Re: [PATCH] checkout: add config variable checkout.autoDetach

From: Andy Koppe <andy.koppe@gmail.com>
Date: Nov 12, 2023, 09:15 UTC
Message-ID: <859a0c38-b7cd-4d6b-a4c8-c530fbe6e928@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <xmqqbkbzo6ba.fsf@gitster.g>

On 12/11/2023 06:04, Junio C Hamano wrote:

Show 19 quoted lines

> Andy Koppe <andy.koppe@gmail.com> writes:
> 
>> The git-checkout command without pathspecs automatically detaches HEAD
>> when switching to something other than a branch, whereas git-switch
>> requires the --detach option to do so.
>>
>> Add configuration variable checkout.autoDetach to choose the behavior
>> for both: true for automatic detaching, false for requiring --detach.
>>
>> Amend their documentation and tests accordingly.
>>
>> Signed-off-by: Andy Koppe <andy.koppe@gmail.com>
>> ---
> 
> "switch" was meant to be an experimental command to sort out this
> kind of UI ideas, and I think the fact that it requires a more
> explicit "--detach", where experienced users might just say "git
> checkout that-branch^0", has established itself as a more friendly
> and good thing to help new users.

I agree, but as an experienced user, I nevertheless prefer switch and restore over checkout, because those are rather different tasks, and with checkout you're only ever a small thinko and errant dot away from losing your local changes. If switch and restore had existed first, I don't think anyone would be asking for mashing them together.

Incidentally, as reset is similarly overloaded, and restore can also replace the forms of reset that take pathspec arguments, was there a similar plan to factor the head-moving forms of reset out into a separate command? (I realise there'd be little appetite for that after the switch/restore experiment.)

> I do not know how others react to
> this kind of proliferation of configuration variables, but I do not
> mind this particular variable existing.

Thanks. There's also the checkout.guess variable as a closely related precedent.

Regards, Andy