Re: [PATCH] tag: allow idempotent "git tag" without "--force"

From: Justin Tobler <jltobler@gmail.com>
Date: Jul 11, 2025, 20:57 UTC
Message-ID: <dt5ruadvr7lmhsbypmb6yili5cookfx5btw4gzfeui7ehxxajv@ziael4udbbcy>
In-Reply-To: <xmqqv7nyzgp7.fsf@gitster.g>

On 25/07/11 12:10PM, Junio C Hamano wrote:

Show 6 quoted lines

> When "git tag T O" is told to create a tag pointing at an object O
> without the "--force" option, it refuses with "tag T already exists",
> even when T points at O (which makes it a no-op).
> 
> Let's allow this "idempotent" case by special casing and making it
> truly a no-op.

Not necessarily a strong argument against, but I could maybe see a user only wanting to perform some followup operation if a tag is _actually_ created. For example push the newly created tag:

  git tag T O && git push --tags

To me atleast, the feedback of knowing whether tag was created seems a bit more interesting. I also don't feel super strongly though.

-Justin