Re: "git rm" seems to do recursive removal even without "-r"

> On Sat, Oct 07, 2017 at 03:32:24PM -0400, Robert P. J. Day wrote:
>
> > > Nothing, because there is nothing to recurse in the pathspecs you've
> > > given.
> > >
> > > Try:
> > >
> > >   $ git rm drivers
> > >   fatal: not removing 'drivers' recursively without -r
> > >
> > > versus
> > >
> > >   $ git rm -r drivers
> > >   [...removes everything under drivers/...]
> >
> >   that is not what the man page is saying ... it refers to a "leading"
> > directory name, not simply a directory name. if it should say simply
> > "when a directory name is given", then it should be changed to say
> > that.
>
> It's the leading directory of the files that will be removed.
>
> An earlier part of the manpage (under <file>) also says:
>
>   A leading directory name (e.g. dir to remove dir/file1 and dir/file2)
>   can be given to remove all files in the directory, and recursively all
>   sub-directories, but this requires the -r option to be explicitly
>   given.
>
> which perhaps makes it more clear. Later in "-r", we say:
>
>    -r
>            Allow recursive removal when a leading directory name is given.
>
> which I guess is the part you're reading.  I think it would be equally
> correct to say "leading directory" or just "directory" there.
>
> Though really, you could give many such directory names, or even match
> them with a glob. So a more accurate description might be something
> like:
>
>   -r
> 	Recursively remove the contents of any directories that match
> 	`<file>`.
>
> or something.