Re: [PATCH] [RFC] Make git-update-ref invoke the update and post-update hooks

From: Brian Vandenberg <phantall@gmail.com>
Date: Jun 15, 2015, 20:58 UTC
Message-ID: <CAEJ-0i8mfabWoLivX_ZJHRJBYFftoENWmHw5__CGphK54oOpug@mail.gmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <xmqqpp4w7mco.fsf@gitster.dls.corp.google.com>

On Mon, Jun 15, 2015 at 2:22 PM, Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> wrote:

Show 5 quoted lines

> I am ultra-doubtful at this point ;-)
>
> For one thing, update-ref is not a tool that is exclusive to
> receiving object transfer aka receive-pack, so it makes no sense for
> it to pay attention to post-update.

I was a little dubious about that as well, though I like the idea of update-ref having a hook.

Show 13 quoted lines

> Also it is a low-level plumbing; the policy issues should come at a
> level higher than that.  I.e. Porcelain scripts implemented using
> them as building blocks should be the ones that you do your policy,
> e.g.
>
>         if whatever logic you want to use in your policy says OK
>         then
>                 git update-ref ...args...
>         else
>                 echo >&2 "My policy does not like your arguments"
>                 exit 1
>         fi
>

In principle I agree, though telling people "you should use xyz script" is one thing; in practice they're more likely to google "git alter history" and eventually find an explanation for using update-ref, completely bypassing any policy/protocol we put in place for altering history on the master repo.

Would you be less doubtful about adding a lower-level hook for update-ref? Or in lieu of that, a config option that can affect the behavior of its "-m" and "-d" options?

-Brian