v4, 5 partspseudorefs

diff --git a/Documentation/glossary-content.txt b/Documentation/glossary-content.txt
index ab18f4b..ff14079 100644
--- a/Documentation/glossary-content.txt
+++ b/Documentation/glossary-content.txt
@@ -411,6 +411,27 @@ exclude;;
 	core Git. Porcelains expose more of a <<def_SCM,SCM>>
 	interface than the <<def_plumbing,plumbing>>.
 
+[[def_per_worktree_ref]]per-worktree ref::
+	Refs that are per-<<def_worktree,worktree>>, rather than
+	global.  This is presently only <<def_HEAD,HEAD>>, but might
+	later include other unusual refs.
+
+[[def_pseudoref]]pseudoref::
+	Pseudorefs are a class of files under `$GIT_DIR` which behave
+	like refs for the purposes of rev-parse, but which are treated
+	specially by git.  Psuedorefs both have names that are all-caps,
+	and always start with a line consisting of a
+	<<def_sha1,SHA-1>> followed by whitespace.  So, HEAD is not a
+	pseudoref, because it is sometimes a symbolic ref.  They might
+	optionally contain some additional data.  `MERGE_HEAD` and
+	`CHERRY_PICK_HEAD` are examples.  Unlike
+	<<def_per_worktree_ref,per-worktree refs>>, these files cannot
+	be symbolic refs, and never have reflogs.  They also cannot be
+	updated through the normal ref update machinery.  Instead,
+	they are updated by directly writing to the files.  However,
+	they can be read as if they were refs, so `git rev-parse
+	MERGE_HEAD` will work.
+
 [[def_pull]]pull::
 	Pulling a <<def_branch,branch>> means to <<def_fetch,fetch>> it and
 	<<def_merge,merge>> it.  See also linkgit:git-pull[1].

diff --git a/Documentation/glossary-content.txt b/Documentation/glossary-content.txt
index ff14079..edae9f5 100644
--- a/Documentation/glossary-content.txt
+++ b/Documentation/glossary-content.txt
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ exclude;;
 	interface than the <<def_plumbing,plumbing>>.
 
 [[def_per_worktree_ref]]per-worktree ref::
-	Refs that are per-<<def_worktree,worktree>>, rather than
+	Refs that are per-<<def_working_tree,worktree>>, rather than
 	global.  This is presently only <<def_HEAD,HEAD>>, but might
 	later include other unusual refs.
 
@@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ exclude;;
 	like refs for the purposes of rev-parse, but which are treated
 	specially by git.  Psuedorefs both have names that are all-caps,
 	and always start with a line consisting of a
-	<<def_sha1,SHA-1>> followed by whitespace.  So, HEAD is not a
+	<<def_SHA1,SHA-1>> followed by whitespace.  So, HEAD is not a
 	pseudoref, because it is sometimes a symbolic ref.  They might
 	optionally contain some additional data.  `MERGE_HEAD` and
 	`CHERRY_PICK_HEAD` are examples.  Unlike

refs.c, refs.h

diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
index 0b96ece..0f87884 100644
--- a/refs.c
+++ b/refs.c
@@ -2848,6 +2848,32 @@ static int delete_ref_loose(struct ref_lock *lock, int flag, struct strbuf *err)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static int is_per_worktree_ref(const char *refname)
+{
+	return !strcmp(refname, "HEAD");
+}
+
+static int is_pseudoref_syntax(const char *refname)
+{
+	const char *c;
+
+	for (c = refname; *c; c++) {
+		if (!isupper(*c) && *c != '-' && *c != '_')
+			return 0;
+	}
+
+	return 1;
+}
+
+enum ref_type ref_type(const char *refname)
+{
+	if (is_per_worktree_ref(refname))
+		return REF_TYPE_PER_WORKTREE;
+	if (is_pseudoref_syntax(refname))
+		return REF_TYPE_PSEUDOREF;
+       return REF_TYPE_NORMAL;
+}
+
 int delete_ref(const char *refname, const unsigned char *old_sha1,
 	       unsigned int flags)
 {
diff --git a/refs.h b/refs.h
index e4e46c3..dca4fb5 100644
--- a/refs.h
+++ b/refs.h
@@ -445,6 +445,14 @@ extern int parse_hide_refs_config(const char *var, const char *value, const char
 
 extern int ref_is_hidden(const char *);
 
+enum ref_type {
+	REF_TYPE_PER_WORKTREE,
+	REF_TYPE_PSEUDOREF,
+	REF_TYPE_NORMAL,
+};
+
+enum ref_type ref_type(const char *refname);
+
 enum expire_reflog_flags {
 	EXPIRE_REFLOGS_DRY_RUN = 1 << 0,
 	EXPIRE_REFLOGS_UPDATE_REF = 1 << 1,

diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
index 0f87884..e6fc3fe 100644
--- a/refs.c
+++ b/refs.c
@@ -2874,12 +2874,88 @@ enum ref_type ref_type(const char *refname)
        return REF_TYPE_NORMAL;
 }
 
+static int write_pseudoref(const char *pseudoref, const unsigned char *sha1,
+			   const unsigned char *old_sha1, struct strbuf *err)
+{
+	const char *filename;
+	int fd;
+	static struct lock_file lock;
+	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
+	int ret = -1;
+
+	strbuf_addf(&buf, "%s\n", sha1_to_hex(sha1));
+
+	filename = git_path("%s", pseudoref);
+	fd = hold_lock_file_for_update(&lock, filename, LOCK_DIE_ON_ERROR);
+	if (fd < 0) {
+		strbuf_addf(err, "Could not open '%s' for writing: %s",
+			    filename, strerror(errno));
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	if (old_sha1) {
+		unsigned char actual_old_sha1[20];
+		read_ref(pseudoref, actual_old_sha1);
+		if (hashcmp(actual_old_sha1, old_sha1)) {
+			strbuf_addf(err, "Unexpected sha1 when writing %s", pseudoref);
+			rollback_lock_file(&lock);
+			goto done;
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (write_in_full(fd, buf.buf, buf.len) != buf.len) {
+		strbuf_addf(err, "Could not write to '%s'", filename);
+		rollback_lock_file(&lock);
+		goto done;
+	}
+
+	commit_lock_file(&lock);
+	ret = 0;
+done:
+	strbuf_release(&buf);
+	return ret;
+}
+
+static int delete_pseudoref(const char *pseudoref, const unsigned char *old_sha1)
+{
+	static struct lock_file lock;
+	const char *filename;
+
+	filename = git_path("%s", pseudoref);
+
+	if (old_sha1 && !is_null_sha1(old_sha1)) {
+		int fd;
+		unsigned char actual_old_sha1[20];
+
+		fd = hold_lock_file_for_update(&lock, filename,
+					       LOCK_DIE_ON_ERROR);
+		if (fd < 0)
+			die_errno(_("Could not open '%s' for writing"), filename);
+		read_ref(pseudoref, actual_old_sha1);
+		if (hashcmp(actual_old_sha1, old_sha1)) {
+			warning("Unexpected sha1 when deleting %s", pseudoref);
+			rollback_lock_file(&lock);
+			return -1;
+		}
+
+		unlink(filename);
+		rollback_lock_file(&lock);
+	} else {
+		unlink(filename);
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 int delete_ref(const char *refname, const unsigned char *old_sha1,
 	       unsigned int flags)
 {
 	struct ref_transaction *transaction;
 	struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
 
+	if (ref_type(refname) == REF_TYPE_PSEUDOREF)
+		return delete_pseudoref(refname, old_sha1);
+
 	transaction = ref_transaction_begin(&err);
 	if (!transaction ||
 	    ref_transaction_delete(transaction, refname, old_sha1,
@@ -3973,17 +4049,25 @@ int update_ref(const char *msg, const char *refname,
 	       const unsigned char *new_sha1, const unsigned char *old_sha1,
 	       unsigned int flags, enum action_on_err onerr)
 {
-	struct ref_transaction *t;
+	struct ref_transaction *t = NULL;
 	struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
+	int ret = 0;
 
-	t = ref_transaction_begin(&err);
-	if (!t ||
-	    ref_transaction_update(t, refname, new_sha1, old_sha1,
-				   flags, msg, &err) ||
-	    ref_transaction_commit(t, &err)) {
+	if (ref_type(refname) == REF_TYPE_PSEUDOREF) {
+		ret = write_pseudoref(refname, new_sha1, old_sha1, &err);
+	} else {
+		t = ref_transaction_begin(&err);
+		if (!t ||
+		    ref_transaction_update(t, refname, new_sha1, old_sha1,
+					   flags, msg, &err) ||
+		    ref_transaction_commit(t, &err)) {
+			ret = 1;
+			ref_transaction_free(t);
+		}
+	}
+	if (ret) {
 		const char *str = "update_ref failed for ref '%s': %s";
 
-		ref_transaction_free(t);
 		switch (onerr) {
 		case UPDATE_REFS_MSG_ON_ERR:
 			error(str, refname, err.buf);
@@ -3998,7 +4082,8 @@ int update_ref(const char *msg, const char *refname,
 		return 1;
 	}
 	strbuf_release(&err);
-	ref_transaction_free(t);
+	if (t)
+		ref_transaction_free(t);
 	return 0;
 }
 

diff --git a/bisect.c b/bisect.c
index 857cf59..33ac88d 100644
--- a/bisect.c
+++ b/bisect.c
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ static struct object_id *current_bad_oid;
 
 static const char *argv_checkout[] = {"checkout", "-q", NULL, "--", NULL};
 static const char *argv_show_branch[] = {"show-branch", NULL, NULL};
-static const char *argv_update_ref[] = {"update-ref", "--no-deref", "BISECT_HEAD", NULL, NULL};
 
 static const char *term_bad;
 static const char *term_good;
@@ -675,34 +674,16 @@ static int is_expected_rev(const struct object_id *oid)
 	return res;
 }
 
-static void mark_expected_rev(char *bisect_rev_hex)
-{
-	int len = strlen(bisect_rev_hex);
-	const char *filename = git_path("BISECT_EXPECTED_REV");
-	int fd = open(filename, O_CREAT | O_TRUNC | O_WRONLY, 0600);
-
-	if (fd < 0)
-		die_errno("could not create file '%s'", filename);
-
-	bisect_rev_hex[len] = '\n';
-	write_or_die(fd, bisect_rev_hex, len + 1);
-	bisect_rev_hex[len] = '\0';
-
-	if (close(fd) < 0)
-		die("closing file %s: %s", filename, strerror(errno));
-}
-
-static int bisect_checkout(char *bisect_rev_hex, int no_checkout)
+static int bisect_checkout(const unsigned char *bisect_rev, int no_checkout)
 {
+	char bisect_rev_hex[GIT_SHA1_HEXSZ + 1];
 
-	mark_expected_rev(bisect_rev_hex);
+	memcpy(bisect_rev_hex, sha1_to_hex(bisect_rev), GIT_SHA1_HEXSZ + 1);
+	update_ref(NULL, "BISECT_EXPECTED_REV", bisect_rev, NULL, 0, UPDATE_REFS_DIE_ON_ERR);
 
 	argv_checkout[2] = bisect_rev_hex;
 	if (no_checkout) {
-		argv_update_ref[3] = bisect_rev_hex;
-		if (run_command_v_opt(argv_update_ref, RUN_GIT_CMD))
-			die("update-ref --no-deref HEAD failed on %s",
-			    bisect_rev_hex);
+		update_ref(NULL, "BISECT_HEAD", bisect_rev, NULL, 0, UPDATE_REFS_DIE_ON_ERR);
 	} else {
 		int res;
 		res = run_command_v_opt(argv_checkout, RUN_GIT_CMD);
@@ -804,7 +785,7 @@ static void check_merge_bases(int no_checkout)
 			handle_skipped_merge_base(mb);
 		} else {
 			printf("Bisecting: a merge base must be tested\n");
-			exit(bisect_checkout(sha1_to_hex(mb), no_checkout));
+			exit(bisect_checkout(mb, no_checkout));
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -948,7 +929,6 @@ int bisect_next_all(const char *prefix, int no_checkout)
 	struct commit_list *tried;
 	int reaches = 0, all = 0, nr, steps;
 	const unsigned char *bisect_rev;
-	char bisect_rev_hex[GIT_SHA1_HEXSZ + 1];
 
 	read_bisect_terms(&term_bad, &term_good);
 	if (read_bisect_refs())
@@ -986,11 +966,10 @@ int bisect_next_all(const char *prefix, int no_checkout)
 	}
 
 	bisect_rev = revs.commits->item->object.sha1;
-	memcpy(bisect_rev_hex, sha1_to_hex(bisect_rev), GIT_SHA1_HEXSZ + 1);
 
 	if (!hashcmp(bisect_rev, current_bad_oid->hash)) {
 		exit_if_skipped_commits(tried, current_bad_oid);
-		printf("%s is the first %s commit\n", bisect_rev_hex,
+		printf("%s is the first %s commit\n", sha1_to_hex(bisect_rev),
 			term_bad);
 		show_diff_tree(prefix, revs.commits->item);
 		/* This means the bisection process succeeded. */
@@ -1003,7 +982,7 @@ int bisect_next_all(const char *prefix, int no_checkout)
 	       "(roughly %d step%s)\n", nr, (nr == 1 ? "" : "s"),
 	       steps, (steps == 1 ? "" : "s"));
 
-	return bisect_checkout(bisect_rev_hex, no_checkout);
+	return bisect_checkout(bisect_rev, no_checkout);
 }
 
 static inline int log2i(int n)

diff --git a/sequencer.c b/sequencer.c
index c4f4b7d..554a704 100644
--- a/sequencer.c
+++ b/sequencer.c
@@ -158,23 +158,6 @@ static void free_message(struct commit *commit, struct commit_message *msg)
 	unuse_commit_buffer(commit, msg->message);
 }
 
-static void write_cherry_pick_head(struct commit *commit, const char *pseudoref)
-{
-	const char *filename;
-	int fd;
-	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
-
-	strbuf_addf(&buf, "%s\n", sha1_to_hex(commit->object.sha1));
-
-	filename = git_path("%s", pseudoref);
-	fd = open(filename, O_WRONLY | O_CREAT, 0666);
-	if (fd < 0)
-		die_errno(_("Could not open '%s' for writing"), filename);
-	if (write_in_full(fd, buf.buf, buf.len) != buf.len || close(fd))
-		die_errno(_("Could not write to '%s'"), filename);
-	strbuf_release(&buf);
-}
-
 static void print_advice(int show_hint, struct replay_opts *opts)
 {
 	char *msg = getenv("GIT_CHERRY_PICK_HELP");
@@ -607,9 +590,11 @@ static int do_pick_commit(struct commit *commit, struct replay_opts *opts)
 	 * write it at all.
 	 */
 	if (opts->action == REPLAY_PICK && !opts->no_commit && (res == 0 || res == 1))
-		write_cherry_pick_head(commit, "CHERRY_PICK_HEAD");
+		update_ref(NULL, "CHERRY_PICK_HEAD", commit->object.sha1, NULL,
+			   REF_NODEREF, UPDATE_REFS_DIE_ON_ERR);
 	if (opts->action == REPLAY_REVERT && ((opts->no_commit && res == 0) || res == 1))
-		write_cherry_pick_head(commit, "REVERT_HEAD");
+		update_ref(NULL, "REVERT_HEAD", commit->object.sha1, NULL,
+			   REF_NODEREF, UPDATE_REFS_DIE_ON_ERR);
 
 	if (res) {
 		error(opts->action == REPLAY_REVERT