From: Tamir Duberstein <tamird@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 11 May 2026 00:32:29 GMT
Subject: Re: [PATCH v3] doc: clarify --follow and log.follow for git log
Message-ID: <CAJ-ks9krzLO_+O74omAfeVByUBh=rDGSVSarf5PGwkdWepzubw@mail.gmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <xmqqv7cux0q7.fsf@gitster.g>

On Sun, May 10, 2026 at 8:13 PM Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> wrote:
>
> Tamir Duberstein <tamird@gmail.com> writes:
>
> > I observed this "undefined" behavior, which is why I started working
> > on this patch. I think it is not reasonable to deal with undefined
> > behavior by pretending it doesn't exist. The documentation should
> > acknowledge and explain what happens when this option is used for all
> > ways that it can be used.
>
> No, you are misguided.
>
> Undefined behaviour can change without notice, and users should be
> strongly discouraged from using it.  Describing what the current
> implementation happens to do moves us exactly in the opposite
> direction.
>
> `--follow` is a checkbox feature. You can use it "only with a single
> filename on a linear history" or all bets are off otherwise.
>
> That is what we should describe if we want to be honest.

At the very least the documentation should state this...?