Re: [PATCH] t0081: modernize the code testing whether a file exists

From: Kaartic Sivaraam <kaartic.sivaraam@gmail.com>
Date: Oct 15, 2026, 11:43 UTC
Message-ID: <9c905a79-22a2-4db2-b434-00ad8a287300@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <xmqqzewgosyw.fsf@gitster.g>

On 10/15/26 03:17, Junio C Hamano wrote:

Show 14 quoted lines

> Usman Akinyemi <usmanakinyemi202@gmail.com> writes:
> >>> From: Shashank <shashu8660@gmail.com>
>>>
>>> Replace the old-style shell `test -f` command with Git's modern
>>> `test_path_is_file`.
>>>
>>> This instance was found using:
>>> `git grep "test -[efd]" t/'
>> This is not necessary, remove it.
> > Since many candidates are working on similar microprojects (which is
> fine) and making the same mistakes (which is expected), perhaps mentors
> should tell them to read the review exchanges on other candidates'
> patches and learn from them, instead of or in addition to giving the
> same advice repeatedly.

I agree that it is a good advice to ask candidate to read other candidates' patches. We do recommend this in our guide related to working on Microprojects:

 https://git.github.io/General-Microproject-Information/#research-existing-related-work

That said, I just wanted to highlight one thing. In the Microproject ideas page[1], we have the following for this specific idea:

  Notes

  - Start small: Pick a test file with just a few instances to convert
  - Run the test suite after your changes to ensure nothing breaks
  - Follow Git’s commit message style
  - Include which command you used to find the instances in your commit
    message

So, we can't really blame the candidates for including the command in the commit message. It is our mistake asking them to include it in the first place when we don't prefer it to be present there.

I raised a PR to fix that:

  https://github.com/git/git.github.io/pull/875

[1]: https://git.github.io/SoC-2026-Microprojects/

-- 
Sivaraam