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[PATCH 0/5] git-add : Respect submodule ignore=all and only add changes with --force

From
Claus Schneider via GitGitGadget <gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
Date
Oct 18, 2025, 20:07 UTC
Message-ID
<pull.1987.git.1760818039.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>

The feature of configuring a submodule to "ignore=all" is nicely respected in commands "status" and "diff". However the "add" command does not respect the configuration the same way. The behavior is problematic for the logic between status/diff and add. Secondly it makes it problematic to track branches in the submodule configuration as developers unintentionally keeps add submodule updates and get conflicts for no intentional reason. Both adds unnecessary friction to the usage of submodules.

The patches implement the same logical behavior for ignore=all submodules as regular ignored files. The status now does not show any diff - nor will the add command update the reference submodule reference. If you add the submodule path which is ignore=all then you are presented with a message that you need to use the --force option. The branch=, ignore=all (and update=none) now works great with update --remote, but developers does not have to consider changes in the updates of the submodule sha1. The implementation removes a friction of working with submodules and can be used like the repo tool with branches configured. The submodule status report could be used for build/release documentation for reproduction of a setup.

A few tests used the adding of submodules without --force, hence they have been updated to use the --force option.

Claus Schneider(Eficode) (5):
  read-cache: update add_files_to_cache to take param
    ignored_too(--force)
  read-cache: let read-cache respect submodule ignore=all and --force
  tests: add new t2206-add-submodule-ignored.sh to test ignore=all
    scenario
  tests: fix existing tests when add an ignore=all submodule
  Documentation: update add --force and submodule ignore=all config
 Documentation/git-add.adoc       |   4 +-
 Documentation/gitmodules.adoc    |   5 +-
 builtin/add.c                    |   2 +-
 builtin/checkout.c               |   2 +-
 builtin/commit.c                 |   2 +-
 read-cache-ll.h                  |   2 +-
 read-cache.c                     |  54 ++++++++++++-
 t/lib-submodule-update.sh        |   6 +-
 t/meson.build                    |   1 +
 t/t2206-add-submodule-ignored.sh | 134 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 t/t7508-status.sh                |   2 +-
 11 files changed, 202 insertions(+), 12 deletions(-)
 create mode 100755 t/t2206-add-submodule-ignored.sh
base-commit: c44beea485f0f2feaf460e2ac87fdd5608d63cf0
Published-As: https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/releases/tag/pr-1987%2FPraqma%2Frespect-submodule-ignore-v1
Fetch-It-Via: git fetch https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git pr-1987/Praqma/respect-submodule-ignore-v1
Pull-Request: https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/pull/1987
-- 
gitgitgadget
Next: Claus Schneider(Eficode) via GitGitGadget
Message 1 of 43 in “git-add : Respect submodule ignore=all and only add changes with --force”
  1. 0/5 git-add : Respect submodule ignore=all and only add changes with --forceClaus Schneider via GitGitGadget, Oct 18, 2025
  2. 1/5 read-cache: update add_files_to_cache to take param ignored_too(--force)Claus Schneider(Eficode) via GitGitGadget, Oct 18, 2025
  3. 2/5 read-cache: let read-cache respect submodule ignore=all and --forceClaus Schneider(Eficode) via GitGitGadget, Oct 18, 2025
  4. 3/5 tests: add new t2206-add-submodule-ignored.sh to test ignore=all scenarioClaus Schneider(Eficode) via GitGitGadget, Oct 18, 2025
  5. 4/5 tests: fix existing tests when add an ignore=all submoduleClaus Schneider(Eficode) via GitGitGadget, Oct 18, 2025
  6. 5/5 Documentation: update add --force and submodule ignore=all configClaus Schneider(Eficode) via GitGitGadget, Oct 18, 2025
  7. Phillip WoodOct 19, 2025
  8. Claus SchneiderOct 20, 2025
  9. Phillip WoodOct 24, 2025
  10. Claus SchneiderNov 13, 2025
  11. 0/5 git-add : Respect submodule ignore=all and only add changes with --forceClaus Schneider via GitGitGadget, Nov 13, 2025
  12. 1/5 read-cache: update add_files_to_cache take param include_ignored_submodulesClaus Schneider(Eficode) via GitGitGadget, Nov 13, 2025
  13. 2/5 read-cache: add/read-cache respect submodule ignore=allClaus Schneider(Eficode) via GitGitGadget, Nov 13, 2025
  14. 3/5 tests: add new t2206-add-submodule-ignored.sh to test ignore=all scenarioClaus Schneider(Eficode) via GitGitGadget, Nov 13, 2025
  15. 4/5 tests: fix existing tests when add an ignore=all submoduleClaus Schneider(Eficode) via GitGitGadget, Nov 13, 2025
  16. 5/5 Documentation: add --include_ignored_submodules + ignore=all configClaus Schneider(Eficode) via GitGitGadget, Nov 13, 2025
  17. Junio C HamanoNov 13, 2025
  18. Junio C HamanoNov 13, 2025
  19. Claus SchneiderNov 14, 2025
  20. 0/5 git-add: Skip submodules with ignore=all unless --force and explicit path usedClaus Schneider via GitGitGadget, Jan 14, 2026
  21. 1/5 read-cache: update add_files_to_cache take param ignored_tooClaus Schneider(Eficode) via GitGitGadget, Jan 14, 2026
  22. 2/5 read-cache: submodule add need --force given ignore=all configurationClaus Schneider(Eficode) via GitGitGadget, Jan 14, 2026
  23. 3/5 tests: t2206-add-submodule-ignored: ignore=all and add --force testsClaus Schneider(Eficode) via GitGitGadget, Jan 14, 2026
  24. 4/5 tests: fix existing tests when add an ignore=all submoduleClaus Schneider(Eficode) via GitGitGadget, Jan 14, 2026
  25. 5/5 Documentation: update add --force option + ignore=all configClaus Schneider(Eficode) via GitGitGadget, Jan 14, 2026
  26. Ben KnobleJan 14, 2026
  27. Kristoffer HaugsbakkJan 15, 2026
  28. Claus SchneiderJan 16, 2026
  29. Claus SchneiderJan 16, 2026
  30. Claus SchneiderFeb 5, 2026
  31. Junio C HamanoFeb 5, 2026
  32. 0/5 git-add: Skip submodules with ignore=all unless --force and explicit path usedClaus Schneider via GitGitGadget, Feb 6, 2026
  33. 1/5 read-cache: update add_files_to_cache take param ignored_tooClaus Schneider(Eficode) via GitGitGadget, Feb 6, 2026
  34. 2/5 read-cache: submodule add need --force given ignore=all configurationClaus Schneider(Eficode) via GitGitGadget, Feb 6, 2026
  35. 3/5 tests: t2206-add-submodule-ignored: ignore=all and add --force testsClaus Schneider(Eficode) via GitGitGadget, Feb 6, 2026
  36. 4/5 tests: fix existing tests when add an ignore=all submoduleClaus Schneider(Eficode) via GitGitGadget, Feb 6, 2026
  37. 5/5 Documentation: update add --force option + ignore=all configClaus Schneider(Eficode) via GitGitGadget, Feb 6, 2026
  38. Junio C HamanoFeb 9, 2026
  39. Junio C HamanoFeb 9, 2026
  40. Junio C HamanoFeb 20, 2026
  41. Kristoffer HaugsbakkMar 4, 2026
  42. Claus SchneiderMar 10, 2026
  43. Claus SchneiderMar 10, 2026

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