Re: [PATCH v3 1/4] test: use "test_grep"

From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: Jun 30, 2025, 16:23 UTC
Message-ID: <xmqqplel2o6q.fsf@gitster.g>
In-Reply-To: <044a93014b677914870a872a9c317a46a5a81699.1751128487.git.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>

"Leon Michalak via GitGitGadget" <gitgitgadget@gmail.com> writes:

Show 7 quoted lines

> From: Leon Michalak <leonmichalak6@gmail.com>
>
> Use the modern "test_grep" test utility instead of regular "grep" which
> provides better debug information if tests fail.
>
> This is a prerequisite to the commits that follow which add to both test
> files.

Just a terminology thing, but we would phrase the last paragraph more like

    As a preparatory clean-up, use the "test_grep" test utility
    instead of regular "grep" which provides better debug
    information if tests fail.

to avoid saying "This does X", "This commit is Y", etc. It also avoids giving a wrong impression by misusing the word "prerequisite" which we almost always use for a step that cannot be skipped. While we add new tests to the same file, we _could_ leave these existing tests as-is, but there is a good reason to making this change beforehand, which we often call is a "preparatory clean-up".

Show 7 quoted lines

> @@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ test_expect_success 'revert works (initial)' '
>  	git add file &&
>  	test_write_lines r 1 | git add -i &&
>  	git ls-files >output &&
> -	! grep . output
> +	test_grep ! . output
>  '

Good (we sometime see people got the negation wrong).

Thanks.