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[PATCH 0/5] doc: git-add: clarify DESCRIPTION section

From
Julia Evans via GitGitGadget <gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
Date
Aug 12, 2025, 20:07 UTC
Message-ID
<pull.1952.git.1755029249.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>

This patch series aims to make the git add man page more accessible to Git users who are less familiar with git jargon like "working tree" or "index" while communicating the same information for advanced users.

Some notes:
 1. I'm not sure about the SYNOPSIS changes, it seems useful to have a
    reminder near the top of what some commonly used options are, like
    [--patch | -p] but also I find listing all of the options at the
    beginning really distracts me from the command's core syntax.
 2. I know there's a longstanding discussion about the use of the terms
    "index", "cache" and "staging area". I've tried to address that as best
    as I could.
Julia Evans (5):
  doc: git-add: remove options from SYNOPSIS
  doc: git-add: start man page with an example
  doc: git-add: simplify discussion of ignored files
  doc: git-add: make explanation less dry
  doc: git-add: explain inconsistent terminology
 Documentation/git-add.adoc | 72 +++++++++++++++++++-------------------
 1 file changed, 36 insertions(+), 36 deletions(-)
base-commit: 2c2ba49d55ff26c1082b8137b1ec5eeccb4337d1
Published-As: https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/releases/tag/pr-1952%2Fjvns%2Fclarify-add-v1
Fetch-It-Via: git fetch https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git pr-1952/jvns/clarify-add-v1
Pull-Request: https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/pull/1952
-- 
gitgitgadget
Next: Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
Message 1 of 59 in “doc: git-add: clarify DESCRIPTION section”
  1. 0/5 doc: git-add: clarify DESCRIPTION sectionJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 12, 2025
  2. 1/5 doc: git-add: remove options from SYNOPSISJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 12, 2025
  3. Junio C HamanoAug 12, 2025
  4. Julia EvansAug 13, 2025
  5. Jean-Noël AVILAAug 13, 2025
  6. 2/5 doc: git-add: start man page with an exampleJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 12, 2025
  7. Junio C HamanoAug 12, 2025
  8. Julia EvansAug 12, 2025
  9. Junio C HamanoAug 12, 2025
  10. Julia EvansAug 12, 2025
  11. D. Ben KnobleAug 13, 2025
  12. Junio C HamanoAug 14, 2025
  13. Julia EvansAug 14, 2025
  14. Junio C HamanoAug 15, 2025
  15. 3/5 doc: git-add: simplify discussion of ignored filesJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 12, 2025
  16. D. Ben KnobleAug 13, 2025
  17. 4/5 doc: git-add: make explanation less dryJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 12, 2025
  18. 5/5 doc: git-add: explain inconsistent terminologyJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 12, 2025
  19. Chris TorekAug 12, 2025
  20. Junio C HamanoAug 12, 2025
  21. Julia EvansAug 12, 2025
  22. 0/4 doc: git-add: clarify DESCRIPTION sectionJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 13, 2025
  23. 1/4 doc: git-add: start man page with an exampleJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 13, 2025
  24. Junio C HamanoAug 15, 2025
  25. Jean-Noël AVILAAug 15, 2025
  26. Junio C HamanoAug 15, 2025
  27. Jean-Noël AVILAAug 17, 2025
  28. Julia EvansAug 19, 2025
  29. 2/4 doc: git-add: simplify discussion of ignored filesJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 13, 2025
  30. D. Ben KnobleAug 14, 2025
  31. Junio C HamanoAug 14, 2025
  32. 3/4 doc: git-add: make explanation less dryJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 13, 2025
  33. Junio C HamanoAug 14, 2025
  34. Julia EvansAug 15, 2025
  35. D. Ben KnobleAug 15, 2025
  36. Junio C HamanoAug 15, 2025
  37. D. Ben KnobleAug 16, 2025
  38. Junio C HamanoAug 15, 2025
  39. Julia EvansAug 19, 2025
  40. Jean-Noël AVILAAug 21, 2025
  41. 4/4 doc: git-add: explain inconsistent terminologyJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 13, 2025
  42. Junio C HamanoAug 14, 2025
  43. Julia EvansAug 19, 2025
  44. 0/3 doc: git-add: clarify DESCRIPTION sectionJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 19, 2025
  45. 1/3 Git 2.51Junio C Hamano via GitGitGadget, Aug 19, 2025
  46. rsbecker@nexbridge.comAug 19, 2025
  47. Junio C HamanoAug 19, 2025
  48. D. Ben KnobleAug 19, 2025
  49. Julia EvansAug 19, 2025
  50. rsbecker@nexbridge.comAug 19, 2025
  51. 3/3 doc: git-add: simplify discussion of ignored filesJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 19, 2025
  52. Junio C HamanoAug 21, 2025
  53. 2/3 doc: git-add: clarify intro & add an exampleJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 19, 2025
  54. Junio C HamanoAug 21, 2025
  55. Julia EvansAug 22, 2025
  56. 0/2 doc: git-add: clarify DESCRIPTION sectionJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 29, 2025
  57. 1/2 doc: git-add: clarify intro & add an exampleJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 29, 2025
  58. 2/2 doc: git-add: simplify discussion of ignored filesJulia Evans via GitGitGadget, Aug 29, 2025
  59. Junio C HamanoAug 29, 2025

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