Re: [PATCH] Revert "Declare both git-switch and git-restore experimental"

From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: Feb 20, 2024, 18:04 UTC
Message-ID: <xmqqzfvvovva.fsf@gitster.g>
In-Reply-To: <920a0f61-d30b-49f1-87b3-fb947cb3c33d@app.fastmail.com>

"Kristoffer Haugsbakk" <code@khaugsbakk.name> writes:

Show 6 quoted lines

> The only reason why I ask is because I was vaguely aware of some
> discussions (don’t know how long ago) where someone was skeptical about
> changing one of the two experimental commands, and then someone else in
> turn expressed some frustration about this concern since they are after
> all marked experimental. And the context was some UI/UX problems with
> the command.

There was a discussion to further make "switch" deviate from "checkout" by taking advantage of its experimental status [*1*], for example.

Being marked as "EXPERIMENTAL" allows us to redefine the behaviour in a way that would break existing users, like changing what the "-c" option means completely (so that folks who are used to say "switch -c blah" will be surprised next time they type that command, but they cannot complain). Once you remove the label, you no longer have such a freedom to even imagine departing from the existing behaviour (I wrote essentially the same thing before [*2*]). Are we ready to paint us into such a corner yet? Is "switch/restore" perfect and do not need departing changes anymore?

[References]

*1* https://lore.kernel.org/git/211021.86wnm6l1ip.gmgdl@evledraar.gmail.com/ *2* https://lore.kernel.org/git/xmqqzg6eocmi.fsf@gitster.g/