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Re: [PATCH 04/11] config-batch: create 'help' command

From
Jean-Noël Avila <jn.avila@free.fr>
Date
Feb 6, 2026, 04:49 UTC
Message-ID
<a023e4a2-e58f-49c7-83ee-a84554b83bc6@free.fr>
In-Reply-To
<d5e0c32497581e6ac4890c6e71c5c33b92d67d51.1770214803.git.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
Le 04/02/2026 à 15:19, Derrick Stolee via GitGitGadget a écrit :
Show 23 quoted lines
> From: Derrick Stolee <stolee@gmail.com>
> 
> Tools that use the 'git config-batch' tool will want to know which commands
> are available in the current Git version. Having a 'help' command assists
> greatly to give a clear set of available commands and their versions.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Derrick Stolee <stolee@gmail.com>
> ---
>  Documentation/git-config-batch.adoc | 17 +++++++++++++++
>  builtin/config-batch.c              | 32 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>  t/t1312-config-batch.sh             | 13 ++++++++++++
>  3 files changed, 62 insertions(+)
> 
> diff --git a/Documentation/git-config-batch.adoc b/Documentation/git-config-batch.adoc
> index 31dd42f481..1fff68a13c 100644
> --- a/Documentation/git-config-batch.adoc
> +++ b/Documentation/git-config-batch.adoc
> @@ -38,6 +38,23 @@ unknown_command LF
>  
>  These are the commands that are currently understood:
>  
> +`help` version 1::
> +	The `help` command lists the currently-available commands in

The boilerplat text "The `help` command" is not very useful to the reader. The new usage is to directly state the command in imperative mood:

List the currently...
Show 6 quoted lines
> +	this version of Git. The output is multi-line, but the first
> +	line provides the count of possible commands via `help count <N>`.
> +	The next `<N>` lines are of the form `help <command> <version>`
> +	to state that this Git version supports that `<command>` at
> +	version `<version>`. Note that the same command may have multiple
> +	available versions.

Placeholder punning to keep a consistency between the command and its description. Good!

> ++
> +Here is the currentl output of the help text at the latest version:
current

It may not be wise to talk about the "latest version". If the manpages and the git command are out of sync (the user compiles her own git version, but does not update the man pages), this may be confusing.

Is this specification of version critical to the understanding?
Show 10 quoted lines
> ++
> +------------
> +help 1 count 2
> +help 1 help 1
> +help 1 get 1
> +------------
> +
>  `get` version 1::
>  	The `get` command searches the config key-value pairs within a
>  	given `<scope>` for values that match the fixed `<key>` and
Previous: Derrick Stolee via GitGitGadgetNext: Derrick Stolee
Message 15 of 40 in “[RFC] config-batch: a new builtin for tools querying config”
  1. 00/11 [RFC] config-batch: a new builtin for tools querying configDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Feb 4, 2026
  2. 01/11 config-batch: basic boilerplate of new builtinDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Feb 4, 2026
  3. Junio C HamanoFeb 4, 2026
  4. Derrick StoleeFeb 5, 2026
  5. Kristoffer HaugsbakkFeb 5, 2026
  6. Kristoffer HaugsbakkFeb 5, 2026
  7. Jean-Noël AvilaFeb 6, 2026
  8. 02/11 config-batch: create parse loop and unknown commandDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Feb 4, 2026
  9. Junio C HamanoFeb 4, 2026
  10. Kristoffer HaugsbakkFeb 5, 2026
  11. Jean-Noël AvilaFeb 6, 2026
  12. 03/11 config-batch: implement get v1Derrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Feb 4, 2026
  13. Jean-Noël AvilaFeb 6, 2026
  14. 04/11 config-batch: create 'help' commandDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Feb 4, 2026
  15. Jean-Noël AvilaFeb 6, 2026
  16. Derrick StoleeFeb 10, 2026
  17. 05/11 config-batch: add NUL-terminated I/O formatDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Feb 4, 2026
  18. Kristoffer HaugsbakkFeb 5, 2026
  19. Jean-Noël AvilaFeb 6, 2026
  20. 06/11 docs: add design doc for config-batchDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Feb 4, 2026
  21. Kristoffer HaugsbakkFeb 5, 2026
  22. Derrick StoleeFeb 10, 2026
  23. 07/11 config: extract location structs from builtinDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Feb 4, 2026
  24. 08/11 config-batch: pass prefix through commandsDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Feb 4, 2026
  25. 09/11 config-batch: add 'set' v1 commandDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Feb 4, 2026
  26. Kristoffer HaugsbakkFeb 5, 2026
  27. Kristoffer HaugsbakkFeb 5, 2026
  28. Kristoffer HaugsbakkFeb 5, 2026
  29. Derrick StoleeFeb 10, 2026
  30. Jean-Noël AvilaFeb 6, 2026
  31. 10/11 t1312: create read/write testDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Feb 4, 2026
  32. 11/11 config-batch: add unset v1 commandDerrick Stolee via GitGitGadget, Feb 4, 2026
  33. Kristoffer HaugsbakkFeb 5, 2026
  34. Junio C HamanoFeb 4, 2026
  35. Derrick StoleeFeb 5, 2026
  36. brian m. carlsonFeb 5, 2026
  37. Derrick StoleeFeb 5, 2026
  38. Derrick StoleeFeb 10, 2026
  39. Phillip WoodFeb 5, 2026
  40. Kristoffer HaugsbakkFeb 5, 2026

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