2025
  34. 8/9 builtin/maintenance: make "gc" strategy accessiblePatrick Steinhardt, Oct 21, 2025
  35. 9/9 builtin/maintenance: introduce "geometric" strategyPatrick Steinhardt, Oct 21, 2025
  36. Taylor BlauOct 23, 2025
  37. Patrick SteinhardtOct 24, 2025
  38. Junio C HamanoOct 23, 2025
  39. Taylor BlauOct 23, 2025
  40. 00/10 builtin/maintenance: introduce "geometric" strategyPatrick Steinhardt, Oct 24, 2025
  41. 01/10 builtin/gc: remove global `repack` variablePatrick Steinhardt, Oct 24, 2025
  42. 02/10 builtin/gc: make `too_many_loose_objects()` reusable without GC configPatrick Steinhardt, Oct 24, 2025
  43. 03/10 builtin/maintenance: introduce "geometric-repack" taskPatrick Steinhardt, Oct 24, 2025
  44. Jeff KingOct 25, 2025
  45. Patrick SteinhardtOct 27, 2025
  46. Jeff KingOct 27, 2025
  47. 04/10 builtin/maintenance: make the geometric factor configurablePatrick Steinhardt, Oct 24, 2025
  48. 05/10 builtin/maintenance: don't silently ignore invalid strategyPatrick Steinhardt, Oct 24, 2025
  49. 06/10 builtin/maintenance: improve readability of strategiesPatrick Steinhardt, Oct 24, 2025
  50. 07/10 builtin/maintenance: run maintenance tasks depending on typePatrick Steinhardt, Oct 24, 2025
  51. 08/10 builtin/maintenance: extend "maintenance.strategy" to manual maintenancePatrick Steinhardt, Oct 24, 2025
  52. 09/10 builtin/maintenance: make "gc" strategy accessiblePatrick Steinhardt, Oct 24, 2025
  53. 10/10 builtin/maintenance: introduce "geometric" strategyPatrick Steinhardt, Oct 24, 2025
  54. Taylor BlauOct 24, 2025
  55. Junio C HamanoOct 24, 2025
  56. 00/10 builtin/maintenance: introduce "geometric" strategyPatrick Steinhardt, Oct 27, 2025
  57. 01/10 builtin/gc: remove global `repack` variablePatrick Steinhardt, Oct 27, 2025
  58. 02/10 builtin/gc: make `too_many_loose_objects()` reusable without GC configPatrick Steinhardt, Oct 27, 2025
  59. 03/10 builtin/maintenance: introduce "geometric-repack" taskPatrick Steinhardt, Oct 27, 2025
  60. 04/10 builtin/maintenance: make the geometric factor configurablePatrick Steinhardt, Oct 27, 2025
  61. 05/10 builtin/maintenance: don't silently ignore invalid strategyPatrick Steinhardt, Oct 27, 2025
  62. 06/10 builtin/maintenance: improve readability of strategiesPatrick Steinhardt, Oct 27, 2025
  63. 07/10 builtin/maintenance: run maintenance tasks depending on typePatrick Steinhardt, Oct 27, 2025
  64. 08/10 builtin/maintenance: extend "maintenance.strategy" to manual maintenancePatrick Steinhardt, Oct 27, 2025
  65. 09/10 builtin/maintenance: make "gc" strategy accessiblePatrick Steinhardt, Oct 27, 2025
  66. 10/10 builtin/maintenance: introduce "geometric" strategyPatrick Steinhardt, Oct 27, 2025
  67. Junio C HamanoOct 27, 2025
  68. Patrick SteinhardtOct 27, 2025
  69. Junio C HamanoOct 27, 2025

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