From: Milan Hauth <milahu@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 08 Sep 2025 19:09:20 GMT
Subject: Re: Git dumb HTTP protocol should use WebDAV PROPFIND method
Message-ID: <CAGiEHCuaqu0ia7H8FKAPLcL3Gi_b0gKYe6ugjYAbyVkbd266_w@mail.gmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <xmqqikhswzl7.fsf@gitster.g>

> assume that WebDAV exists on the server side

no

plan A:
q: GET $url/info/refs
r: HTTP 404

plan B:
q: GET $url/.git/info/refs
r: HTTP 404

plan C:
q: OPTIONS
r: Allow: GET,HEAD,PROPFIND,OPTIONS
q: PROPFIND $url
r: ...

plan D:
q: PROPFIND $url/.git/
r: ...

(q = query, r = response)

so instead of throwing

> fatal: repository '$url' not found

git should try plan A, B, C, D, ...
to fetch data from the repo

currently, git gives up after plan A



> the WHOLE point of supporting "dumb HTTP" transport
> is to allow a truly dumb HTTP serving infrastructure

there are at least 2 variants of "dumb HTTP servers":
HTTP servers without WebDAV
HTTP servers with WebDAV



> assume that WebDAV exists on the server side

for HTTP servers without WebDAV
see my other thread

Git dumb HTTP protocol should work without update-server-info
https://lore.kernel.org/git/CAGiEHCtP29bQRsEyLabNrLuiP96P-o7EEGi88B7pJbP0tfprxw@mail.gmail.com/