Re: [PATCH] Clarification for the command "git checkout <branch>"

From: Markus Elfring <markus.elfring@web.de>
Date: Mar 17, 2010, 16:35 UTC
Message-ID: <4BA104C7.5020207@web.de>
In-Reply-To: <4b8bf32f.0706c00a.26cb.691d@mx.google.com>

>From 828d97e2f50b49c87138f382d579605dc134d8ca Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001

From: Markus Elfring <Markus.Elfring@web.de>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:05:08 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] Documentation: clarification for the command "git checkout <branch>"

The software implementation worked differently in comparison to the description in the first paragraph. The updated explanation should reflect the current behaviour.

Signed-off-by: Markus Elfring <Markus.Elfring@web.de>
---

> I think it would be a great contribution if you could clean up
> Junio's explanation and submit a patch that includes it in the
> documentation for "git checkout".

Will the following wording be acceptable?

Regards, Markus

 Documentation/git-checkout.txt |    9 +++++----
 1 files changed, 5 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Documentation/git-checkout.txt b/Documentation/git-checkout.txt
index 37c1810..5fcea56 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-checkout.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-checkout.txt
@@ -15,10 +15,11 @@ SYNOPSIS
 
 DESCRIPTION
 -----------
-
-When <paths> are not given, this command switches branches by
-updating the index, working tree, and HEAD to reflect the specified
-branch.
+When <paths> are not given, this command marks the specified branch
+as the next commit target. (The reference "HEAD" points to its tip.)
+Checking out another branch (branch switching) is designed to carry
+your local modifications across with you. The working tree is not
+restored to the state of its last commit.
 
 If `-b` is given, a new branch is created and checked out, as if
 linkgit:git-branch[1] were called; in this case you can

-- 
1.7.0.1