From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2021 20:20:45 GMT
Subject: Re: GC can lose objects pointed to only by notes?
Message-ID: <xmqq35y33c9u.fsf@gitster.c.googlers.com>
In-Reply-To: <CANiSa6h=S6tHUR4hY85uZ7ZcnDc2mdUzPwyBDakQAa_NP+O0YA@mail.gmail.com>

Martin von Zweigbergk <martinvonz@gmail.com> writes:

> From the "NOTES" section in `git help gc`:
> "[...] it will keep [..] objects referenced by the index,
> remote-tracking branches, notes saved by git notes under refs/notes/"
>
> I had interpreted that as saying that it will keep objects pointed to
> by notes saved under refs/notes.

The documentation needs updating.

There is no reachability from the notes that point at an otherwise
uninteresting objects that are not pointed at by real refs, so a
note that talks about a commit that is pruned will become stale.

It is the reason why we need the "git notes prune" subcommand.

Thanks.