Re: [PATCH v3] doc: clarify --follow and log.follow for git log

From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: May 10, 2026, 23:53 UTC
Message-ID: <xmqqik8u95yn.fsf@gitster.g>
In-Reply-To: <20260510-document-log-no-follow-v3-1-d6d3368c64bb@gmail.com>

Tamir Duberstein <tamird@gmail.com> writes:

Show 8 quoted lines

>  `log.follow`::
>  	If `true`, `git log` will act as if the `--follow` option was used when
> +	a single pathspec is given.  This has the same limitations as
> +	`--follow`, i.e. it cannot be used with multiple pathspecs and does not
> +	work well on non-linear history.  When the pathspec names a directory,
> +	Git does not follow directory renames, but it still uses the same
> +	traversal mode as for file rename following; see `--follow` in
> +	linkgit:git-log[1].  This can be overridden by `--no-follow`.

Saying that the feature does "not work well" on non-lenear history is like the behaviour of the feature is "undefined" on such a history. Quite honestly, when you do not give a single filename, the behaviour is "undefined", either, so I do not think we want to say what happens when the pathspec you give matches a directory. The feature only takes a single filename on a linear history. Anything else the feature does is "undefined" random behavour.