Re: changing the experimental 'git switch' (was: [Summit topic] Improving Git UX)

On 21/10/2021 18:45, Ævar Arnfjörð Bjarmason wrote:

-n is only used very few times for dry run. I found git add git rm git mv

But cherry-pick => no commit pull => no stat rebase => no stat merge => no stat fetch => no tags clone => no checkout

In any case, "-n" has always a "no" meaning (even dry run, mean "no changes to be recorded").

So IMHO -n is a really bad idea for "new"

About "-b" branch: That does give no indication something is created. I find it highly confusing for checkout already, because the word "branch" could also mean "check out to existing branch" rather than doing a detached checkout. However, others may be perfectly fine with -b only referring to branches that will be created.

-c of course is also used for config in clone.... :)

If 2 letters could be used, then -c could be given twice for "create copy" -c  => create -c -c  => create copy -cc  => create copy

---------- Also, will move/copy for switch actually be the same as for "git branch"?

I haven't used them, but from the docs, I take it that a [new/replacement] branch will be created, and this branches tip points to the same commit as the origin branch.

But in "git switch" a new commit for the top is given. So that differs.
Maybe someone can educate me ?
- For move, where is the diff between
   git switch --move existing_branch  commit
   git switch --force-create existing_branch  commit
Afaik only that the reflog will be copied/kept?

For copy what does it mean at all?
   git switch --copy existing_branch  commit
Does not make any sense at all.
Because "copy" means that "existing_branch" is to be kept. So copy needs 
a name for the new branch.
I see 2 possible copies
   git switch --copy existing_branch  new_branch commit
   git switch --copy existing_branch  target_branch
For the latter, it switches to the existing "target_branch", but 
replaces its reflog.

Unless there is more, than the copying of the reflog, wouldn't it be better to add an option "--copy-reflog" Then you could do git switch --copy-reflog=branch   target_branch  # replace reflog of existing target branch git switch --copy-reflog=branch  -c new_branch  target_branch  # new_branch will get the reflog / this is "copy" git switch --copy-reflog=branch  -C new_branch  target_branch  # new_branch will get the reflog git switch --copy-reflog  -C existing_branch  target_branch  # existing_branch will keep the reflog. / this is "move"