Re: [PATCH 1/1] git-apply: Allow simultaneous --cached and --3way options

From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: Apr 6, 2021, 00:10 UTC
Message-ID: <xmqqblas46ja.fsf@gitster.g>
In-Reply-To: <CAMKO5CuYE1VA2h2zDo-b77WQDgj1LriwifruziPA30Yb7uS=6A@mail.gmail.com>

Jerry Zhang <jerry@skydio.com> writes:

> Unrelatedly would you have context on why --3way falls back on 3way
> rather than trying 3way first then falling back on apply_fragments if
> blobs don't exist?

Historical accident, following the order in which these features were invented, plus applying a single patch straight has been faster than doing a 3-way.

I tend to agree with what you are hinting at, though, as I do not offhand think of a situation in which a successful 3way merge would be less correct than a straight patch application, and if the user explicitly has told us to do "--3way", that is a sign that it is acceptable to try 3way first even if it costs more cycles.

Those who has been giving "--3way" from inertia would notice if the performance difference is large enough and may complain, though.