Re: [PATCH 08/10] contrib: remove "git-resurrect.sh"

From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: May 6, 2025, 20:11 UTC
Message-ID: <xmqq34dhijnq.fsf@gitster.g>
In-Reply-To: <20250506-pks-contrib-spring-cleanup-v1-8-e6d5ddd79a72@pks.im>

Patrick Steinhardt <ps@pks.im> writes:

Show 5 quoted lines

> The "git-resurrect.sh" script can be used to find traces of a branch tip
> in the reflog and resurrect that branch. Despite a couple of global
> cleanups, the script hasn't seen any activity since it was introduced in
> e1ff064e1bf (contrib git-resurrect: find traces of a branch name and
> resurrect it, 2009-02-04).

A single-purpose thing that is done correctly on top of a right abstraction does not necessarily need further updates, so I doubt this paragraph contributes to the decision to remove the script in any way.

Having said that, I would not be surprised at all if large bugs still remain in the script. The reason why we scarcely heard complaints about it is due to the fact that people simply are not aware of it, people do not lose branches too often, and when it happens, it is crystal clear what needs to be done with the output of "git reflog HEAD@{0}", once people learn about "git reflog". Even though it may be tedious to inspect "git reflog" output and pick the right record to use with "git branch" to resurrect, as long as it is a one-off thing, it would be more assuring to end-users than some rarely used script with no correctness guarantee magically picks a commit to place on the "resurrected" branch tip, I suspect.

So I personally do not think many people shed tears if we remove this script. I am for its removal.

Do we have a better alternative we officially support, by the way?