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[PATCH v3 5/6] doc: git-checkout: split up restoring files section

From
Julia Evans via GitGitGadget <gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
Date
Sep 3, 2025, 16:50 UTC
Message-ID
<24793f9a451a1b906952256bc2f67c395a02f66b.1756918202.git.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To
<pull.1962.v3.git.1756918202.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
From: Julia Evans <julia@jvns.ca>

Will make it easier to explain the two versions clearly in the following commit. As a bonus, now the structure of the DESCRIPTION matches the SYNOPSIS.

Also remove `-f` from `git checkout <tree-ish> <pathspec>` since it's not relevant in that context.

Signed-off-by: Julia Evans <julia@jvns.ca>
---
 Documentation/git-checkout.adoc | 23 +++++++++++++----------
 1 file changed, 13 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-)
diff --git a/Documentation/git-checkout.adoc b/Documentation/git-checkout.adoc
index d35fd32ce8..b361ff011a 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-checkout.adoc
+++ b/Documentation/git-checkout.adoc
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ git checkout [-q] [-f] [-m] [<branch>]
 git checkout [-q] [-f] [-m] --detach [<branch>]
 git checkout [-q] [-f] [-m] [--detach] <commit>
 git checkout [-q] [-f] [-m] [[-b|-B|--orphan] <new-branch>] [<start-point>]
-git checkout [-f] <tree-ish> [--] <pathspec>...
-git checkout [-f] <tree-ish> --pathspec-from-file=<file> [--pathspec-file-nul]
+git checkout <tree-ish> [--] <pathspec>...
+git checkout <tree-ish> --pathspec-from-file=<file> [--pathspec-file-nul]
 git checkout [-f|--ours|--theirs|-m|--conflict=<style>] [--] <pathspec>...
 git checkout [-f|--ours|--theirs|-m|--conflict=<style>] --pathspec-from-file=<file> [--pathspec-file-nul]
 git checkout (-p|--patch) [<tree-ish>] [--] [<pathspec>...]
@@ -71,14 +71,17 @@ commit would overwrite your uncommitted changes.
 +
 Omitting _<branch>_ detaches `HEAD` at the tip of the current branch.
 
-`git checkout [-f|--ours|--theirs|-m|--conflict=<style>] [<tree-ish>] [--] <pathspec>...`::
-`git checkout [-f|--ours|--theirs|-m|--conflict=<style>] [<tree-ish>] --pathspec-from-file=<file> [--pathspec-file-nul]`::
+`git checkout <tree-ish> [--] <pathspec>...`::
+`git checkout <tree-ish> --pathspec-from-file=<file> [--pathspec-file-nul]`::
 
-	Overwrite the contents of the files that match the pathspec.
-	When the _<tree-ish>_ (most often a commit) is not given,
-	overwrite working tree with the contents in the index.
-	When the _<tree-ish>_ is given, overwrite both the index and
-	the working tree with the contents at the _<tree-ish>_.
+	Overwrite both the index and the working tree with the
+	contents at the _<tree-ish>_ for the files that match the pathspec.
+
+`git checkout [-f|--ours|--theirs|-m|--conflict=<style>] [--] <pathspec>...`::
+`git checkout [-f|--ours|--theirs|-m|--conflict=<style>] --pathspec-from-file=<file> [--pathspec-file-nul]`::
+
+	Overwrite working tree with the contents in the index for the files
+	that match the pathspec.
 +
 The index may contain unmerged entries because of a previous failed merge.
 By default, if you try to check out such an entry from the index, the
@@ -89,7 +92,7 @@ using `--ours` or `--theirs`.  With `-m`, changes made to the working tree
 file can be discarded to re-create the original conflicted merge result.
 
 `git checkout (-p|--patch) [<tree-ish>] [--] [<pathspec>...]`::
-	This is similar to the previous mode, but lets you use the
+	This is similar to the previous two modes, but lets you use the
 	interactive interface to show the "diff" output and choose which
 	hunks to use in the result.  See below for the description of
 	`--patch` option.
-- 
gitgitgadget
Previous: Julia Evans via GitGitGadgetNext: Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
Message 44 of 68 in “doc: git-checkout: clarify DESCRIPTION section”
  1. 0/5 doc: git-checkout: clarify DESCRIPTION sectionJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 25, 2025
  2. 1/5 doc: git-checkout: clarify introJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 25, 2025
  3. Junio C HamanoAug 26, 2025
  4. Junio C HamanoAug 26, 2025
  5. Julia EvansAug 26, 2025
  6. D. Ben KnobleAug 28, 2025
  7. Julia EvansAug 28, 2025
  8. Junio C HamanoAug 28, 2025
  9. D. Ben KnobleAug 29, 2025
  10. Junio C HamanoAug 29, 2025
  11. D. Ben KnobleSep 3, 2025
  12. 2/5 doc: git-checkout: clarify `git checkout <branch>`Julia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 25, 2025
  13. Junio C HamanoAug 26, 2025
  14. Julia EvansAug 28, 2025
  15. Junio C HamanoAug 28, 2025
  16. Julia EvansAug 28, 2025
  17. 3/5 doc: git-checkout: don't use "reset"Julia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 25, 2025
  18. 4/5 doc: git-checkout: deduplicate --detach explanationJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 25, 2025
  19. 5/5 doc: git-checkout: clarify restoring files sectionJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 25, 2025
  20. Junio C HamanoAug 26, 2025
  21. Julia EvansAug 28, 2025
  22. D. Ben KnobleAug 28, 2025
  23. Julia EvansAug 28, 2025
  24. Junio C HamanoAug 28, 2025
  25. D. Ben KnobleAug 29, 2025
  26. 0/5 doc: git-checkout: clarify DESCRIPTION sectionJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 29, 2025
  27. 1/5 doc: git-checkout: clarify introJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 29, 2025
  28. Junio C HamanoAug 29, 2025
  29. Julia EvansSep 2, 2025
  30. 2/5 doc: git-checkout: clarify `git checkout <branch>`Julia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 29, 2025
  31. Junio C HamanoAug 29, 2025
  32. Julia EvansSep 2, 2025
  33. 3/5 doc: git-checkout: don't use "reset"Julia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 29, 2025
  34. Junio C HamanoAug 29, 2025
  35. Julia EvansSep 1, 2025
  36. Junio C HamanoSep 2, 2025
  37. 4/5 doc: git-checkout: deduplicate --detach explanationJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 29, 2025
  38. 5/5 doc: git-checkout: clarify restoring files sectionJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 29, 2025
  39. 0/6 doc: git-checkout: clarify DESCRIPTION sectionJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 3, 2025
  40. 1/6 doc: git-checkout: clarify introJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 3, 2025
  41. 2/6 doc: git-checkout: clarify `git checkout <branch>`Julia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 3, 2025
  42. 3/6 doc: git-checkout: clarify `-b` and `-B`Julia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 3, 2025
  43. 4/6 doc: git-checkout: deduplicate --detach explanationJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 3, 2025
  44. 5/6 doc: git-checkout: split up restoring files sectionJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 3, 2025
  45. 6/6 doc: git-checkout: clarify restoring files sectionJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 3, 2025
  46. Junio C HamanoSep 3, 2025
  47. Junio C HamanoSep 3, 2025
  48. Julia EvansSep 3, 2025
  49. 0/7 doc: git-checkout: clarify DESCRIPTION sectionJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 10, 2025
  50. 1/7 doc: git-checkout: clarify intro sentenceJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 10, 2025
  51. 2/7 doc: git-checkout: clarify ARGUMENT DISAMBIGUATIONJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 10, 2025
  52. 3/7 doc: git-checkout: clarify `git checkout <branch>`Julia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 10, 2025
  53. 4/7 doc: git-checkout: clarify `-b` and `-B`Julia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 10, 2025
  54. Kristoffer HaugsbakkSep 29, 2025
  55. doc: git-checkout: fix placeholder markupkristofferhaugsbakk@fastmail.com, Oct 2, 2025
  56. doc: git-checkout: fix placeholder markupkristofferhaugsbakk@fastmail.com, Oct 16, 2025
  57. Julia EvansOct 17, 2025
  58. doc: git-checkout: fix placeholder markupkristofferhaugsbakk@fastmail.com, Oct 17, 2025
  59. 5/7 doc: git-checkout: deduplicate --detach explanationJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 10, 2025
  60. 6/7 doc: git-checkout: split up restoring files sectionJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 10, 2025
  61. 7/7 doc: git-checkout: clarify restoring files sectionJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Sep 10, 2025
  62. Ben KnobleSep 11, 2025
  63. Julia EvansSep 12, 2025
  64. Kristoffer HaugsbakkSep 12, 2025
  65. Junio C HamanoSep 15, 2025
  66. Kristoffer HaugsbakkSep 16, 2025
  67. Junio C HamanoSep 12, 2025
  68. Junio C HamanoSep 17, 2025

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