Re: [PATCH] submodule : Add --no-separate-git-dir option to add and update command.

From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: Mar 3, 2014, 19:22 UTC
Message-ID: <xmqqmwh7ozn4.fsf@gitster.dls.corp.google.com>
In-Reply-To: <1393858066.7891.20.camel@Naugrim>

[CC'ing the submodule area experts.]

Henri GEIST <geist.henri@laposte.net> writes:

Show 7 quoted lines

> This new option prevent git submodule <add|update> to clone the missing
> submodules with the --separate-git-dir option.
> Then the submodule will be regular repository and their gitdir will not
> be placed in the superproject gitdir/modules directory.
>
> Signed-off-by: Henri GEIST <geist.henri@laposte.net>
> ---

Thanks.

The above describes what the new option does, but does not explain why the new option is a good idea in the first place.

Given that we used to directly clone into the superproject's working tree like this patch does, realized that it was a very bad idea and are trying to move to the direction of keeping it in modules/ subdirectory of the superproject's .git directory, there needs to be a very good explanation to justify why this "going backwards" is sometimes a desirable thing.