From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2026 15:05:56 GMT
Subject: Re: [PATCH] refs/files: keep root refs out of loose ref cache
Message-ID: <xmqqqzhpit2j.fsf@gitster.g>
In-Reply-To: <atHLkIADa6BlO_a-@pks.im>

Patrick Steinhardt <ps@pks.im> writes:

> On Thu, Oct 15, 2026 at 08:43:06PM +0100, Andy Koppe wrote:
>> Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> wrote:
>> > Patrick Steinhardt <ps@pks.im> writes:
>> > ...

So in short ...

>> >> This raises the question whether an alternative fix could have been to
>> >> teach the cache itself to skip over root refs in case the caller is not
>> >> interested in them. The answer may very well be a "no", but I would be
>> >> curious to learn why you settled on the proposed fix instead.

... with this cleared in the proposed log message of v2 iteration, ...

>> A cleaner approach might be to drop the flag and change all call sites
>> that currently ask for all refs without setting the flag, so that they
>> explicitly ask for "refs/" only. That way root refs wouldn't need as
>> much special handling. But of course that would be a much bigger and
>> more risky change.
>
> That's fair. I guess the part that triggers me is that it's called a
> "cache" whereas we don't really use it as one in this instance. But
> that's a historical wart, and I agree that the proposed solution is good
> enough.

... the topic will be ready to go?

Thanks.