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Re: [PATCH RFC v2 2/2] builtin/history: abort reword on same message

From
Justin Tobler <jltobler@gmail.com>
Date
Jun 9, 2026, 20:14 UTC
Message-ID
<aihwS9aQ1b_8q_5u@denethor>
In-Reply-To
<xmqq5x3r1ph0.fsf@gitster.g>
On 26/06/09 12:30PM, Junio C Hamano wrote:
Show 32 quoted lines
> Justin Tobler <jltobler@gmail.com> writes:
> 
> > I can see a situation where a user performs:
> >
> >   git history reword abcd1234
> >
> > with the intention to modify a commit message, but then for some reason
> > changes their mind and doesn't want history to change. Maybe the wrong
> > commit was referenced, or they decide the current message is actually
> > fine. From my understanding, there isn't a great way to abort rewording
> > a commit during editing and thus the user would have to reset history
> > afterwards if they care enough to go back to the previous point.
> >
> > So I do see some value in a mechanism to abort rewriting a commit
> > message.
> 
> I think we are saying the same thing in different ways.  I want to
> see that command "succeed" either case (normally we create a new
> commit object because we record an updated committer timestamp, but
> if there is no need to create a new commit object only to record an
> updated committer timestamp, we may choose not to and leave the
> history intact) and I do not want it to *abort*.
> 
> The mechanism to do so may be exactly the same, i.e., accept an
> updated log message, then try to "hash-object" (without -w) the
> commit object with everything, except for the updated commit log
> message, taken from the original commit, plus the updated log
> message.  And if the resulting hash is the same as the original, do
> not do anything further and return happily.  Aborting sounds more
> like complaining loudly "baa, you asked me to reword but you gave me
> the same message? is anything wrong with you?" with non-zero exit
> status, which I think the user does not deserve in such a case.

Yes, I completely agree. If the user doesn't update the commit message, for whatever reason, that should still be considered a success since it follows the user's intent. I don't think it makes sense to exit with a non-zero code in such cases. I would also question if we should print any message/note to the user at all for the same reasons.

-Justin
Previous: Junio C HamanoNext: Phillip Wood
Message 35 of 36 in “builtin/history: change git history reword behavior and feedback”
  1. 0/2 builtin/history: change git history reword behavior and feedbackPablo Sabater, Jun 7, 2026
  2. 1/2 builtin/history: abort reword on unchanged messagePablo Sabater, Jun 7, 2026
  3. Patrick SteinhardtJun 8, 2026
  4. Pablo SabaterJun 8, 2026
  5. Junio C HamanoJun 8, 2026
  6. Ben KnobleJun 8, 2026
  7. Pablo SabaterJun 9, 2026
  8. Pablo SabaterJun 9, 2026
  9. Kristoffer HaugsbakkJun 9, 2026
  10. Junio C HamanoJun 9, 2026
  11. Pablo SabaterJun 9, 2026
  12. Ben KnobleJun 8, 2026
  13. Pablo SabaterJun 9, 2026
  14. 2/2 builtin/history: print feedback after successful rewordPablo Sabater, Jun 7, 2026
  15. Patrick SteinhardtJun 8, 2026
  16. Pablo SabaterJun 8, 2026
  17. Junio C HamanoJun 8, 2026
  18. Pablo SabaterJun 8, 2026
  19. Ben KnobleJun 8, 2026
  20. Dominique MartinetJul 7, 2026
  21. D. Ben KnobleJul 7, 2026
  22. Patrick SteinhardtJul 8, 2026
  23. 0/2 builtin/history: abort reword on same messagePablo Sabater, Jun 9, 2026
  24. 1/2 builtin/history: refactor function signaturePablo Sabater, Jun 9, 2026
  25. 2/2 builtin/history: abort reword on same messagePablo Sabater, Jun 9, 2026
  26. Phillip WoodJun 9, 2026
  27. Junio C HamanoJun 9, 2026
  28. Pablo SabaterJun 9, 2026
  29. Junio C HamanoJun 9, 2026
  30. Patrick SteinhardtJun 10, 2026
  31. Phillip WoodJun 10, 2026
  32. Junio C HamanoJun 10, 2026
  33. Justin ToblerJun 9, 2026
  34. Junio C HamanoJun 9, 2026
  35. Justin ToblerJun 9, 2026
  36. Phillip WoodJun 10, 2026

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