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Re: [PATCH v2 3/5] doc: stop calling root refs pseudorefs

From
Patrick Steinhardt <ps@pks.im>
Date
Nov 3, 2026, 11:30 UTC
Message-ID
<aunFublgJruOr1V5@pks.im>
In-Reply-To
<20261101230326.3675597-4-andy.koppe@gmail.com>
On Sun, Nov 01, 2026 at 11:03:21PM +0000, Andy Koppe wrote:
Show 22 quoted lines
> diff --git a/Documentation/gitdatamodel.adoc b/Documentation/gitdatamodel.adoc
> index 8d9be02036..6958ac033c 100644
> --- a/Documentation/gitdatamodel.adoc
> +++ b/Documentation/gitdatamodel.adoc
> @@ -211,15 +211,25 @@ remote-tracking branches: `refs/remotes/<remote>/<branch>`::
>  default branch. This is the branch that `git clone` checks out by default.
>  
>  [[other-refs]]
> -Other references::
> +other references::
>      Git tools may create references anywhere under `refs/`.
>      For example, linkgit:git-stash[1], linkgit:git-bisect[1],
>      and linkgit:git-notes[1] all create their own references
>      in `refs/stash`, `refs/bisect`, etc.
>      Third-party Git tools may also create their own references.
> -+
> -Git may also create references other than `HEAD` at the base of the
> -hierarchy, like `ORIG_HEAD`.
> +
> +[[root-refs]]
> +root refs::
> +    Git may also create references other than `HEAD` at the root of the
Nit: I'd drop the "also" here. It made sense before, but it doesn't
anymore now that this is its own list entry.
Show 9 quoted lines
> +    hierarchy, for example `ORIG_HEAD` or `REBASE_HEAD`.
> +
> +[[pseudorefs]]
> +pseudorefs::
> +    linkgit:git-fetch[1] and linkgit:git-merge[1] create the so-called
> +    pseudorefs `FETCH_HEAD` and `MERGE_HEAD`. They are not references as
> +    such, as they are not stored in the same way, but they can nevertheless
> +    be used to refer to objects in commands such as linkgit:git-log[1] and
> +    linkgit:git-diff[1].

Do we maybe want to provide pointers to the glossary for those two entries?

Patrick
Previous: Andy KoppeNext: Andy Koppe
Message 31 of 33 in “root refs vs pseudorefs”
  1. 0/5 root refs vs pseudorefsAndy Koppe, Oct 22, 2026
  2. 1/5 doc: glossary: add root ref and clarify pseudorefsAndy Koppe, Oct 22, 2026
  3. Junio C HamanoOct 22, 2026
  4. Patrick SteinhardtOct 23, 2026
  5. Andy KoppeNov 1, 2026
  6. 2/5 doc: glossary: update per-worktree refsAndy Koppe, Oct 22, 2026
  7. Patrick SteinhardtOct 23, 2026
  8. Andy KoppeNov 1, 2026
  9. 3/5 doc: stop calling root refs pseudorefsAndy Koppe, Oct 22, 2026
  10. Patrick SteinhardtOct 23, 2026
  11. Andy KoppeNov 1, 2026
  12. 4/5 refs: stop calling root refs pseudorefsAndy Koppe, Oct 22, 2026
  13. Patrick SteinhardtOct 23, 2026
  14. Andy KoppeNov 1, 2026
  15. 5/5 t: stop calling root refs pseudorefsAndy Koppe, Oct 22, 2026
  16. Junio C HamanoOct 22, 2026
  17. Julia EvansOct 23, 2026
  18. Andy KoppeNov 1, 2026
  19. 0/5 root refs vs pseudorefsAndy Koppe, Nov 1, 2026
  20. Julia EvansNov 2, 2026
  21. Andy KoppeNov 2, 2026
  22. Julia EvansNov 2, 2026
  23. Andy KoppeNov 2, 2026
  24. Julia EvansNov 3, 2026
  25. Junio C HamanoNov 2, 2026
  26. 1/5 doc: glossary: add root ref and clarify pseudorefsAndy Koppe, Nov 1, 2026
  27. Patrick SteinhardtNov 3, 2026
  28. 2/5 doc: glossary: update per-worktree refsAndy Koppe, Nov 1, 2026
  29. Patrick SteinhardtNov 3, 2026
  30. 3/5 doc: stop calling root refs pseudorefsAndy Koppe, Nov 1, 2026
  31. Patrick SteinhardtNov 3, 2026
  32. 4/5 refs: stop calling root refs pseudorefsAndy Koppe, Nov 1, 2026
  33. 5/5 t: stop calling root refs pseudorefsAndy Koppe, Nov 1, 2026

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