From: Karthik Nayak Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2026 10:22:36 GMT Subject: Re: [PATCH v5 0/9] odb: write alternates at creation time Message-ID: In-Reply-To: Patrick Steinhardt writes: > On Thu, Sep 10, 2026 at 12:53:21PM -0700, Karthik Nayak wrote: >> Patrick Steinhardt writes: >> >> > Hi, >> > >> > writing alternates into the object database currently happens via >> > `odb_source_write_alternate()`. But while that creates the ability to >> > create alternates at arbitrary points of a source's lifetime, we don't >> > use that functionality in the first place. Instead, we only ever write >> > alternates when creating a new repository. >> > >> > This design is suboptimal due to a couple of reasons: >> > >> > - It requires us to have a `write_alternates()` callback, which is >> > overblown as we never even write alternates to an object database >> > after it has been created. >> > >> > - We're about to make alternates an implementation detail of the >> > object database's backend in a future patch series, so alternate >> > implementations may not even support them. >> > >> > - The backend has more flexibility with how exactly alternates are >> > configured when it itself is in full control over their setup at the >> > time where it creates the object database itself. >> > >> > This patch series thus refactors how we handle alternates so that we >> > don't write them ad-hoc anymore. Instead, the series introduces a new >> > option for `odb_source_create_on_disk()` that makes it handle those >> > alternates at creation time. >> > >> > This is part of the bigger goal of moving handling of alternates into >> > the "files" backend. >> > >> > This series is built on top of 2c3adbb2c4 (The 18th batch, 2026-08-24) >> > with ps/odb-eagerly-load-alternates at 0076dc9f81 (odb: drop >> > `alternates_db` field, 2026-08-17) merged into it. >> > >> > Changes in v5: >> > - Rename `add_one_alternate` and `add_one_alternate_data` to >> > `collect_one_alternate` and `collect_alternates_data` to clarify >> > their intent a bit. >> > - Drop extra parameter in `collect_alternates()`. >> > - Clarify why we compute `commondir` even though it's unused. >> > - Link to v4: https://patch.msgid.link/20260909-pks-odb-write-alternates-at-creation-time-v4-0-d8a78ffc32e4@pks.im >> > >> >> Looks like you missed my comment/question in >> CAOLa=ZQaPstiQmXm9=TyWPUxL6X2=Lcqeg6y2XeXzSJDpq-GBA@mail.gmail.com, but >> otherwise looks good :) > > Oh, indeed, I somehow overlooked that mail. Replied to it now, but I > don't think it requires further changes. Thanks! > > Patrick With your response, I have nothing more to add! Thanks