Re: Terminology question: "tracking" branches

From: Michael J Gruber <git@drmicha.warpmail.net>
Date: Oct 23, 2008, 08:07 UTC
Message-ID: <490030AB.8090207@drmicha.warpmail.net>
In-Reply-To: <20081022161302.GC16946@atjola.homenet>

Björn Steinbrink venit, vidit, dixit 22.10.2008 18:13:

Show 10 quoted lines

> On 2008.10.22 16:59:58 +0200, Michael J Gruber wrote:
>> - a remote branch (a branch in your local repo which is a copy of a
>> branch in a remote repo; stored under refs/remotes, never to be modified
>> locally)
>> - a (remote) tracking branch (a local branch which is set up to pull
>> from a remote branch by default)
> 
> (Remote) tracking branches are actually what you called remote branches,
> at least according to the git glossary. But I wonder, what is the right
> term for a branch that has the --track setup for pull?

Ooops, I'm sorry. I went by the name of the "--track" option and was sure that that "git help branch" used the name "tracking branch" for the branches created with "--track", but I was wrong. So:

"(remote) tracking branch" is a local branch stored under refs/remotes/ which is a "copy" of a branch on a remote repository.

That leaves open:

- What does "remote branch" mean, if it means anything at all? It could
be used for a branch in a remote repository, i.e. the other side of
fetch/push refspec (remote branch:tracking branch).

- How to name a local branch created with --track off of a (remote)
tracking branch? Local tracking branch? Downstream/work/modification branch?

I think that linguistically, the confusion comes from using the noun as well as the adjective "remote". As an adjective: "remote something" cleary is something residing remotely. As a noun it's the config added by "git remote add".

Note that the glossary doesn't define remote at all. I'd volunteer changing that once the discussion reaches a consensus.

My suggestion would be:

remote (noun): A configuration as created by "git remote add" which points to a remote repository (using a URL) and sets up refspecs for fetching and/or pulling. Note that the URL may point to a local filesystem or even ".". See also remote (adjective).

remote (adjective): Anything residing in another repository. See also remote (noun).

local: Sometimes used to emphasize things residing "locally", i.e. in the repository at hand, as opposed to "remotely".

tracking branch: A branch tracking a (remote) branch on a remote repository, i.e. a local branch stored under refs/remotes/ which is a "copy" of a branch on a remote repository; typically created by "git clone" or "git remote add/update".

remote tracking branch: Synonymous with tracking branch. [remote is a noun, an object for track here]

[adjective to be found] branch: A local branch which is set up to pull or rebase automatically from a tracking branch. Used for local modifications to remote branches. [I'm tempted to use local tracking branch here, but that would just add to the confusion.]

Come to think of it: "Off-track" branch would be the ideal name for a local branch created off of a (remote) tracking branch, using --track to specify the track where things go off. But I'm not sure everyone would like the implied pun...

Cheers, Michael