patch, 13 partssubmodule: convert the rest of 'update' to C

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 80619361fc..97512ccf0b 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -2794,18 +2794,12 @@ static int push_check(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int ensure_core_worktree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
+static void do_ensure_core_worktree(const char *path)
 {
 	const struct submodule *sub;
-	const char *path;
 	const char *cw;
 	struct repository subrepo;
 
-	if (argc != 2)
-		BUG("submodule--helper ensure-core-worktree <path>");
-
-	path = argv[1];
-
 	sub = submodule_from_path(the_repository, null_oid(), path);
 	if (!sub)
 		BUG("We could get the submodule handle before?");
@@ -2829,6 +2823,17 @@ static int ensure_core_worktree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		free(abs_path);
 		strbuf_release(&sb);
 	}
+}
+
+static int ensure_core_worktree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
+{
+	const char *path;
+
+	if (argc != 2)
+		BUG("submodule--helper ensure-core-worktree <path>");
+
+	path = argv[1];
+	do_ensure_core_worktree(path);
 
 	return 0;
 }

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 97512ccf0b..1a65de4fa4 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -29,11 +29,10 @@
 typedef void (*each_submodule_fn)(const struct cache_entry *list_item,
 				  void *cb_data);
 
-static char *get_default_remote(void)
+static char *repo_get_default_remote(struct repository *repo, const char *refname)
 {
 	char *dest = NULL, *ret;
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
-	const char *refname = resolve_ref_unsafe("HEAD", 0, NULL, NULL);
 
 	if (!refname)
 		die(_("No such ref: %s"), "HEAD");
@@ -46,7 +45,7 @@ static char *get_default_remote(void)
 		die(_("Expecting a full ref name, got %s"), refname);
 
 	strbuf_addf(&sb, "branch.%s.remote", refname);
-	if (git_config_get_string(sb.buf, &dest))
+	if (repo_config_get_string(repo, sb.buf, &dest))
 		ret = xstrdup("origin");
 	else
 		ret = dest;
@@ -55,6 +54,12 @@ static char *get_default_remote(void)
 	return ret;
 }
 
+static char *get_default_remote(void)
+{
+	const char *refname = resolve_ref_unsafe("HEAD", 0, NULL, NULL);
+	return repo_get_default_remote(the_repository, refname);
+}
+
 static int print_default_remote(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 {
 	char *remote;

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 1a65de4fa4..f6c4fc349b 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -54,6 +54,19 @@ static char *repo_get_default_remote(struct repository *repo, const char *refnam
 	return ret;
 }
 
+static char *get_default_remote_submodule(const char *module_path)
+{
+	const char *refname;
+	const struct submodule *sub;
+	struct repository subrepo;
+
+	refname = refs_resolve_ref_unsafe(get_submodule_ref_store(module_path),
+					  "HEAD", 0, NULL, NULL);
+	sub = submodule_from_path(the_repository, null_oid(), module_path);
+	repo_submodule_init(&subrepo, the_repository, sub);
+	return repo_get_default_remote(&subrepo, refname);
+}
+
 static char *get_default_remote(void)
 {
 	const char *refname = resolve_ref_unsafe("HEAD", 0, NULL, NULL);
@@ -1374,7 +1387,6 @@ static void sync_submodule(const char *path, const char *prefix,
 	char *remote_key = NULL;
 	char *sub_origin_url, *super_config_url, *displaypath;
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
-	struct child_process cp = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 	char *sub_config_path = NULL;
 
 	if (!is_submodule_active(the_repository, path))
@@ -1423,14 +1435,9 @@ static void sync_submodule(const char *path, const char *prefix,
 	if (!is_submodule_populated_gently(path, NULL))
 		goto cleanup;
 
-	prepare_submodule_repo_env(&cp.env_array);
-	cp.git_cmd = 1;
-	cp.dir = path;
-	strvec_pushl(&cp.args, "submodule--helper",
-		     "print-default-remote", NULL);
-
 	strbuf_reset(&sb);
-	if (capture_command(&cp, &sb, 0))
+	strbuf_addstr(&sb, get_default_remote_submodule(path));
+	if (!sb.buf)
 		die(_("failed to get the default remote for submodule '%s'"),
 		      path);
 

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index f6c4fc349b..b0336b0377 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -2499,7 +2499,7 @@ static int do_run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud)
 	return run_update_command(ud, subforce);
 }
 
-static void update_submodule(struct update_clone_data *ucd)
+static void update_clone_submodule(struct update_clone_data *ucd)
 {
 	fprintf(stdout, "dummy %s %d\t%s\n",
 		oid_to_hex(&ucd->oid),
@@ -2507,7 +2507,7 @@ static void update_submodule(struct update_clone_data *ucd)
 		ucd->sub->path);
 }
 
-static int update_submodules(struct submodule_update_clone *suc)
+static int update_clone_submodules(struct submodule_update_clone *suc)
 {
 	int i;
 
@@ -2528,7 +2528,7 @@ static int update_submodules(struct submodule_update_clone *suc)
 		return 1;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < suc->update_clone_nr; i++)
-		update_submodule(&suc->update_clone[i]);
+		update_clone_submodule(&suc->update_clone[i]);
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -2593,7 +2593,7 @@ static int update_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	if (pathspec.nr)
 		suc.warn_if_uninitialized = 1;
 
-	return update_submodules(&suc);
+	return update_clone_submodules(&suc);
 }
 
 static int run_update_procedure(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index b0336b0377..10de01a1f7 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -269,11 +269,8 @@ static int resolve_relative_url_test(int argc, const char **argv, const char *pr
 	return 0;
 }
 
-/* the result should be freed by the caller. */
-static char *get_submodule_displaypath(const char *path, const char *prefix)
+static char *do_get_submodule_displaypath(const char *path, const char *prefix, const char *super_prefix)
 {
-	const char *super_prefix = get_super_prefix();
-
 	if (prefix && super_prefix) {
 		BUG("cannot have prefix '%s' and superprefix '%s'",
 		    prefix, super_prefix);
@@ -289,6 +286,13 @@ static char *get_submodule_displaypath(const char *path, const char *prefix)
 	}
 }
 
+/* the result should be freed by the caller. */
+static char *get_submodule_displaypath(const char *path, const char *prefix)
+{
+	const char *super_prefix = get_super_prefix();
+	return do_get_submodule_displaypath(path, prefix, super_prefix);
+}
+
 static char *compute_rev_name(const char *sub_path, const char* object_id)
 {
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;

builtin/submodule--helper.c, git-submodule.sh

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 10de01a1f7..2cccb9a9ab 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -634,18 +634,22 @@ static char *compute_submodule_clone_url(const char *rel_url)
 
 struct init_cb {
 	const char *prefix;
+	const char *superprefix;
 	unsigned int flags;
 };
-#define INIT_CB_INIT { NULL, 0 }
+#define INIT_CB_INIT { NULL, NULL, 0 }
 
 static void init_submodule(const char *path, const char *prefix,
-			   unsigned int flags)
+			   const char *superprefix, unsigned int flags)
 {
 	const struct submodule *sub;
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
 	char *upd = NULL, *url = NULL, *displaypath;
 
-	displaypath = get_submodule_displaypath(path, prefix);
+	/* try superprefix from the environment, if it is not passed explicitly */
+	if (!superprefix)
+		superprefix = get_super_prefix();
+	displaypath = do_get_submodule_displaypath(path, prefix, superprefix);
 
 	sub = submodule_from_path(the_repository, null_oid(), path);
 
@@ -719,7 +723,7 @@ static void init_submodule(const char *path, const char *prefix,
 static void init_submodule_cb(const struct cache_entry *list_item, void *cb_data)
 {
 	struct init_cb *info = cb_data;
-	init_submodule(list_item->name, info->prefix, info->flags);
+	init_submodule(list_item->name, info->prefix, info->superprefix, info->flags);
 }
 
 static int module_init(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
@@ -2039,7 +2043,6 @@ struct submodule_update_clone {
 	const char *prefix;
 	int single_branch;
 
-	/* to be consumed by git-submodule.sh */
 	struct update_clone_data *update_clone;
 	int update_clone_nr; int update_clone_alloc;
 
@@ -2062,19 +2065,63 @@ struct submodule_update_clone {
 }
 
 struct update_data {
+	const char *prefix;
 	const char *recursive_prefix;
 	const char *sm_path;
 	const char *displaypath;
 	struct object_id oid;
 	struct object_id suboid;
-	struct submodule_update_strategy update_strategy;
+	int max_jobs;
 	int depth;
+	int recommend_shallow;
+	int single_branch;
+	unsigned int init: 1;
 	unsigned int force: 1;
 	unsigned int quiet: 1;
 	unsigned int nofetch: 1;
-	unsigned int just_cloned: 1;
+	unsigned int remote: 1;
+	unsigned int recursive: 1;
+	unsigned int progress: 1;
+	unsigned int dissociate: 1;
+	unsigned int require_init: 1;
+	unsigned warn_if_uninitialized : 1;
+	unsigned int just_cloned : 1;
+	struct submodule_update_strategy update_strategy;
+	struct string_list references;
+	struct module_list list;
 };
-#define UPDATE_DATA_INIT { .update_strategy = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_STRATEGY_INIT }
+#define UPDATE_DATA_INIT { \
+	.list = MODULE_LIST_INIT, \
+	.update_strategy = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_STRATEGY_INIT, \
+	.recommend_shallow = -1, \
+	.references = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP, \
+	.single_branch = -1, \
+	.max_jobs = 1, \
+}
+
+static void update_clone_from_update_data(struct submodule_update_clone *suc,
+					  struct update_data *update_data)
+{
+	suc->prefix = update_data->prefix;
+	suc->recursive_prefix = update_data->recursive_prefix;
+	suc->max_jobs = update_data->max_jobs;
+	suc->progress = update_data->progress;
+	suc->quiet = update_data->quiet;
+	suc->dissociate = update_data->dissociate;
+	suc->require_init = update_data->require_init;
+	suc->single_branch = update_data->single_branch;
+	suc->warn_if_uninitialized = update_data->warn_if_uninitialized;
+	suc->list = update_data->list;
+	suc->update = update_data->update_strategy;
+	suc->recommend_shallow = update_data->recommend_shallow;
+	if (update_data->depth)
+		suc->depth = xstrfmt("--depth=%d", update_data->depth);
+	if (update_data->references.nr) {
+		struct string_list_item *item;
+		for_each_string_list_item(item, &update_data->references)
+			string_list_append(&suc->references, item->string);
+	}
+}
 
 static void next_submodule_warn_missing(struct submodule_update_clone *suc,
 		struct strbuf *out, const char *displaypath)
@@ -2369,111 +2416,113 @@ static int fetch_in_submodule(const char *module_path, int depth, int quiet, str
 	return run_command(&cp);
 }
 
-static int run_update_command(struct update_data *ud, int subforce)
+static int run_update_command(struct update_data *ud, int subforce, struct string_list *err)
 {
-	struct strvec args = STRVEC_INIT;
-	struct strvec child_env = STRVEC_INIT;
+	struct child_process cp = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 	char *oid = oid_to_hex(&ud->oid);
+	struct strbuf out = STRBUF_INIT;
 	int must_die_on_failure = 0;
-	int git_cmd;
+	struct submodule_update_strategy strategy = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_STRATEGY_INIT;
 
-	switch (ud->update_strategy.type) {
+	if (ud->update_strategy.type == SM_UPDATE_UNSPECIFIED || ud->just_cloned)
+		determine_submodule_update_strategy(the_repository, ud->just_cloned,
+						    ud->sm_path, NULL, &strategy);
+	else
+		strategy = ud->update_strategy;
+
+	cp.dir = xstrdup(ud->sm_path);
+	switch (strategy.type) {
 	case SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT:
-		git_cmd = 1;
-		strvec_pushl(&args, "checkout", "-q", NULL);
+		cp.git_cmd = 1;
+		strvec_pushl(&cp.args, "checkout", "-q", NULL);
 		if (subforce)
-			strvec_push(&args, "-f");
+			strvec_push(&cp.args, "-f");
 		break;
 	case SM_UPDATE_REBASE:
-		git_cmd = 1;
-		strvec_push(&args, "rebase");
+		cp.git_cmd = 1;
+		strvec_push(&cp.args, "rebase");
 		if (ud->quiet)
-			strvec_push(&args, "--quiet");
+			strvec_push(&cp.args, "--quiet");
 		must_die_on_failure = 1;
 		break;
 	case SM_UPDATE_MERGE:
-		git_cmd = 1;
-		strvec_push(&args, "merge");
+		cp.git_cmd = 1;
+		strvec_push(&cp.args, "merge");
 		if (ud->quiet)
-			strvec_push(&args, "--quiet");
+			strvec_push(&cp.args, "--quiet");
 		must_die_on_failure = 1;
 		break;
 	case SM_UPDATE_COMMAND:
-		git_cmd = 0;
-		strvec_push(&args, ud->update_strategy.command);
+		cp.git_cmd = 0;
+		cp.use_shell = 1;
+		strvec_push(&cp.args, strategy.command);
 		must_die_on_failure = 1;
 		break;
 	default:
 		BUG("unexpected update strategy type: %s",
-		    submodule_strategy_to_string(&ud->update_strategy));
+		    submodule_strategy_to_string(&strategy));
 	}
-	strvec_push(&args, oid);
+	strvec_push(&cp.args, oid);
 
-	prepare_submodule_repo_env(&child_env);
-	if (run_command_v_opt_cd_env(args.v, git_cmd ? RUN_GIT_CMD : RUN_USING_SHELL,
-				     ud->sm_path, child_env.v)) {
-		switch (ud->update_strategy.type) {
-		case SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT:
-			printf(_("Unable to checkout '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
-			       oid, ud->displaypath);
-			break;
-		case SM_UPDATE_REBASE:
-			printf(_("Unable to rebase '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
-			       oid, ud->displaypath);
-			break;
-		case SM_UPDATE_MERGE:
-			printf(_("Unable to merge '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
-			       oid, ud->displaypath);
-			break;
-		case SM_UPDATE_COMMAND:
-			printf(_("Execution of '%s %s' failed in submodule path '%s'"),
-			       ud->update_strategy.command, oid, ud->displaypath);
-			break;
-		default:
-			BUG("unexpected update strategy type: %s",
-			    submodule_strategy_to_string(&ud->update_strategy));
+	prepare_submodule_repo_env(&cp.env_array);
+	if (capture_command(&cp, &out, 0)) {
+		if (must_die_on_failure) {
+			switch (strategy.type) {
+			case SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT:
+				die(_("Unable to checkout '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
+				    oid, ud->displaypath);
+				break;
+			case SM_UPDATE_REBASE:
+				die(_("Unable to rebase '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
+				    oid, ud->displaypath);
+				break;
+			case SM_UPDATE_MERGE:
+				die(_("Unable to merge '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
+				    oid, ud->displaypath);
+				break;
+			case SM_UPDATE_COMMAND:
+				die(_("Execution of '%s %s' failed in submodule path '%s'"),
+				    strategy.command, oid, ud->displaypath);
+				break;
+			default:
+				BUG("unexpected update strategy type: %s",
+				    submodule_strategy_to_string(&strategy));
+			}
 		}
-		/*
-		 * NEEDSWORK: We are currently printing to stdout with error
-		 * return so that the shell caller handles the error output
-		 * properly. Once we start handling the error messages within
-		 * C, we should use die() instead.
-		 */
-		if (must_die_on_failure)
-			return 2;
-		/*
-		 * This signifies to the caller in shell that the command
-		 * failed without dying
-		 */
+
+		/* the command failed, but update must continue */
+		string_list_append(err, out.buf);
 		return 1;
 	}
 
-	switch (ud->update_strategy.type) {
-	case SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT:
-		printf(_("Submodule path '%s': checked out '%s'\n"),
-		       ud->displaypath, oid);
-		break;
-	case SM_UPDATE_REBASE:
-		printf(_("Submodule path '%s': rebased into '%s'\n"),
-		       ud->displaypath, oid);
-		break;
-	case SM_UPDATE_MERGE:
-		printf(_("Submodule path '%s': merged in '%s'\n"),
-		       ud->displaypath, oid);
-		break;
-	case SM_UPDATE_COMMAND:
-		printf(_("Submodule path '%s': '%s %s'\n"),
-		       ud->displaypath, ud->update_strategy.command, oid);
-		break;
-	default:
-		BUG("unexpected update strategy type: %s",
-		    submodule_strategy_to_string(&ud->update_strategy));
+	if (!ud->quiet) {
+		switch (strategy.type) {
+		case SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT:
+			printf(_("Submodule path '%s': checked out '%s'\n"),
+			       ud->displaypath, oid);
+			break;
+		case SM_UPDATE_REBASE:
+			printf(_("Submodule path '%s': rebased into '%s'\n"),
+			       ud->displaypath, oid);
+			break;
+		case SM_UPDATE_MERGE:
+			printf(_("Submodule path '%s': merged in '%s'\n"),
+			       ud->displaypath, oid);
+			break;
+		case SM_UPDATE_COMMAND:
+			printf(_("Submodule path '%s': '%s %s'\n"),
+			       ud->displaypath, strategy.command, oid);
+			break;
+		default:
+			BUG("unexpected update strategy type: %s",
+			    submodule_strategy_to_string(&strategy));
+		}
 	}
 
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int do_run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud)
+static int do_run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud, struct string_list *err)
 {
 	int subforce = is_null_oid(&ud->suboid) || ud->force;
 
@@ -2500,7 +2549,7 @@ static int do_run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud)
 			    ud->displaypath, oid_to_hex(&ud->oid));
 	}
 
-	return run_update_command(ud, subforce);
+	return run_update_command(ud, subforce, err);
 }
 
 static void update_clone_submodule(struct update_clone_data *ucd)
@@ -2605,6 +2654,7 @@ static int run_update_procedure(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	int force = 0, quiet = 0, nofetch = 0, just_cloned = 0;
 	char *prefixed_path, *update = NULL;
 	struct update_data update_data = UPDATE_DATA_INIT;
+	struct string_list err = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
 
 	struct option options[] = {
 		OPT__QUIET(&quiet, N_("suppress output for update by rebase or merge")),
@@ -2662,7 +2712,7 @@ static int run_update_procedure(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	free(prefixed_path);
 
 	if (!oideq(&update_data.oid, &update_data.suboid) || update_data.force)
-		return do_run_update_procedure(&update_data);
+		return do_run_update_procedure(&update_data, &err);
 
 	return 3;
 }
@@ -3038,6 +3088,288 @@ static int module_set_branch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	return !!ret;
 }
 
+static void update_data_to_args(struct update_data *update_data, struct strvec *args)
+{
+	const char *update = submodule_strategy_to_string(&update_data->update_strategy);
+
+	strvec_pushl(args, "submodule--helper", "update", "--recursive", NULL);
+	strvec_pushf(args, "--jobs=%d", update_data->max_jobs);
+	if (update_data->prefix)
+		strvec_pushl(args, "--prefix", update_data->prefix, NULL);
+	if (update_data->recursive_prefix)
+		strvec_pushl(args, "--recursive-prefix",
+			     update_data->recursive_prefix, NULL);
+	if (update_data->quiet)
+		strvec_push(args, "--quiet");
+	if (update_data->force)
+		strvec_push(args, "--force");
+	if (update_data->init)
+		strvec_push(args, "--init");
+	if (update_data->remote)
+		strvec_push(args, "--remote");
+	if (update_data->nofetch)
+		strvec_push(args, "--no-fetch");
+	if (update_data->dissociate)
+		strvec_push(args, "--dissociate");
+	if (update_data->progress)
+		strvec_push(args, "--progress");
+	if (update_data->require_init)
+		strvec_push(args, "--require-init");
+	if (update_data->depth)
+		strvec_pushf(args, "--depth=%d", update_data->depth);
+	if (update)
+		strvec_pushl(args, "--update", update, NULL);
+	if (update_data->references.nr) {
+		struct string_list_item *item;
+		for_each_string_list_item(item, &update_data->references)
+			strvec_pushl(args, "--reference", item->string, NULL);
+	}
+	if (update_data->recommend_shallow == 0)
+		strvec_push(args, "--no-recommend-shallow");
+	else if (update_data->recommend_shallow == 1)
+		strvec_push(args, "--recommend-shallow");
+	if (update_data->single_branch >= 0)
+		strvec_push(args, "--single-branch");
+}
+
+static int update_submodule(struct update_data *update_data)
+{
+	char *prefixed_path;
+	struct string_list err = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
+
+	do_ensure_core_worktree(update_data->sm_path);
+
+	if (update_data->recursive_prefix)
+		prefixed_path = xstrfmt("%s%s", update_data->recursive_prefix,
+					update_data->sm_path);
+	else
+		prefixed_path = xstrdup(update_data->sm_path);
+
+	update_data->displaypath = get_submodule_displaypath(prefixed_path,
+							     update_data->prefix);
+	free(prefixed_path);
+
+	if (update_data->just_cloned) {
+		oidcpy(&update_data->suboid, null_oid());
+	} else {
+		if (resolve_gitlink_ref(update_data->sm_path, "HEAD", &update_data->suboid))
+			die(_("Unable to find current revision in submodule path '%s'"),
+			    update_data->displaypath);
+	}
+
+	if (update_data->remote) {
+		char *remote_name = get_default_remote_submodule(update_data->sm_path);
+		const char *branch = remote_submodule_branch(update_data->sm_path);
+		char *remote_ref = xstrfmt("refs/remotes/%s/%s", remote_name, branch);
+
+		if (!update_data->nofetch) {
+			if(fetch_in_submodule(update_data->sm_path, update_data->depth,
+					      0, NULL))
+				die(_("Unable to fetch in submodule path '%s'"),
+				    update_data->sm_path);
+		}
+
+		if (resolve_gitlink_ref(update_data->sm_path, remote_ref, &update_data->oid))
+			die(_("Unable to find %s revision in submodule path '%s'"),
+			    remote_ref, update_data->sm_path);
+
+		free(remote_ref);
+	}
+
+	if (!oideq(&update_data->oid, &update_data->suboid) || update_data->force)
+		if (do_run_update_procedure(update_data, &err))
+			return 1;
+
+	if (update_data->recursive) {
+		int res;
+		struct child_process cp = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
+		struct update_data next = *update_data;
+		char *die_msg = xstrfmt(_("Failed to recurse into submodule path '%s'"),
+					update_data->displaypath);
+
+		if (update_data->recursive_prefix)
+			prefixed_path = xstrfmt("%s%s/", update_data->recursive_prefix,
+						update_data->sm_path);
+		else
+			prefixed_path = xstrfmt("%s/", update_data->sm_path);
+
+		next.recursive_prefix = get_submodule_displaypath(prefixed_path,
+								  update_data->prefix);
+		next.prefix = NULL;
+		oidcpy(&next.oid, null_oid());
+		oidcpy(&next.suboid, null_oid());
+
+		cp.dir = update_data->sm_path;
+		cp.git_cmd = 1;
+		prepare_submodule_repo_env(&cp.env_array);
+		update_data_to_args(&next, &cp.args);
+
+		/* die() if child process die()'d */
+		if ((res = run_command(&cp)) == 128)
+			die("%s", die_msg);
+		if (res)
+			string_list_append(&err, die_msg);
+
+		free(die_msg);
+	}
+
+	if (err.nr) {
+		struct string_list_item *item;
+		for_each_string_list_item(item, &err)
+			fputs(item->string, stderr);
+		return 1;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int update_submodules(struct update_data *update_data)
+{
+	int i, res = 0;
+	struct submodule_update_clone suc = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_CLONE_INIT;
+
+	update_clone_from_update_data(&suc, update_data);
+	run_processes_parallel_tr2(suc.max_jobs, update_clone_get_next_task,
+				   update_clone_start_failure,
+				   update_clone_task_finished, &suc, "submodule",
+				   "parallel/update");
+
+	/*
+	 * We saved the output and put it out all at once now.
+	 * That means:
+	 * - the listener does not have to interleave their (checkout)
+	 *   work with our fetching.  The writes involved in a
+	 *   checkout involve more straightforward sequential I/O.
+	 * - the listener can avoid doing any work if fetching failed.
+	 */
+	if (suc.quickstop)
+		return 1;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < suc.update_clone_nr; i++) {
+		struct update_clone_data ucd = suc.update_clone[i];
+
+		oidcpy(&update_data->oid, &ucd.oid);
+		update_data->just_cloned = ucd.just_cloned;
+		update_data->sm_path = ucd.sub->path;
+
+		if (update_submodule(update_data))
+			res = 1;
+	}
+
+	return res;
+}
+
+static int module_update(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
+{
+	int init = 0, force = 0, quiet = 0, nofetch = 0;
+	int remote = 0, recursive = 0, dissociate = 0;
+	int progress = 0, require_init = 0;
+	const char *update = NULL;
+	struct pathspec pathspec;
+	struct update_data update_data = UPDATE_DATA_INIT;
+
+	struct option module_update_clone_options[] = {
+		OPT__FORCE(&force, N_("force checkout updates"), 0),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "init", &init,
+			 N_("initialize uninitialized submodules before update")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "remote", &remote,
+			 N_("use SHA-1 of submodule's remote tracking branch")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "recursive", &recursive,
+			 N_("traverse submodules recursively")),
+		OPT_BOOL('N', "no-fetch", &nofetch,
+			 N_("don't fetch new objects from the remote site")),
+		OPT_STRING(0, "prefix", &prefix,
+			   N_("path"),
+			   N_("path into the working tree")),
+		OPT_STRING(0, "recursive-prefix", &update_data.recursive_prefix,
+			   N_("path"),
+			   N_("path into the working tree, across nested "
+			      "submodule boundaries")),
+		OPT_STRING(0, "update", &update,
+			   N_("string"),
+			   N_("rebase, merge, checkout or none")),
+		OPT_STRING_LIST(0, "reference", &update_data.references, N_("repo"),
+				N_("reference repository")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "dissociate", &dissociate,
+			 N_("use --reference only while cloning")),
+		OPT_INTEGER(0, "depth", &update_data.depth,
+			    N_("create a shallow clone truncated to the "
+			       "specified number of revisions")),
+		OPT_INTEGER('j', "jobs", &update_data.max_jobs,
+			    N_("parallel jobs")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "recommend-shallow", &update_data.recommend_shallow,
+			 N_("whether the initial clone should follow the shallow recommendation")),
+		OPT__QUIET(&quiet, N_("don't print cloning progress")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "progress", &progress,
+			 N_("force cloning progress")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "require-init", &require_init,
+			 N_("disallow cloning into non-empty directory")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "single-branch", &update_data.single_branch,
+			 N_("clone only one branch, HEAD or --branch")),
+		OPT_END()
+	};
+
+	const char *const git_submodule_helper_usage[] = {
+		N_("git submodule--helper update-clone [--prefix=<path>] [<path>...]"),
+		NULL
+	};
+
+	update_clone_config_from_gitmodules(&update_data.max_jobs);
+	git_config(git_update_clone_config, &update_data.max_jobs);
+
+	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, module_update_clone_options,
+			     git_submodule_helper_usage, 0);
+	update_data.prefix = prefix;
+
+	update_data.force = !!force;
+	update_data.quiet = !!quiet;
+	update_data.nofetch = !!nofetch;
+	update_data.init = !!init;
+	update_data.require_init = !!require_init;
+	update_data.remote = !!remote;
+	update_data.recursive = !!recursive;
+	update_data.progress = !!progress;
+	update_data.dissociate = !!dissociate;
+	oidcpy(&update_data.oid, null_oid());
+	oidcpy(&update_data.suboid, null_oid());
+
+	if (update)
+		if (parse_submodule_update_strategy(update,
+						    &update_data.update_strategy) < 0)
+			die(_("bad value for update parameter"));
+
+	if (module_list_compute(argc, argv, prefix, &pathspec, &update_data.list) < 0)
+		return 1;
+
+	if (pathspec.nr)
+		update_data.warn_if_uninitialized = 1;
+
+	if (update_data.init) {
+		struct module_list list = MODULE_LIST_INIT;
+		struct init_cb info = INIT_CB_INIT;
+
+		if (module_list_compute(argc, argv, update_data.prefix,
+					&pathspec, &list) < 0)
+			return 1;
+
+		/*
+		 * If there are no path args and submodule.active is set then,
+		 * by default, only initialize 'active' modules.
+		 */
+		if (!argc && git_config_get_value_multi("submodule.active"))
+			module_list_active(&list);
+
+		info.prefix = update_data.prefix;
+		info.superprefix = update_data.recursive_prefix;
+		if (update_data.quiet)
+			info.flags |= OPT_QUIET;
+
+		for_each_listed_submodule(&list, init_submodule_cb, &info);
+	}
+
+	return update_submodules(&update_data);
+}
+
 struct add_data {
 	const char *prefix;
 	const char *branch;
@@ -3213,6 +3545,7 @@ static int add_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+
 #define SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX (1<<0)
 
 struct cmd_struct {
@@ -3226,6 +3559,7 @@ static struct cmd_struct commands[] = {
 	{"name", module_name, 0},
 	{"clone", module_clone, 0},
 	{"add-clone", add_clone, 0},
+	{"update", module_update, 0},
 	{"update-module-mode", module_update_module_mode, 0},
 	{"update-clone", update_clone, 0},
 	{"run-update-procedure", run_update_procedure, 0},
diff --git a/git-submodule.sh b/git-submodule.sh
index f703cddce8..4e21d9715c 100755
--- a/git-submodule.sh
+++ b/git-submodule.sh
@@ -484,133 +484,26 @@ cmd_update()
 		shift
 	done
 
-	if test -n "$init"
-	then
-		cmd_init "--" "$@" || return
-	fi
-
-	{
-	git submodule--helper update-clone ${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} \
-		${progress:+"--progress"} \
+	git ${wt_prefix:+-C "$wt_prefix"} ${prefix:+--super-prefix "$prefix"} submodule--helper update \
+		${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} \
+		${force:+--force} \
+		${progress:+--progress} \
+		${dissociate:+--dissociate} \
+		${remote:+--remote} \
+		${recursive:+--recursive} \
+		${init:+--init} \
+		${require_init:+--require-init} \
+		${nofetch:+--no-fetch} \
 		${wt_prefix:+--prefix "$wt_prefix"} \
 		${prefix:+--recursive-prefix "$prefix"} \
 		${update:+--update "$update"} \
 		${reference:+"$reference"} \
-		${dissociate:+"--dissociate"} \
-		${depth:+--depth "$depth"} \
-		${require_init:+--require-init} \
+		${depth:+"$depth"} \
 		$single_branch \
 		$recommend_shallow \
 		$jobs \
 		-- \
-		"$@" || echo "#unmatched" $?
-	} | {
-	err=
-	while read -r quickabort sha1 just_cloned sm_path
-	do
-		die_if_unmatched "$quickabort" "$sha1"
-
-		git submodule--helper ensure-core-worktree "$sm_path" || exit 1
-
-		displaypath=$(git submodule--helper relative-path "$prefix$sm_path" "$wt_prefix")
-
-		if test $just_cloned -eq 1
-		then
-			subsha1=
-		else
-			just_cloned=
-			subsha1=$(sanitize_submodule_env; cd "$sm_path" &&
-				git rev-parse --verify HEAD) ||
-			die "fatal: $(eval_gettext "Unable to find current revision in submodule path '\$displaypath'")"
-		fi
-
-		if test -n "$remote"
-		then
-			branch=$(git submodule--helper remote-branch "$sm_path")
-			if test -z "$nofetch"
-			then
-				# Fetch remote before determining tracking $sha1
-				fetch_in_submodule "$sm_path" $depth ||
-				die "fatal: $(eval_gettext "Unable to fetch in submodule path '\$sm_path'")"
-			fi
-			remote_name=$(sanitize_submodule_env; cd "$sm_path" && git submodule--helper print-default-remote)
-			sha1=$(sanitize_submodule_env; cd "$sm_path" &&
-				git rev-parse --verify "${remote_name}/${branch}") ||
-			die "fatal: $(eval_gettext "Unable to find current \${remote_name}/\${branch} revision in submodule path '\$sm_path'")"
-		fi
-
-		out=$(git submodule--helper run-update-procedure \
-			  ${wt_prefix:+--prefix "$wt_prefix"} \
-			  ${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} \
-			  ${force:+--force} \
-			  ${just_cloned:+--just-cloned} \
-			  ${nofetch:+--no-fetch} \
-			  ${depth:+"$depth"} \
-			  ${update:+--update "$update"} \
-			  ${prefix:+--recursive-prefix "$prefix"} \
-			  ${sha1:+--oid "$sha1"} \
-			  ${subsha1:+--suboid "$subsha1"} \
-			  "--" \
-			  "$sm_path")
-
-		# exit codes for run-update-procedure:
-		# 0: update was successful, say command output
-		# 1: update procedure failed, but should not die
-		# 2 or 128: subcommand died during execution
-		# 3: no update procedure was run
-		res="$?"
-		case $res in
-		0)
-			say "$out"
-			;;
-		1)
-			err="${err};fatal: $out"
-			continue
-			;;
-		2|128)
-			die_with_status $res "fatal: $out"
-			;;
-		esac
-
-		if test -n "$recursive"
-		then
-			(
-				prefix=$(git submodule--helper relative-path "$prefix$sm_path/" "$wt_prefix")
-				wt_prefix=
-				sanitize_submodule_env
-				cd "$sm_path" &&
-				eval cmd_update
-			)
-			res=$?
-			if test $res -gt 0
-			then
-				die_msg="fatal: $(eval_gettext "Failed to recurse into submodule path '\$displaypath'")"
-				if test $res -ne 2
-				then
-					err="${err};$die_msg"
-					continue
-				else
-					die_with_status $res "$die_msg"
-				fi
-			fi
-		fi
-	done
-
-	if test -n "$err"
-	then
-		OIFS=$IFS
-		IFS=';'
-		for e in $err
-		do
-			if test -n "$e"
-			then
-				echo >&2 "$e"
-			fi
-		done
-		IFS=$OIFS
-		exit 1
-	fi
-	}
+		"$@"
 }
 
 #

diff --git a/git-submodule.sh b/git-submodule.sh
index 4e21d9715c..5197de4551 100755
--- a/git-submodule.sh
+++ b/git-submodule.sh
@@ -369,20 +369,6 @@ cmd_deinit()
 	git ${wt_prefix:+-C "$wt_prefix"} submodule--helper deinit ${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} ${force:+--force} ${deinit_all:+--all} -- "$@"
 }
 
-# usage: fetch_in_submodule <module_path> [<depth>] [<sha1>]
-# Because arguments are positional, use an empty string to omit <depth>
-# but include <sha1>.
-fetch_in_submodule () (
-	sanitize_submodule_env &&
-	cd "$1" &&
-	if test $# -eq 3
-	then
-		echo "$3" | git fetch ${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} --stdin ${2:+"$2"}
-	else
-		git fetch ${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} ${2:+"$2"}
-	fi
-)
-
 #
 # Update each submodule path to correct revision, using clone and checkout as needed
 #

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 2cccb9a9ab..a628660d6b 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -2552,103 +2552,6 @@ static int do_run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud, struct string_list *e
 	return run_update_command(ud, subforce, err);
 }
 
-static void update_clone_submodule(struct update_clone_data *ucd)
-{
-	fprintf(stdout, "dummy %s %d\t%s\n",
-		oid_to_hex(&ucd->oid),
-		ucd->just_cloned,
-		ucd->sub->path);
-}
-
-static int update_clone_submodules(struct submodule_update_clone *suc)
-{
-	int i;
-
-	run_processes_parallel_tr2(suc->max_jobs, update_clone_get_next_task,
-				   update_clone_start_failure,
-				   update_clone_task_finished, suc, "submodule",
-				   "parallel/update");
-
-	/*
-	 * We saved the output and put it out all at once now.
-	 * That means:
-	 * - the listener does not have to interleave their (checkout)
-	 *   work with our fetching.  The writes involved in a
-	 *   checkout involve more straightforward sequential I/O.
-	 * - the listener can avoid doing any work if fetching failed.
-	 */
-	if (suc->quickstop)
-		return 1;
-
-	for (i = 0; i < suc->update_clone_nr; i++)
-		update_clone_submodule(&suc->update_clone[i]);
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
-static int update_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
-{
-	const char *update = NULL;
-	struct pathspec pathspec;
-	struct submodule_update_clone suc = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_CLONE_INIT;
-
-	struct option module_update_clone_options[] = {
-		OPT_STRING(0, "prefix", &prefix,
-			   N_("path"),
-			   N_("path into the working tree")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "recursive-prefix", &suc.recursive_prefix,
-			   N_("path"),
-			   N_("path into the working tree, across nested "
-			      "submodule boundaries")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "update", &update,
-			   N_("string"),
-			   N_("rebase, merge, checkout or none")),
-		OPT_STRING_LIST(0, "reference", &suc.references, N_("repo"),
-			   N_("reference repository")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "dissociate", &suc.dissociate,
-			   N_("use --reference only while cloning")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "depth", &suc.depth, "<depth>",
-			   N_("create a shallow clone truncated to the "
-			      "specified number of revisions")),
-		OPT_INTEGER('j', "jobs", &suc.max_jobs,
-			    N_("parallel jobs")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "recommend-shallow", &suc.recommend_shallow,
-			    N_("whether the initial clone should follow the shallow recommendation")),
-		OPT__QUIET(&suc.quiet, N_("don't print cloning progress")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "progress", &suc.progress,
-			    N_("force cloning progress")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "require-init", &suc.require_init,
-			   N_("disallow cloning into non-empty directory")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "single-branch", &suc.single_branch,
-			 N_("clone only one branch, HEAD or --branch")),
-		OPT_END()
-	};
-
-	const char *const git_submodule_helper_usage[] = {
-		N_("git submodule--helper update-clone [--prefix=<path>] [<path>...]"),
-		NULL
-	};
-	suc.prefix = prefix;
-
-	update_clone_config_from_gitmodules(&suc.max_jobs);
-	git_config(git_update_clone_config, &suc.max_jobs);
-
-	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, module_update_clone_options,
-			     git_submodule_helper_usage, 0);
-
-	if (update)
-		if (parse_submodule_update_strategy(update, &suc.update) < 0)
-			die(_("bad value for update parameter"));
-
-	if (module_list_compute(argc, argv, prefix, &pathspec, &suc.list) < 0)
-		return 1;
-
-	if (pathspec.nr)
-		suc.warn_if_uninitialized = 1;
-
-	return update_clone_submodules(&suc);
-}
-
 static int run_update_procedure(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 {
 	int force = 0, quiet = 0, nofetch = 0, just_cloned = 0;
@@ -3561,7 +3464,6 @@ static struct cmd_struct commands[] = {
 	{"add-clone", add_clone, 0},
 	{"update", module_update, 0},
 	{"update-module-mode", module_update_module_mode, 0},
-	{"update-clone", update_clone, 0},
 	{"run-update-procedure", run_update_procedure, 0},
 	{"ensure-core-worktree", ensure_core_worktree, 0},
 	{"relative-path", resolve_relative_path, 0},

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index a628660d6b..e3e85600c3 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -1993,29 +1993,6 @@ static void determine_submodule_update_strategy(struct repository *r,
 	free(key);
 }
 
-static int module_update_module_mode(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
-{
-	const char *path, *update = NULL;
-	int just_cloned;
-	struct submodule_update_strategy update_strategy = { .type = SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT };
-
-	if (argc < 3 || argc > 4)
-		die("submodule--helper update-module-clone expects <just-cloned> <path> [<update>]");
-
-	just_cloned = git_config_int("just_cloned", argv[1]);
-	path = argv[2];
-
-	if (argc == 4)
-		update = argv[3];
-
-	determine_submodule_update_strategy(the_repository,
-					    just_cloned, path, update,
-					    &update_strategy);
-	fputs(submodule_strategy_to_string(&update_strategy), stdout);
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
 struct update_clone_data {
 	const struct submodule *sub;
 	struct object_id oid;
@@ -3463,7 +3440,6 @@ static struct cmd_struct commands[] = {
 	{"clone", module_clone, 0},
 	{"add-clone", add_clone, 0},
 	{"update", module_update, 0},
-	{"update-module-mode", module_update_module_mode, 0},
 	{"run-update-procedure", run_update_procedure, 0},
 	{"ensure-core-worktree", ensure_core_worktree, 0},
 	{"relative-path", resolve_relative_path, 0},

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index e3e85600c3..597e303889 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -2740,7 +2740,7 @@ static int push_check(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static void do_ensure_core_worktree(const char *path)
+static void ensure_core_worktree(const char *path)
 {
 	const struct submodule *sub;
 	const char *cw;
@@ -2771,19 +2771,6 @@ static void do_ensure_core_worktree(const char *path)
 	}
 }
 
-static int ensure_core_worktree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
-{
-	const char *path;
-
-	if (argc != 2)
-		BUG("submodule--helper ensure-core-worktree <path>");
-
-	path = argv[1];
-	do_ensure_core_worktree(path);
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
 static int absorb_git_dirs(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 {
 	int i;
@@ -3017,7 +3004,7 @@ static int update_submodule(struct update_data *update_data)
 	char *prefixed_path;
 	struct string_list err = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
 
-	do_ensure_core_worktree(update_data->sm_path);
+	ensure_core_worktree(update_data->sm_path);
 
 	if (update_data->recursive_prefix)
 		prefixed_path = xstrfmt("%s%s", update_data->recursive_prefix,
@@ -3441,7 +3428,6 @@ static struct cmd_struct commands[] = {
 	{"add-clone", add_clone, 0},
 	{"update", module_update, 0},
 	{"run-update-procedure", run_update_procedure, 0},
-	{"ensure-core-worktree", ensure_core_worktree, 0},
 	{"relative-path", resolve_relative_path, 0},
 	{"resolve-relative-url", resolve_relative_url, 0},
 	{"resolve-relative-url-test", resolve_relative_url_test, 0},

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 597e303889..9470ff3de0 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -73,21 +73,6 @@ static char *get_default_remote(void)
 	return repo_get_default_remote(the_repository, refname);
 }
 
-static int print_default_remote(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
-{
-	char *remote;
-
-	if (argc != 1)
-		die(_("submodule--helper print-default-remote takes no arguments"));
-
-	remote = get_default_remote();
-	if (remote)
-		printf("%s\n", remote);
-
-	free(remote);
-	return 0;
-}
-
 static int starts_with_dot_slash(const char *str)
 {
 	return str[0] == '.' && is_dir_sep(str[1]);
@@ -3434,7 +3419,6 @@ static struct cmd_struct commands[] = {
 	{"foreach", module_foreach, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},
 	{"init", module_init, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},
 	{"status", module_status, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},
-	{"print-default-remote", print_default_remote, 0},
 	{"sync", module_sync, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},
 	{"deinit", module_deinit, 0},
 	{"summary", module_summary, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 9470ff3de0..7622d6bd24 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -2582,17 +2582,6 @@ static int run_update_procedure(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	return 3;
 }
 
-static int resolve_relative_path(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
-{
-	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
-	if (argc != 3)
-		die("submodule--helper relative-path takes exactly 2 arguments, got %d", argc);
-
-	printf("%s", relative_path(argv[1], argv[2], &sb));
-	strbuf_release(&sb);
-	return 0;
-}
-
 static const char *remote_submodule_branch(const char *path)
 {
 	const struct submodule *sub;
@@ -3413,7 +3402,6 @@ static struct cmd_struct commands[] = {
 	{"add-clone", add_clone, 0},
 	{"update", module_update, 0},
 	{"run-update-procedure", run_update_procedure, 0},
-	{"relative-path", resolve_relative_path, 0},
 	{"resolve-relative-url", resolve_relative_url, 0},
 	{"resolve-relative-url-test", resolve_relative_url_test, 0},
 	{"foreach", module_foreach, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 7622d6bd24..6565e2cd78 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -2484,7 +2484,7 @@ static int run_update_command(struct update_data *ud, int subforce, struct strin
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int do_run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud, struct string_list *err)
+static int run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud, struct string_list *err)
 {
 	int subforce = is_null_oid(&ud->suboid) || ud->force;
 
@@ -2514,74 +2514,6 @@ static int do_run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud, struct string_list *e
 	return run_update_command(ud, subforce, err);
 }
 
-static int run_update_procedure(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
-{
-	int force = 0, quiet = 0, nofetch = 0, just_cloned = 0;
-	char *prefixed_path, *update = NULL;
-	struct update_data update_data = UPDATE_DATA_INIT;
-	struct string_list err = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
-
-	struct option options[] = {
-		OPT__QUIET(&quiet, N_("suppress output for update by rebase or merge")),
-		OPT__FORCE(&force, N_("force checkout updates"), 0),
-		OPT_BOOL('N', "no-fetch", &nofetch,
-			 N_("don't fetch new objects from the remote site")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "just-cloned", &just_cloned,
-			 N_("overrides update mode in case the repository is a fresh clone")),
-		OPT_INTEGER(0, "depth", &update_data.depth, N_("depth for shallow fetch")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "prefix", &prefix,
-			   N_("path"),
-			   N_("path into the working tree")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "update", &update,
-			   N_("string"),
-			   N_("rebase, merge, checkout or none")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "recursive-prefix", &update_data.recursive_prefix, N_("path"),
-			   N_("path into the working tree, across nested "
-			      "submodule boundaries")),
-		OPT_CALLBACK_F(0, "oid", &update_data.oid, N_("sha1"),
-			       N_("SHA1 expected by superproject"), PARSE_OPT_NONEG,
-			       parse_opt_object_id),
-		OPT_CALLBACK_F(0, "suboid", &update_data.suboid, N_("subsha1"),
-			       N_("SHA1 of submodule's HEAD"), PARSE_OPT_NONEG,
-			       parse_opt_object_id),
-		OPT_END()
-	};
-
-	const char *const usage[] = {
-		N_("git submodule--helper run-update-procedure [<options>] <path>"),
-		NULL
-	};
-
-	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options, usage, 0);
-
-	if (argc != 1)
-		usage_with_options(usage, options);
-
-	update_data.force = !!force;
-	update_data.quiet = !!quiet;
-	update_data.nofetch = !!nofetch;
-	update_data.just_cloned = !!just_cloned;
-	update_data.sm_path = argv[0];
-
-	if (update_data.recursive_prefix)
-		prefixed_path = xstrfmt("%s%s", update_data.recursive_prefix, update_data.sm_path);
-	else
-		prefixed_path = xstrdup(update_data.sm_path);
-
-	update_data.displaypath = get_submodule_displaypath(prefixed_path, prefix);
-
-	determine_submodule_update_strategy(the_repository, update_data.just_cloned,
-					    update_data.sm_path, update,
-					    &update_data.update_strategy);
-
-	free(prefixed_path);
-
-	if (!oideq(&update_data.oid, &update_data.suboid) || update_data.force)
-		return do_run_update_procedure(&update_data, &err);
-
-	return 3;
-}
-
 static const char *remote_submodule_branch(const char *path)
 {
 	const struct submodule *sub;
@@ -3018,7 +2950,7 @@ static int update_submodule(struct update_data *update_data)
 	}
 
 	if (!oideq(&update_data->oid, &update_data->suboid) || update_data->force)
-		if (do_run_update_procedure(update_data, &err))
+		if (run_update_procedure(update_data, &err))
 			return 1;
 
 	if (update_data->recursive) {
@@ -3401,7 +3333,6 @@ static struct cmd_struct commands[] = {
 	{"clone", module_clone, 0},
 	{"add-clone", add_clone, 0},
 	{"update", module_update, 0},
-	{"run-update-procedure", run_update_procedure, 0},
 	{"resolve-relative-url", resolve_relative_url, 0},
 	{"resolve-relative-url-test", resolve_relative_url_test, 0},
 	{"foreach", module_foreach, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 80619361fc..97512ccf0b 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -2794,18 +2794,12 @@ static int push_check(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int ensure_core_worktree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
+static void do_ensure_core_worktree(const char *path)
 {
 	const struct submodule *sub;
-	const char *path;
 	const char *cw;
 	struct repository subrepo;
 
-	if (argc != 2)
-		BUG("submodule--helper ensure-core-worktree <path>");
-
-	path = argv[1];
-
 	sub = submodule_from_path(the_repository, null_oid(), path);
 	if (!sub)
 		BUG("We could get the submodule handle before?");
@@ -2829,6 +2823,17 @@ static int ensure_core_worktree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		free(abs_path);
 		strbuf_release(&sb);
 	}
+}
+
+static int ensure_core_worktree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
+{
+	const char *path;
+
+	if (argc != 2)
+		BUG("submodule--helper ensure-core-worktree <path>");
+
+	path = argv[1];
+	do_ensure_core_worktree(path);
 
 	return 0;
 }

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 97512ccf0b..f6c4fc349b 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -29,11 +29,10 @@
 typedef void (*each_submodule_fn)(const struct cache_entry *list_item,
 				  void *cb_data);
 
-static char *get_default_remote(void)
+static char *repo_get_default_remote(struct repository *repo, const char *refname)
 {
 	char *dest = NULL, *ret;
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
-	const char *refname = resolve_ref_unsafe("HEAD", 0, NULL, NULL);
 
 	if (!refname)
 		die(_("No such ref: %s"), "HEAD");
@@ -46,7 +45,7 @@ static char *get_default_remote(void)
 		die(_("Expecting a full ref name, got %s"), refname);
 
 	strbuf_addf(&sb, "branch.%s.remote", refname);
-	if (git_config_get_string(sb.buf, &dest))
+	if (repo_config_get_string(repo, sb.buf, &dest))
 		ret = xstrdup("origin");
 	else
 		ret = dest;
@@ -55,6 +54,25 @@ static char *get_default_remote(void)
 	return ret;
 }
 
+static char *get_default_remote_submodule(const char *module_path)
+{
+	const char *refname;
+	const struct submodule *sub;
+	struct repository subrepo;
+
+	refname = refs_resolve_ref_unsafe(get_submodule_ref_store(module_path),
+					  "HEAD", 0, NULL, NULL);
+	sub = submodule_from_path(the_repository, null_oid(), module_path);
+	repo_submodule_init(&subrepo, the_repository, sub);
+	return repo_get_default_remote(&subrepo, refname);
+}
+
+static char *get_default_remote(void)
+{
+	const char *refname = resolve_ref_unsafe("HEAD", 0, NULL, NULL);
+	return repo_get_default_remote(the_repository, refname);
+}
+
 static int print_default_remote(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 {
 	char *remote;
@@ -1369,7 +1387,6 @@ static void sync_submodule(const char *path, const char *prefix,
 	char *remote_key = NULL;
 	char *sub_origin_url, *super_config_url, *displaypath;
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
-	struct child_process cp = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 	char *sub_config_path = NULL;
 
 	if (!is_submodule_active(the_repository, path))
@@ -1418,14 +1435,9 @@ static void sync_submodule(const char *path, const char *prefix,
 	if (!is_submodule_populated_gently(path, NULL))
 		goto cleanup;
 
-	prepare_submodule_repo_env(&cp.env_array);
-	cp.git_cmd = 1;
-	cp.dir = path;
-	strvec_pushl(&cp.args, "submodule--helper",
-		     "print-default-remote", NULL);
-
 	strbuf_reset(&sb);
-	if (capture_command(&cp, &sb, 0))
+	strbuf_addstr(&sb, get_default_remote_submodule(path));
+	if (!sb.buf)
 		die(_("failed to get the default remote for submodule '%s'"),
 		      path);
 

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index f6c4fc349b..b0336b0377 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -2499,7 +2499,7 @@ static int do_run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud)
 	return run_update_command(ud, subforce);
 }
 
-static void update_submodule(struct update_clone_data *ucd)
+static void update_clone_submodule(struct update_clone_data *ucd)
 {
 	fprintf(stdout, "dummy %s %d\t%s\n",
 		oid_to_hex(&ucd->oid),
@@ -2507,7 +2507,7 @@ static void update_submodule(struct update_clone_data *ucd)
 		ucd->sub->path);
 }
 
-static int update_submodules(struct submodule_update_clone *suc)
+static int update_clone_submodules(struct submodule_update_clone *suc)
 {
 	int i;
 
@@ -2528,7 +2528,7 @@ static int update_submodules(struct submodule_update_clone *suc)
 		return 1;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < suc->update_clone_nr; i++)
-		update_submodule(&suc->update_clone[i]);
+		update_clone_submodule(&suc->update_clone[i]);
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -2593,7 +2593,7 @@ static int update_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	if (pathspec.nr)
 		suc.warn_if_uninitialized = 1;
 
-	return update_submodules(&suc);
+	return update_clone_submodules(&suc);
 }
 
 static int run_update_procedure(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index b0336b0377..10de01a1f7 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -269,11 +269,8 @@ static int resolve_relative_url_test(int argc, const char **argv, const char *pr
 	return 0;
 }
 
-/* the result should be freed by the caller. */
-static char *get_submodule_displaypath(const char *path, const char *prefix)
+static char *do_get_submodule_displaypath(const char *path, const char *prefix, const char *super_prefix)
 {
-	const char *super_prefix = get_super_prefix();
-
 	if (prefix && super_prefix) {
 		BUG("cannot have prefix '%s' and superprefix '%s'",
 		    prefix, super_prefix);
@@ -289,6 +286,13 @@ static char *get_submodule_displaypath(const char *path, const char *prefix)
 	}
 }
 
+/* the result should be freed by the caller. */
+static char *get_submodule_displaypath(const char *path, const char *prefix)
+{
+	const char *super_prefix = get_super_prefix();
+	return do_get_submodule_displaypath(path, prefix, super_prefix);
+}
+
 static char *compute_rev_name(const char *sub_path, const char* object_id)
 {
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;

builtin/submodule--helper.c, git-submodule.sh

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 10de01a1f7..1eea626864 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -634,18 +634,22 @@ static char *compute_submodule_clone_url(const char *rel_url)
 
 struct init_cb {
 	const char *prefix;
+	const char *superprefix;
 	unsigned int flags;
 };
-#define INIT_CB_INIT { NULL, 0 }
+#define INIT_CB_INIT { 0 }
 
 static void init_submodule(const char *path, const char *prefix,
-			   unsigned int flags)
+			   const char *superprefix, unsigned int flags)
 {
 	const struct submodule *sub;
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
 	char *upd = NULL, *url = NULL, *displaypath;
 
-	displaypath = get_submodule_displaypath(path, prefix);
+	/* try superprefix from the environment, if it is not passed explicitly */
+	if (!superprefix)
+		superprefix = get_super_prefix();
+	displaypath = do_get_submodule_displaypath(path, prefix, superprefix);
 
 	sub = submodule_from_path(the_repository, null_oid(), path);
 
@@ -719,7 +723,7 @@ static void init_submodule(const char *path, const char *prefix,
 static void init_submodule_cb(const struct cache_entry *list_item, void *cb_data)
 {
 	struct init_cb *info = cb_data;
-	init_submodule(list_item->name, info->prefix, info->flags);
+	init_submodule(list_item->name, info->prefix, info->superprefix, info->flags);
 }
 
 static int module_init(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
@@ -2039,7 +2043,6 @@ struct submodule_update_clone {
 	const char *prefix;
 	int single_branch;
 
-	/* to be consumed by git-submodule.sh */
 	struct update_clone_data *update_clone;
 	int update_clone_nr; int update_clone_alloc;
 
@@ -2062,19 +2065,63 @@ struct submodule_update_clone {
 }
 
 struct update_data {
+	const char *prefix;
 	const char *recursive_prefix;
 	const char *sm_path;
 	const char *displaypath;
 	struct object_id oid;
 	struct object_id suboid;
-	struct submodule_update_strategy update_strategy;
+	int max_jobs;
 	int depth;
+	int recommend_shallow;
+	int single_branch;
+	unsigned int init: 1;
 	unsigned int force: 1;
 	unsigned int quiet: 1;
 	unsigned int nofetch: 1;
-	unsigned int just_cloned: 1;
+	unsigned int remote: 1;
+	unsigned int recursive: 1;
+	unsigned int progress: 1;
+	unsigned int dissociate: 1;
+	unsigned int require_init: 1;
+	unsigned warn_if_uninitialized : 1;
+	unsigned int just_cloned : 1;
+	struct submodule_update_strategy update_strategy;
+	struct string_list references;
+	struct module_list list;
 };
-#define UPDATE_DATA_INIT { .update_strategy = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_STRATEGY_INIT }
+#define UPDATE_DATA_INIT { \
+	.list = MODULE_LIST_INIT, \
+	.update_strategy = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_STRATEGY_INIT, \
+	.recommend_shallow = -1, \
+	.references = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP, \
+	.single_branch = -1, \
+	.max_jobs = 1, \
+}
+
+static void update_clone_from_update_data(struct submodule_update_clone *suc,
+					  struct update_data *update_data)
+{
+	suc->prefix = update_data->prefix;
+	suc->recursive_prefix = update_data->recursive_prefix;
+	suc->max_jobs = update_data->max_jobs;
+	suc->progress = update_data->progress;
+	suc->quiet = update_data->quiet;
+	suc->dissociate = update_data->dissociate;
+	suc->require_init = update_data->require_init;
+	suc->single_branch = update_data->single_branch;
+	suc->warn_if_uninitialized = update_data->warn_if_uninitialized;
+	suc->list = update_data->list;
+	suc->update = update_data->update_strategy;
+	suc->recommend_shallow = update_data->recommend_shallow;
+	if (update_data->depth)
+		suc->depth = xstrfmt("--depth=%d", update_data->depth);
+	if (update_data->references.nr) {
+		struct string_list_item *item;
+		for_each_string_list_item(item, &update_data->references)
+			string_list_append(&suc->references, item->string);
+	}
+}
 
 static void next_submodule_warn_missing(struct submodule_update_clone *suc,
 		struct strbuf *out, const char *displaypath)
@@ -2369,111 +2416,113 @@ static int fetch_in_submodule(const char *module_path, int depth, int quiet, str
 	return run_command(&cp);
 }
 
-static int run_update_command(struct update_data *ud, int subforce)
+static int run_update_command(struct update_data *ud, int subforce, struct string_list *err)
 {
-	struct strvec args = STRVEC_INIT;
-	struct strvec child_env = STRVEC_INIT;
+	struct child_process cp = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 	char *oid = oid_to_hex(&ud->oid);
+	struct strbuf out = STRBUF_INIT;
 	int must_die_on_failure = 0;
-	int git_cmd;
+	struct submodule_update_strategy strategy = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_STRATEGY_INIT;
 
-	switch (ud->update_strategy.type) {
+	if (ud->update_strategy.type == SM_UPDATE_UNSPECIFIED || ud->just_cloned)
+		determine_submodule_update_strategy(the_repository, ud->just_cloned,
+						    ud->sm_path, NULL, &strategy);
+	else
+		strategy = ud->update_strategy;
+
+	cp.dir = xstrdup(ud->sm_path);
+	switch (strategy.type) {
 	case SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT:
-		git_cmd = 1;
-		strvec_pushl(&args, "checkout", "-q", NULL);
+		cp.git_cmd = 1;
+		strvec_pushl(&cp.args, "checkout", "-q", NULL);
 		if (subforce)
-			strvec_push(&args, "-f");
+			strvec_push(&cp.args, "-f");
 		break;
 	case SM_UPDATE_REBASE:
-		git_cmd = 1;
-		strvec_push(&args, "rebase");
+		cp.git_cmd = 1;
+		strvec_push(&cp.args, "rebase");
 		if (ud->quiet)
-			strvec_push(&args, "--quiet");
+			strvec_push(&cp.args, "--quiet");
 		must_die_on_failure = 1;
 		break;
 	case SM_UPDATE_MERGE:
-		git_cmd = 1;
-		strvec_push(&args, "merge");
+		cp.git_cmd = 1;
+		strvec_push(&cp.args, "merge");
 		if (ud->quiet)
-			strvec_push(&args, "--quiet");
+			strvec_push(&cp.args, "--quiet");
 		must_die_on_failure = 1;
 		break;
 	case SM_UPDATE_COMMAND:
-		git_cmd = 0;
-		strvec_push(&args, ud->update_strategy.command);
+		cp.git_cmd = 0;
+		cp.use_shell = 1;
+		strvec_push(&cp.args, strategy.command);
 		must_die_on_failure = 1;
 		break;
 	default:
 		BUG("unexpected update strategy type: %s",
-		    submodule_strategy_to_string(&ud->update_strategy));
+		    submodule_strategy_to_string(&strategy));
 	}
-	strvec_push(&args, oid);
+	strvec_push(&cp.args, oid);
 
-	prepare_submodule_repo_env(&child_env);
-	if (run_command_v_opt_cd_env(args.v, git_cmd ? RUN_GIT_CMD : RUN_USING_SHELL,
-				     ud->sm_path, child_env.v)) {
-		switch (ud->update_strategy.type) {
-		case SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT:
-			printf(_("Unable to checkout '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
-			       oid, ud->displaypath);
-			break;
-		case SM_UPDATE_REBASE:
-			printf(_("Unable to rebase '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
-			       oid, ud->displaypath);
-			break;
-		case SM_UPDATE_MERGE:
-			printf(_("Unable to merge '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
-			       oid, ud->displaypath);
-			break;
-		case SM_UPDATE_COMMAND:
-			printf(_("Execution of '%s %s' failed in submodule path '%s'"),
-			       ud->update_strategy.command, oid, ud->displaypath);
-			break;
-		default:
-			BUG("unexpected update strategy type: %s",
-			    submodule_strategy_to_string(&ud->update_strategy));
+	prepare_submodule_repo_env(&cp.env_array);
+	if (capture_command(&cp, &out, 0)) {
+		if (must_die_on_failure) {
+			switch (strategy.type) {
+			case SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT:
+				die(_("Unable to checkout '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
+				    oid, ud->displaypath);
+				break;
+			case SM_UPDATE_REBASE:
+				die(_("Unable to rebase '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
+				    oid, ud->displaypath);
+				break;
+			case SM_UPDATE_MERGE:
+				die(_("Unable to merge '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
+				    oid, ud->displaypath);
+				break;
+			case SM_UPDATE_COMMAND:
+				die(_("Execution of '%s %s' failed in submodule path '%s'"),
+				    strategy.command, oid, ud->displaypath);
+				break;
+			default:
+				BUG("unexpected update strategy type: %s",
+				    submodule_strategy_to_string(&strategy));
+			}
 		}
-		/*
-		 * NEEDSWORK: We are currently printing to stdout with error
-		 * return so that the shell caller handles the error output
-		 * properly. Once we start handling the error messages within
-		 * C, we should use die() instead.
-		 */
-		if (must_die_on_failure)
-			return 2;
-		/*
-		 * This signifies to the caller in shell that the command
-		 * failed without dying
-		 */
+
+		/* the command failed, but update must continue */
+		string_list_append(err, out.buf);
 		return 1;
 	}
 
-	switch (ud->update_strategy.type) {
-	case SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT:
-		printf(_("Submodule path '%s': checked out '%s'\n"),
-		       ud->displaypath, oid);
-		break;
-	case SM_UPDATE_REBASE:
-		printf(_("Submodule path '%s': rebased into '%s'\n"),
-		       ud->displaypath, oid);
-		break;
-	case SM_UPDATE_MERGE:
-		printf(_("Submodule path '%s': merged in '%s'\n"),
-		       ud->displaypath, oid);
-		break;
-	case SM_UPDATE_COMMAND:
-		printf(_("Submodule path '%s': '%s %s'\n"),
-		       ud->displaypath, ud->update_strategy.command, oid);
-		break;
-	default:
-		BUG("unexpected update strategy type: %s",
-		    submodule_strategy_to_string(&ud->update_strategy));
+	if (!ud->quiet) {
+		switch (strategy.type) {
+		case SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT:
+			printf(_("Submodule path '%s': checked out '%s'\n"),
+			       ud->displaypath, oid);
+			break;
+		case SM_UPDATE_REBASE:
+			printf(_("Submodule path '%s': rebased into '%s'\n"),
+			       ud->displaypath, oid);
+			break;
+		case SM_UPDATE_MERGE:
+			printf(_("Submodule path '%s': merged in '%s'\n"),
+			       ud->displaypath, oid);
+			break;
+		case SM_UPDATE_COMMAND:
+			printf(_("Submodule path '%s': '%s %s'\n"),
+			       ud->displaypath, strategy.command, oid);
+			break;
+		default:
+			BUG("unexpected update strategy type: %s",
+			    submodule_strategy_to_string(&strategy));
+		}
 	}
 
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int do_run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud)
+static int do_run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud, struct string_list *err)
 {
 	int subforce = is_null_oid(&ud->suboid) || ud->force;
 
@@ -2500,7 +2549,7 @@ static int do_run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud)
 			    ud->displaypath, oid_to_hex(&ud->oid));
 	}
 
-	return run_update_command(ud, subforce);
+	return run_update_command(ud, subforce, err);
 }
 
 static void update_clone_submodule(struct update_clone_data *ucd)
@@ -2605,6 +2654,7 @@ static int run_update_procedure(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	int force = 0, quiet = 0, nofetch = 0, just_cloned = 0;
 	char *prefixed_path, *update = NULL;
 	struct update_data update_data = UPDATE_DATA_INIT;
+	struct string_list err = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
 
 	struct option options[] = {
 		OPT__QUIET(&quiet, N_("suppress output for update by rebase or merge")),
@@ -2662,7 +2712,7 @@ static int run_update_procedure(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	free(prefixed_path);
 
 	if (!oideq(&update_data.oid, &update_data.suboid) || update_data.force)
-		return do_run_update_procedure(&update_data);
+		return do_run_update_procedure(&update_data, &err);
 
 	return 3;
 }
@@ -3038,6 +3088,291 @@ static int module_set_branch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	return !!ret;
 }
 
+static void update_data_to_args(struct update_data *update_data, struct strvec *args)
+{
+	const char *update = submodule_strategy_to_string(&update_data->update_strategy);
+
+	strvec_pushl(args, "submodule--helper", "update", "--recursive", NULL);
+	strvec_pushf(args, "--jobs=%d", update_data->max_jobs);
+	if (update_data->prefix)
+		strvec_pushl(args, "--prefix", update_data->prefix, NULL);
+	if (update_data->recursive_prefix)
+		strvec_pushl(args, "--recursive-prefix",
+			     update_data->recursive_prefix, NULL);
+	if (update_data->quiet)
+		strvec_push(args, "--quiet");
+	if (update_data->force)
+		strvec_push(args, "--force");
+	if (update_data->init)
+		strvec_push(args, "--init");
+	if (update_data->remote)
+		strvec_push(args, "--remote");
+	if (update_data->nofetch)
+		strvec_push(args, "--no-fetch");
+	if (update_data->dissociate)
+		strvec_push(args, "--dissociate");
+	if (update_data->progress)
+		strvec_push(args, "--progress");
+	if (update_data->require_init)
+		strvec_push(args, "--require-init");
+	if (update_data->depth)
+		strvec_pushf(args, "--depth=%d", update_data->depth);
+	if (update)
+		strvec_pushl(args, "--update", update, NULL);
+	if (update_data->references.nr) {
+		struct string_list_item *item;
+		for_each_string_list_item(item, &update_data->references)
+			strvec_pushl(args, "--reference", item->string, NULL);
+	}
+	if (update_data->recommend_shallow == 0)
+		strvec_push(args, "--no-recommend-shallow");
+	else if (update_data->recommend_shallow == 1)
+		strvec_push(args, "--recommend-shallow");
+	if (update_data->single_branch >= 0)
+		strvec_push(args, "--single-branch");
+}
+
+static int update_submodule(struct update_data *update_data)
+{
+	char *prefixed_path;
+	struct string_list err = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
+
+	do_ensure_core_worktree(update_data->sm_path);
+
+	if (update_data->recursive_prefix)
+		prefixed_path = xstrfmt("%s%s", update_data->recursive_prefix,
+					update_data->sm_path);
+	else
+		prefixed_path = xstrdup(update_data->sm_path);
+
+	update_data->displaypath = get_submodule_displaypath(prefixed_path,
+							     update_data->prefix);
+	free(prefixed_path);
+
+	if (update_data->just_cloned) {
+		oidcpy(&update_data->suboid, null_oid());
+	} else {
+		if (resolve_gitlink_ref(update_data->sm_path, "HEAD", &update_data->suboid))
+			die(_("Unable to find current revision in submodule path '%s'"),
+			    update_data->displaypath);
+	}
+
+	if (update_data->remote) {
+		char *remote_name = get_default_remote_submodule(update_data->sm_path);
+		const char *branch = remote_submodule_branch(update_data->sm_path);
+		char *remote_ref = xstrfmt("refs/remotes/%s/%s", remote_name, branch);
+
+		if (!update_data->nofetch) {
+			if(fetch_in_submodule(update_data->sm_path, update_data->depth,
+					      0, NULL))
+				die(_("Unable to fetch in submodule path '%s'"),
+				    update_data->sm_path);
+		}
+
+		if (resolve_gitlink_ref(update_data->sm_path, remote_ref, &update_data->oid))
+			die(_("Unable to find %s revision in submodule path '%s'"),
+			    remote_ref, update_data->sm_path);
+
+		free(remote_ref);
+	}
+
+	if (!oideq(&update_data->oid, &update_data->suboid) || update_data->force)
+		if (do_run_update_procedure(update_data, &err))
+			return 1;
+
+	if (update_data->recursive) {
+		int res;
+		struct child_process cp = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
+		struct update_data next = *update_data;
+		char *die_msg = xstrfmt(_("Failed to recurse into submodule path '%s'"),
+					update_data->displaypath);
+
+		if (update_data->recursive_prefix)
+			prefixed_path = xstrfmt("%s%s/", update_data->recursive_prefix,
+						update_data->sm_path);
+		else
+			prefixed_path = xstrfmt("%s/", update_data->sm_path);
+
+		next.recursive_prefix = get_submodule_displaypath(prefixed_path,
+								  update_data->prefix);
+		next.prefix = NULL;
+		oidcpy(&next.oid, null_oid());
+		oidcpy(&next.suboid, null_oid());
+
+		cp.dir = update_data->sm_path;
+		cp.git_cmd = 1;
+		prepare_submodule_repo_env(&cp.env_array);
+		update_data_to_args(&next, &cp.args);
+
+		/* die() if child process die()'d */
+		if ((res = run_command(&cp)) == 128)
+			die("%s", die_msg);
+		if (res)
+			string_list_append(&err, die_msg);
+
+		free(die_msg);
+	}
+
+	if (err.nr) {
+		struct string_list_item *item;
+		for_each_string_list_item(item, &err)
+			fputs(item->string, stderr);
+		return 1;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int update_submodules(struct update_data *update_data)
+{
+	int i, res = 0;
+	struct submodule_update_clone suc = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_CLONE_INIT;
+
+	update_clone_from_update_data(&suc, update_data);
+	run_processes_parallel_tr2(suc.max_jobs, update_clone_get_next_task,
+				   update_clone_start_failure,
+				   update_clone_task_finished, &suc, "submodule",
+				   "parallel/update");
+
+	/*
+	 * We saved the output and put it out all at once now.
+	 * That means:
+	 * - the listener does not have to interleave their (checkout)
+	 *   work with our fetching.  The writes involved in a
+	 *   checkout involve more straightforward sequential I/O.
+	 * - the listener can avoid doing any work if fetching failed.
+	 */
+	if (suc.quickstop) {
+		string_list_clear(&update_data->references, 0);
+		return 1;
+	}
+
+	for (i = 0; i < suc.update_clone_nr; i++) {
+		struct update_clone_data ucd = suc.update_clone[i];
+
+		oidcpy(&update_data->oid, &ucd.oid);
+		update_data->just_cloned = ucd.just_cloned;
+		update_data->sm_path = ucd.sub->path;
+
+		if (update_submodule(update_data))
+			res = 1;
+	}
+
+	string_list_clear(&update_data->references, 0);
+	return res;
+}
+
+static int module_update(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
+{
+	int init = 0, force = 0, quiet = 0, nofetch = 0;
+	int remote = 0, recursive = 0, dissociate = 0;
+	int progress = 0, require_init = 0;
+	const char *update = NULL;
+	struct pathspec pathspec;
+	struct update_data update_data = UPDATE_DATA_INIT;
+
+	struct option module_update_clone_options[] = {
+		OPT__FORCE(&force, N_("force checkout updates"), 0),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "init", &init,
+			 N_("initialize uninitialized submodules before update")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "remote", &remote,
+			 N_("use SHA-1 of submodule's remote tracking branch")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "recursive", &recursive,
+			 N_("traverse submodules recursively")),
+		OPT_BOOL('N', "no-fetch", &nofetch,
+			 N_("don't fetch new objects from the remote site")),
+		OPT_STRING(0, "prefix", &prefix,
+			   N_("path"),
+			   N_("path into the working tree")),
+		OPT_STRING(0, "recursive-prefix", &update_data.recursive_prefix,
+			   N_("path"),
+			   N_("path into the working tree, across nested "
+			      "submodule boundaries")),
+		OPT_STRING(0, "update", &update,
+			   N_("string"),
+			   N_("rebase, merge, checkout or none")),
+		OPT_STRING_LIST(0, "reference", &update_data.references, N_("repo"),
+				N_("reference repository")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "dissociate", &dissociate,
+			 N_("use --reference only while cloning")),
+		OPT_INTEGER(0, "depth", &update_data.depth,
+			    N_("create a shallow clone truncated to the "
+			       "specified number of revisions")),
+		OPT_INTEGER('j', "jobs", &update_data.max_jobs,
+			    N_("parallel jobs")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "recommend-shallow", &update_data.recommend_shallow,
+			 N_("whether the initial clone should follow the shallow recommendation")),
+		OPT__QUIET(&quiet, N_("don't print cloning progress")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "progress", &progress,
+			 N_("force cloning progress")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "require-init", &require_init,
+			 N_("disallow cloning into non-empty directory")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "single-branch", &update_data.single_branch,
+			 N_("clone only one branch, HEAD or --branch")),
+		OPT_END()
+	};
+
+	const char *const git_submodule_helper_usage[] = {
+		N_("git submodule--helper update-clone [--prefix=<path>] [<path>...]"),
+		NULL
+	};
+
+	update_clone_config_from_gitmodules(&update_data.max_jobs);
+	git_config(git_update_clone_config, &update_data.max_jobs);
+
+	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, module_update_clone_options,
+			     git_submodule_helper_usage, 0);
+	update_data.prefix = prefix;
+
+	update_data.force = !!force;
+	update_data.quiet = !!quiet;
+	update_data.nofetch = !!nofetch;
+	update_data.init = !!init;
+	update_data.require_init = !!require_init;
+	update_data.remote = !!remote;
+	update_data.recursive = !!recursive;
+	update_data.progress = !!progress;
+	update_data.dissociate = !!dissociate;
+	oidcpy(&update_data.oid, null_oid());
+	oidcpy(&update_data.suboid, null_oid());
+
+	if (update)
+		if (parse_submodule_update_strategy(update,
+						    &update_data.update_strategy) < 0)
+			die(_("bad value for update parameter"));
+
+	if (module_list_compute(argc, argv, prefix, &pathspec, &update_data.list) < 0)
+		return 1;
+
+	if (pathspec.nr)
+		update_data.warn_if_uninitialized = 1;
+
+	if (update_data.init) {
+		struct module_list list = MODULE_LIST_INIT;
+		struct init_cb info = INIT_CB_INIT;
+
+		if (module_list_compute(argc, argv, update_data.prefix,
+					&pathspec, &list) < 0)
+			return 1;
+
+		/*
+		 * If there are no path args and submodule.active is set then,
+		 * by default, only initialize 'active' modules.
+		 */
+		if (!argc && git_config_get_value_multi("submodule.active"))
+			module_list_active(&list);
+
+		info.prefix = update_data.prefix;
+		info.superprefix = update_data.recursive_prefix;
+		if (update_data.quiet)
+			info.flags |= OPT_QUIET;
+
+		for_each_listed_submodule(&list, init_submodule_cb, &info);
+	}
+
+	return update_submodules(&update_data);
+}
+
 struct add_data {
 	const char *prefix;
 	const char *branch;
@@ -3213,6 +3548,7 @@ static int add_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+
 #define SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX (1<<0)
 
 struct cmd_struct {
@@ -3226,6 +3562,7 @@ static struct cmd_struct commands[] = {
 	{"name", module_name, 0},
 	{"clone", module_clone, 0},
 	{"add-clone", add_clone, 0},
+	{"update", module_update, 0},
 	{"update-module-mode", module_update_module_mode, 0},
 	{"update-clone", update_clone, 0},
 	{"run-update-procedure", run_update_procedure, 0},
diff --git a/git-submodule.sh b/git-submodule.sh
index f703cddce8..5197de4551 100755
--- a/git-submodule.sh
+++ b/git-submodule.sh
@@ -369,20 +369,6 @@ cmd_deinit()
 	git ${wt_prefix:+-C "$wt_prefix"} submodule--helper deinit ${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} ${force:+--force} ${deinit_all:+--all} -- "$@"
 }
 
-# usage: fetch_in_submodule <module_path> [<depth>] [<sha1>]
-# Because arguments are positional, use an empty string to omit <depth>
-# but include <sha1>.
-fetch_in_submodule () (
-	sanitize_submodule_env &&
-	cd "$1" &&
-	if test $# -eq 3
-	then
-		echo "$3" | git fetch ${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} --stdin ${2:+"$2"}
-	else
-		git fetch ${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} ${2:+"$2"}
-	fi
-)
-
 #
 # Update each submodule path to correct revision, using clone and checkout as needed
 #
@@ -484,133 +470,26 @@ cmd_update()
 		shift
 	done
 
-	if test -n "$init"
-	then
-		cmd_init "--" "$@" || return
-	fi
-
-	{
-	git submodule--helper update-clone ${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} \
-		${progress:+"--progress"} \
+	git ${wt_prefix:+-C "$wt_prefix"} ${prefix:+--super-prefix "$prefix"} submodule--helper update \
+		${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} \
+		${force:+--force} \
+		${progress:+--progress} \
+		${dissociate:+--dissociate} \
+		${remote:+--remote} \
+		${recursive:+--recursive} \
+		${init:+--init} \
+		${require_init:+--require-init} \
+		${nofetch:+--no-fetch} \
 		${wt_prefix:+--prefix "$wt_prefix"} \
 		${prefix:+--recursive-prefix "$prefix"} \
 		${update:+--update "$update"} \
 		${reference:+"$reference"} \
-		${dissociate:+"--dissociate"} \
-		${depth:+--depth "$depth"} \
-		${require_init:+--require-init} \
+		${depth:+"$depth"} \
 		$single_branch \
 		$recommend_shallow \
 		$jobs \
 		-- \
-		"$@" || echo "#unmatched" $?
-	} | {
-	err=
-	while read -r quickabort sha1 just_cloned sm_path
-	do
-		die_if_unmatched "$quickabort" "$sha1"
-
-		git submodule--helper ensure-core-worktree "$sm_path" || exit 1
-
-		displaypath=$(git submodule--helper relative-path "$prefix$sm_path" "$wt_prefix")
-
-		if test $just_cloned -eq 1
-		then
-			subsha1=
-		else
-			just_cloned=
-			subsha1=$(sanitize_submodule_env; cd "$sm_path" &&
-				git rev-parse --verify HEAD) ||
-			die "fatal: $(eval_gettext "Unable to find current revision in submodule path '\$displaypath'")"
-		fi
-
-		if test -n "$remote"
-		then
-			branch=$(git submodule--helper remote-branch "$sm_path")
-			if test -z "$nofetch"
-			then
-				# Fetch remote before determining tracking $sha1
-				fetch_in_submodule "$sm_path" $depth ||
-				die "fatal: $(eval_gettext "Unable to fetch in submodule path '\$sm_path'")"
-			fi
-			remote_name=$(sanitize_submodule_env; cd "$sm_path" && git submodule--helper print-default-remote)
-			sha1=$(sanitize_submodule_env; cd "$sm_path" &&
-				git rev-parse --verify "${remote_name}/${branch}") ||
-			die "fatal: $(eval_gettext "Unable to find current \${remote_name}/\${branch} revision in submodule path '\$sm_path'")"
-		fi
-
-		out=$(git submodule--helper run-update-procedure \
-			  ${wt_prefix:+--prefix "$wt_prefix"} \
-			  ${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} \
-			  ${force:+--force} \
-			  ${just_cloned:+--just-cloned} \
-			  ${nofetch:+--no-fetch} \
-			  ${depth:+"$depth"} \
-			  ${update:+--update "$update"} \
-			  ${prefix:+--recursive-prefix "$prefix"} \
-			  ${sha1:+--oid "$sha1"} \
-			  ${subsha1:+--suboid "$subsha1"} \
-			  "--" \
-			  "$sm_path")
-
-		# exit codes for run-update-procedure:
-		# 0: update was successful, say command output
-		# 1: update procedure failed, but should not die
-		# 2 or 128: subcommand died during execution
-		# 3: no update procedure was run
-		res="$?"
-		case $res in
-		0)
-			say "$out"
-			;;
-		1)
-			err="${err};fatal: $out"
-			continue
-			;;
-		2|128)
-			die_with_status $res "fatal: $out"
-			;;
-		esac
-
-		if test -n "$recursive"
-		then
-			(
-				prefix=$(git submodule--helper relative-path "$prefix$sm_path/" "$wt_prefix")
-				wt_prefix=
-				sanitize_submodule_env
-				cd "$sm_path" &&
-				eval cmd_update
-			)
-			res=$?
-			if test $res -gt 0
-			then
-				die_msg="fatal: $(eval_gettext "Failed to recurse into submodule path '\$displaypath'")"
-				if test $res -ne 2
-				then
-					err="${err};$die_msg"
-					continue
-				else
-					die_with_status $res "$die_msg"
-				fi
-			fi
-		fi
-	done
-
-	if test -n "$err"
-	then
-		OIFS=$IFS
-		IFS=';'
-		for e in $err
-		do
-			if test -n "$e"
-			then
-				echo >&2 "$e"
-			fi
-		done
-		IFS=$OIFS
-		exit 1
-	fi
-	}
+		"$@"
 }
 
 #

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 1eea626864..c1ce3981ad 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -2552,103 +2552,6 @@ static int do_run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud, struct string_list *e
 	return run_update_command(ud, subforce, err);
 }
 
-static void update_clone_submodule(struct update_clone_data *ucd)
-{
-	fprintf(stdout, "dummy %s %d\t%s\n",
-		oid_to_hex(&ucd->oid),
-		ucd->just_cloned,
-		ucd->sub->path);
-}
-
-static int update_clone_submodules(struct submodule_update_clone *suc)
-{
-	int i;
-
-	run_processes_parallel_tr2(suc->max_jobs, update_clone_get_next_task,
-				   update_clone_start_failure,
-				   update_clone_task_finished, suc, "submodule",
-				   "parallel/update");
-
-	/*
-	 * We saved the output and put it out all at once now.
-	 * That means:
-	 * - the listener does not have to interleave their (checkout)
-	 *   work with our fetching.  The writes involved in a
-	 *   checkout involve more straightforward sequential I/O.
-	 * - the listener can avoid doing any work if fetching failed.
-	 */
-	if (suc->quickstop)
-		return 1;
-
-	for (i = 0; i < suc->update_clone_nr; i++)
-		update_clone_submodule(&suc->update_clone[i]);
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
-static int update_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
-{
-	const char *update = NULL;
-	struct pathspec pathspec;
-	struct submodule_update_clone suc = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_CLONE_INIT;
-
-	struct option module_update_clone_options[] = {
-		OPT_STRING(0, "prefix", &prefix,
-			   N_("path"),
-			   N_("path into the working tree")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "recursive-prefix", &suc.recursive_prefix,
-			   N_("path"),
-			   N_("path into the working tree, across nested "
-			      "submodule boundaries")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "update", &update,
-			   N_("string"),
-			   N_("rebase, merge, checkout or none")),
-		OPT_STRING_LIST(0, "reference", &suc.references, N_("repo"),
-			   N_("reference repository")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "dissociate", &suc.dissociate,
-			   N_("use --reference only while cloning")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "depth", &suc.depth, "<depth>",
-			   N_("create a shallow clone truncated to the "
-			      "specified number of revisions")),
-		OPT_INTEGER('j', "jobs", &suc.max_jobs,
-			    N_("parallel jobs")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "recommend-shallow", &suc.recommend_shallow,
-			    N_("whether the initial clone should follow the shallow recommendation")),
-		OPT__QUIET(&suc.quiet, N_("don't print cloning progress")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "progress", &suc.progress,
-			    N_("force cloning progress")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "require-init", &suc.require_init,
-			   N_("disallow cloning into non-empty directory")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "single-branch", &suc.single_branch,
-			 N_("clone only one branch, HEAD or --branch")),
-		OPT_END()
-	};
-
-	const char *const git_submodule_helper_usage[] = {
-		N_("git submodule--helper update-clone [--prefix=<path>] [<path>...]"),
-		NULL
-	};
-	suc.prefix = prefix;
-
-	update_clone_config_from_gitmodules(&suc.max_jobs);
-	git_config(git_update_clone_config, &suc.max_jobs);
-
-	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, module_update_clone_options,
-			     git_submodule_helper_usage, 0);
-
-	if (update)
-		if (parse_submodule_update_strategy(update, &suc.update) < 0)
-			die(_("bad value for update parameter"));
-
-	if (module_list_compute(argc, argv, prefix, &pathspec, &suc.list) < 0)
-		return 1;
-
-	if (pathspec.nr)
-		suc.warn_if_uninitialized = 1;
-
-	return update_clone_submodules(&suc);
-}
-
 static int run_update_procedure(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 {
 	int force = 0, quiet = 0, nofetch = 0, just_cloned = 0;
@@ -3564,7 +3467,6 @@ static struct cmd_struct commands[] = {
 	{"add-clone", add_clone, 0},
 	{"update", module_update, 0},
 	{"update-module-mode", module_update_module_mode, 0},
-	{"update-clone", update_clone, 0},
 	{"run-update-procedure", run_update_procedure, 0},
 	{"ensure-core-worktree", ensure_core_worktree, 0},
 	{"relative-path", resolve_relative_path, 0},

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index c1ce3981ad..0910af9c71 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -73,21 +73,6 @@ static char *get_default_remote(void)
 	return repo_get_default_remote(the_repository, refname);
 }
 
-static int print_default_remote(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
-{
-	char *remote;
-
-	if (argc != 1)
-		die(_("submodule--helper print-default-remote takes no arguments"));
-
-	remote = get_default_remote();
-	if (remote)
-		printf("%s\n", remote);
-
-	free(remote);
-	return 0;
-}
-
 static int starts_with_dot_slash(const char *str)
 {
 	return str[0] == '.' && is_dir_sep(str[1]);
@@ -1993,29 +1978,6 @@ static void determine_submodule_update_strategy(struct repository *r,
 	free(key);
 }
 
-static int module_update_module_mode(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
-{
-	const char *path, *update = NULL;
-	int just_cloned;
-	struct submodule_update_strategy update_strategy = { .type = SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT };
-
-	if (argc < 3 || argc > 4)
-		die("submodule--helper update-module-clone expects <just-cloned> <path> [<update>]");
-
-	just_cloned = git_config_int("just_cloned", argv[1]);
-	path = argv[2];
-
-	if (argc == 4)
-		update = argv[3];
-
-	determine_submodule_update_strategy(the_repository,
-					    just_cloned, path, update,
-					    &update_strategy);
-	fputs(submodule_strategy_to_string(&update_strategy), stdout);
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
 struct update_clone_data {
 	const struct submodule *sub;
 	struct object_id oid;
@@ -2552,85 +2514,6 @@ static int do_run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud, struct string_list *e
 	return run_update_command(ud, subforce, err);
 }
 
-static int run_update_procedure(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
-{
-	int force = 0, quiet = 0, nofetch = 0, just_cloned = 0;
-	char *prefixed_path, *update = NULL;
-	struct update_data update_data = UPDATE_DATA_INIT;
-	struct string_list err = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
-
-	struct option options[] = {
-		OPT__QUIET(&quiet, N_("suppress output for update by rebase or merge")),
-		OPT__FORCE(&force, N_("force checkout updates"), 0),
-		OPT_BOOL('N', "no-fetch", &nofetch,
-			 N_("don't fetch new objects from the remote site")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "just-cloned", &just_cloned,
-			 N_("overrides update mode in case the repository is a fresh clone")),
-		OPT_INTEGER(0, "depth", &update_data.depth, N_("depth for shallow fetch")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "prefix", &prefix,
-			   N_("path"),
-			   N_("path into the working tree")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "update", &update,
-			   N_("string"),
-			   N_("rebase, merge, checkout or none")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "recursive-prefix", &update_data.recursive_prefix, N_("path"),
-			   N_("path into the working tree, across nested "
-			      "submodule boundaries")),
-		OPT_CALLBACK_F(0, "oid", &update_data.oid, N_("sha1"),
-			       N_("SHA1 expected by superproject"), PARSE_OPT_NONEG,
-			       parse_opt_object_id),
-		OPT_CALLBACK_F(0, "suboid", &update_data.suboid, N_("subsha1"),
-			       N_("SHA1 of submodule's HEAD"), PARSE_OPT_NONEG,
-			       parse_opt_object_id),
-		OPT_END()
-	};
-
-	const char *const usage[] = {
-		N_("git submodule--helper run-update-procedure [<options>] <path>"),
-		NULL
-	};
-
-	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options, usage, 0);
-
-	if (argc != 1)
-		usage_with_options(usage, options);
-
-	update_data.force = !!force;
-	update_data.quiet = !!quiet;
-	update_data.nofetch = !!nofetch;
-	update_data.just_cloned = !!just_cloned;
-	update_data.sm_path = argv[0];
-
-	if (update_data.recursive_prefix)
-		prefixed_path = xstrfmt("%s%s", update_data.recursive_prefix, update_data.sm_path);
-	else
-		prefixed_path = xstrdup(update_data.sm_path);
-
-	update_data.displaypath = get_submodule_displaypath(prefixed_path, prefix);
-
-	determine_submodule_update_strategy(the_repository, update_data.just_cloned,
-					    update_data.sm_path, update,
-					    &update_data.update_strategy);
-
-	free(prefixed_path);
-
-	if (!oideq(&update_data.oid, &update_data.suboid) || update_data.force)
-		return do_run_update_procedure(&update_data, &err);
-
-	return 3;
-}
-
-static int resolve_relative_path(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
-{
-	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
-	if (argc != 3)
-		die("submodule--helper relative-path takes exactly 2 arguments, got %d", argc);
-
-	printf("%s", relative_path(argv[1], argv[2], &sb));
-	strbuf_release(&sb);
-	return 0;
-}
-
 static const char *remote_submodule_branch(const char *path)
 {
 	const struct submodule *sub;
@@ -2794,19 +2677,6 @@ static void do_ensure_core_worktree(const char *path)
 	}
 }
 
-static int ensure_core_worktree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
-{
-	const char *path;
-
-	if (argc != 2)
-		BUG("submodule--helper ensure-core-worktree <path>");
-
-	path = argv[1];
-	do_ensure_core_worktree(path);
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
 static int absorb_git_dirs(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 {
 	int i;
@@ -3466,16 +3336,11 @@ static struct cmd_struct commands[] = {
 	{"clone", module_clone, 0},
 	{"add-clone", add_clone, 0},
 	{"update", module_update, 0},
-	{"update-module-mode", module_update_module_mode, 0},
-	{"run-update-procedure", run_update_procedure, 0},
-	{"ensure-core-worktree", ensure_core_worktree, 0},
-	{"relative-path", resolve_relative_path, 0},
 	{"resolve-relative-url", resolve_relative_url, 0},
 	{"resolve-relative-url-test", resolve_relative_url_test, 0},
 	{"foreach", module_foreach, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},
 	{"init", module_init, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},
 	{"status", module_status, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},
-	{"print-default-remote", print_default_remote, 0},
 	{"sync", module_sync, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},
 	{"deinit", module_deinit, 0},
 	{"summary", module_summary, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 0910af9c71..e5e33be6ea 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -2484,7 +2484,7 @@ static int run_update_command(struct update_data *ud, int subforce, struct strin
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int do_run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud, struct string_list *err)
+static int run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud, struct string_list *err)
 {
 	int subforce = is_null_oid(&ud->suboid) || ud->force;
 
@@ -2646,7 +2646,7 @@ static int push_check(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static void do_ensure_core_worktree(const char *path)
+static void ensure_core_worktree(const char *path)
 {
 	const struct submodule *sub;
 	const char *cw;
@@ -2910,7 +2910,7 @@ static int update_submodule(struct update_data *update_data)
 	char *prefixed_path;
 	struct string_list err = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
 
-	do_ensure_core_worktree(update_data->sm_path);
+	ensure_core_worktree(update_data->sm_path);
 
 	if (update_data->recursive_prefix)
 		prefixed_path = xstrfmt("%s%s", update_data->recursive_prefix,
@@ -2950,7 +2950,7 @@ static int update_submodule(struct update_data *update_data)
 	}
 
 	if (!oideq(&update_data->oid, &update_data->suboid) || update_data->force)
-		if (do_run_update_procedure(update_data, &err))
+		if (run_update_procedure(update_data, &err))
 			return 1;
 
 	if (update_data->recursive) {

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 88ce6be69c..764fcb7dba 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -2764,17 +2764,11 @@ static int push_check(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int ensure_core_worktree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
+static void do_ensure_core_worktree(const char *path)
 {
-	const char *path;
 	const char *cw;
 	struct repository subrepo;
 
-	if (argc != 2)
-		BUG("submodule--helper ensure-core-worktree <path>");
-
-	path = argv[1];
-
 	if (repo_submodule_init(&subrepo, the_repository, path, null_oid()))
 		die(_("could not get a repository handle for submodule '%s'"), path);
 
@@ -2794,6 +2788,17 @@ static int ensure_core_worktree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		free(abs_path);
 		strbuf_release(&sb);
 	}
+}
+
+static int ensure_core_worktree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
+{
+	const char *path;
+
+	if (argc != 2)
+		BUG("submodule--helper ensure-core-worktree <path>");
+
+	path = argv[1];
+	do_ensure_core_worktree(path);
 
 	return 0;
 }

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 764fcb7dba..bbab43230b 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -29,11 +29,10 @@
 typedef void (*each_submodule_fn)(const struct cache_entry *list_item,
 				  void *cb_data);
 
-static char *get_default_remote(void)
+static char *repo_get_default_remote(struct repository *repo, const char *refname)
 {
 	char *dest = NULL, *ret;
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
-	const char *refname = resolve_ref_unsafe("HEAD", 0, NULL, NULL);
 
 	if (!refname)
 		die(_("No such ref: %s"), "HEAD");
@@ -46,7 +45,7 @@ static char *get_default_remote(void)
 		die(_("Expecting a full ref name, got %s"), refname);
 
 	strbuf_addf(&sb, "branch.%s.remote", refname);
-	if (git_config_get_string(sb.buf, &dest))
+	if (repo_config_get_string(repo, sb.buf, &dest))
 		ret = xstrdup("origin");
 	else
 		ret = dest;
@@ -55,6 +54,23 @@ static char *get_default_remote(void)
 	return ret;
 }
 
+static char *get_default_remote_submodule(const char *module_path)
+{
+	const char *refname;
+	struct repository subrepo;
+
+	refname = refs_resolve_ref_unsafe(get_submodule_ref_store(module_path),
+					  "HEAD", 0, NULL, NULL);
+	repo_submodule_init(&subrepo, the_repository, module_path, null_oid());
+	return repo_get_default_remote(&subrepo, refname);
+}
+
+static char *get_default_remote(void)
+{
+	const char *refname = resolve_ref_unsafe("HEAD", 0, NULL, NULL);
+	return repo_get_default_remote(the_repository, refname);
+}
+
 static int print_default_remote(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 {
 	char *remote;
@@ -1341,9 +1357,8 @@ static void sync_submodule(const char *path, const char *prefix,
 {
 	const struct submodule *sub;
 	char *remote_key = NULL;
-	char *sub_origin_url, *super_config_url, *displaypath;
+	char *sub_origin_url, *super_config_url, *displaypath, *default_remote;
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
-	struct child_process cp = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 	char *sub_config_path = NULL;
 
 	if (!is_submodule_active(the_repository, path))
@@ -1382,21 +1397,15 @@ static void sync_submodule(const char *path, const char *prefix,
 	if (!is_submodule_populated_gently(path, NULL))
 		goto cleanup;
 
-	prepare_submodule_repo_env(&cp.env_array);
-	cp.git_cmd = 1;
-	cp.dir = path;
-	strvec_pushl(&cp.args, "submodule--helper",
-		     "print-default-remote", NULL);
-
 	strbuf_reset(&sb);
-	if (capture_command(&cp, &sb, 0))
+	default_remote = get_default_remote_submodule(path);
+	if (!default_remote)
 		die(_("failed to get the default remote for submodule '%s'"),
 		      path);
 
-	strbuf_strip_suffix(&sb, "\n");
-	remote_key = xstrfmt("remote.%s.url", sb.buf);
+	remote_key = xstrfmt("remote.%s.url", default_remote);
+	free(default_remote);
 
-	strbuf_reset(&sb);
 	submodule_to_gitdir(&sb, path);
 	strbuf_addstr(&sb, "/config");
 

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index bbab43230b..f60db966ea 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -2466,7 +2466,7 @@ static int do_run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud)
 	return run_update_command(ud, subforce);
 }
 
-static void update_submodule(struct update_clone_data *ucd)
+static void update_clone_submodule(struct update_clone_data *ucd)
 {
 	fprintf(stdout, "dummy %s %d\t%s\n",
 		oid_to_hex(&ucd->oid),
@@ -2474,7 +2474,7 @@ static void update_submodule(struct update_clone_data *ucd)
 		ucd->sub->path);
 }
 
-static int update_submodules(struct submodule_update_clone *suc)
+static int update_clone_submodules(struct submodule_update_clone *suc)
 {
 	int i;
 
@@ -2495,7 +2495,7 @@ static int update_submodules(struct submodule_update_clone *suc)
 		return 1;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < suc->update_clone_nr; i++)
-		update_submodule(&suc->update_clone[i]);
+		update_clone_submodule(&suc->update_clone[i]);
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -2560,7 +2560,7 @@ static int update_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	if (pathspec.nr)
 		suc.warn_if_uninitialized = 1;
 
-	return update_submodules(&suc);
+	return update_clone_submodules(&suc);
 }
 
 static int run_update_procedure(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index f60db966ea..5b4f1dbcbd 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -261,11 +261,8 @@ static int resolve_relative_url_test(int argc, const char **argv, const char *pr
 	return 0;
 }
 
-/* the result should be freed by the caller. */
-static char *get_submodule_displaypath(const char *path, const char *prefix)
+static char *do_get_submodule_displaypath(const char *path, const char *prefix, const char *super_prefix)
 {
-	const char *super_prefix = get_super_prefix();
-
 	if (prefix && super_prefix) {
 		BUG("cannot have prefix '%s' and superprefix '%s'",
 		    prefix, super_prefix);
@@ -281,6 +278,13 @@ static char *get_submodule_displaypath(const char *path, const char *prefix)
 	}
 }
 
+/* the result should be freed by the caller. */
+static char *get_submodule_displaypath(const char *path, const char *prefix)
+{
+	const char *super_prefix = get_super_prefix();
+	return do_get_submodule_displaypath(path, prefix, super_prefix);
+}
+
 static char *compute_rev_name(const char *sub_path, const char* object_id)
 {
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 3049628f88..0d6e65bd6c 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -71,21 +71,6 @@ static char *get_default_remote(void)
 	return repo_get_default_remote(the_repository, refname);
 }
 
-static int print_default_remote(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
-{
-	char *remote;
-
-	if (argc != 1)
-		die(_("submodule--helper print-default-remote takes no arguments"));
-
-	remote = get_default_remote();
-	if (remote)
-		printf("%s\n", remote);
-
-	free(remote);
-	return 0;
-}
-
 static int starts_with_dot_slash(const char *str)
 {
 	return str[0] == '.' && is_dir_sep(str[1]);
@@ -1960,29 +1945,6 @@ static void determine_submodule_update_strategy(struct repository *r,
 	free(key);
 }
 
-static int module_update_module_mode(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
-{
-	const char *path, *update = NULL;
-	int just_cloned;
-	struct submodule_update_strategy update_strategy = { .type = SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT };
-
-	if (argc < 3 || argc > 4)
-		die("submodule--helper update-module-clone expects <just-cloned> <path> [<update>]");
-
-	just_cloned = git_config_int("just_cloned", argv[1]);
-	path = argv[2];
-
-	if (argc == 4)
-		update = argv[3];
-
-	determine_submodule_update_strategy(the_repository,
-					    just_cloned, path, update,
-					    &update_strategy);
-	fputs(submodule_strategy_to_string(&update_strategy), stdout);
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
 struct update_clone_data {
 	const struct submodule *sub;
 	struct object_id oid;
@@ -2518,182 +2480,6 @@ static int do_run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud, struct string_list *e
 	return run_update_command(ud, subforce, err);
 }
 
-static void update_clone_submodule(struct update_clone_data *ucd)
-{
-	fprintf(stdout, "dummy %s %d\t%s\n",
-		oid_to_hex(&ucd->oid),
-		ucd->just_cloned,
-		ucd->sub->path);
-}
-
-static int update_clone_submodules(struct submodule_update_clone *suc)
-{
-	int i;
-
-	run_processes_parallel_tr2(suc->max_jobs, update_clone_get_next_task,
-				   update_clone_start_failure,
-				   update_clone_task_finished, suc, "submodule",
-				   "parallel/update");
-
-	/*
-	 * We saved the output and put it out all at once now.
-	 * That means:
-	 * - the listener does not have to interleave their (checkout)
-	 *   work with our fetching.  The writes involved in a
-	 *   checkout involve more straightforward sequential I/O.
-	 * - the listener can avoid doing any work if fetching failed.
-	 */
-	if (suc->quickstop)
-		return 1;
-
-	for (i = 0; i < suc->update_clone_nr; i++)
-		update_clone_submodule(&suc->update_clone[i]);
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
-static int update_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
-{
-	const char *update = NULL;
-	struct pathspec pathspec;
-	struct submodule_update_clone suc = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_CLONE_INIT;
-
-	struct option module_update_clone_options[] = {
-		OPT_STRING(0, "prefix", &prefix,
-			   N_("path"),
-			   N_("path into the working tree")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "recursive-prefix", &suc.recursive_prefix,
-			   N_("path"),
-			   N_("path into the working tree, across nested "
-			      "submodule boundaries")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "update", &update,
-			   N_("string"),
-			   N_("rebase, merge, checkout or none")),
-		OPT_STRING_LIST(0, "reference", &suc.references, N_("repo"),
-			   N_("reference repository")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "dissociate", &suc.dissociate,
-			   N_("use --reference only while cloning")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "depth", &suc.depth, "<depth>",
-			   N_("create a shallow clone truncated to the "
-			      "specified number of revisions")),
-		OPT_INTEGER('j', "jobs", &suc.max_jobs,
-			    N_("parallel jobs")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "recommend-shallow", &suc.recommend_shallow,
-			    N_("whether the initial clone should follow the shallow recommendation")),
-		OPT__QUIET(&suc.quiet, N_("don't print cloning progress")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "progress", &suc.progress,
-			    N_("force cloning progress")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "require-init", &suc.require_init,
-			   N_("disallow cloning into non-empty directory")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "single-branch", &suc.single_branch,
-			 N_("clone only one branch, HEAD or --branch")),
-		OPT_END()
-	};
-
-	const char *const git_submodule_helper_usage[] = {
-		N_("git submodule--helper update-clone [--prefix=<path>] [<path>...]"),
-		NULL
-	};
-	suc.prefix = prefix;
-
-	update_clone_config_from_gitmodules(&suc.max_jobs);
-	git_config(git_update_clone_config, &suc.max_jobs);
-
-	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, module_update_clone_options,
-			     git_submodule_helper_usage, 0);
-
-	if (update)
-		if (parse_submodule_update_strategy(update, &suc.update) < 0)
-			die(_("bad value for update parameter"));
-
-	if (module_list_compute(argc, argv, prefix, &pathspec, &suc.list) < 0)
-		return 1;
-
-	if (pathspec.nr)
-		suc.warn_if_uninitialized = 1;
-
-	return update_clone_submodules(&suc);
-}
-
-static int run_update_procedure(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
-{
-	int force = 0, quiet = 0, nofetch = 0, just_cloned = 0;
-	char *prefixed_path, *update = NULL;
-	struct update_data update_data = UPDATE_DATA_INIT;
-	struct string_list err = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
-
-	struct option options[] = {
-		OPT__QUIET(&quiet, N_("suppress output for update by rebase or merge")),
-		OPT__FORCE(&force, N_("force checkout updates"), 0),
-		OPT_BOOL('N', "no-fetch", &nofetch,
-			 N_("don't fetch new objects from the remote site")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "just-cloned", &just_cloned,
-			 N_("overrides update mode in case the repository is a fresh clone")),
-		OPT_INTEGER(0, "depth", &update_data.depth, N_("depth for shallow fetch")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "prefix", &prefix,
-			   N_("path"),
-			   N_("path into the working tree")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "update", &update,
-			   N_("string"),
-			   N_("rebase, merge, checkout or none")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "recursive-prefix", &update_data.recursive_prefix, N_("path"),
-			   N_("path into the working tree, across nested "
-			      "submodule boundaries")),
-		OPT_CALLBACK_F(0, "oid", &update_data.oid, N_("sha1"),
-			       N_("SHA1 expected by superproject"), PARSE_OPT_NONEG,
-			       parse_opt_object_id),
-		OPT_CALLBACK_F(0, "suboid", &update_data.suboid, N_("subsha1"),
-			       N_("SHA1 of submodule's HEAD"), PARSE_OPT_NONEG,
-			       parse_opt_object_id),
-		OPT_END()
-	};
-
-	const char *const usage[] = {
-		N_("git submodule--helper run-update-procedure [<options>] <path>"),
-		NULL
-	};
-
-	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options, usage, 0);
-
-	if (argc != 1)
-		usage_with_options(usage, options);
-
-	update_data.force = !!force;
-	update_data.quiet = !!quiet;
-	update_data.nofetch = !!nofetch;
-	update_data.just_cloned = !!just_cloned;
-	update_data.sm_path = argv[0];
-
-	if (update_data.recursive_prefix)
-		prefixed_path = xstrfmt("%s%s", update_data.recursive_prefix, update_data.sm_path);
-	else
-		prefixed_path = xstrdup(update_data.sm_path);
-
-	update_data.displaypath = get_submodule_displaypath(prefixed_path, prefix);
-
-	determine_submodule_update_strategy(the_repository, update_data.just_cloned,
-					    update_data.sm_path, update,
-					    &update_data.update_strategy);
-
-	free(prefixed_path);
-
-	if (!oideq(&update_data.oid, &update_data.suboid) || update_data.force)
-		return do_run_update_procedure(&update_data, &err);
-
-	return 3;
-}
-
-static int resolve_relative_path(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
-{
-	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
-	if (argc != 3)
-		die("submodule--helper relative-path takes exactly 2 arguments, got %d", argc);
-
-	printf("%s", relative_path(argv[1], argv[2], &sb));
-	strbuf_release(&sb);
-	return 0;
-}
-
 static const char *remote_submodule_branch(const char *path)
 {
 	const struct submodule *sub;
@@ -2852,19 +2638,6 @@ static void do_ensure_core_worktree(const char *path)
 	}
 }
 
-static int ensure_core_worktree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
-{
-	const char *path;
-
-	if (argc != 2)
-		BUG("submodule--helper ensure-core-worktree <path>");
-
-	path = argv[1];
-	do_ensure_core_worktree(path);
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
 static int absorb_git_dirs(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 {
 	int i;
@@ -3707,16 +3480,10 @@ static struct cmd_struct commands[] = {
 	{"clone", module_clone, 0},
 	{"add", module_add, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},
 	{"update", module_update, 0},
-	{"update-module-mode", module_update_module_mode, 0},
-	{"update-clone", update_clone, 0},
-	{"run-update-procedure", run_update_procedure, 0},
-	{"ensure-core-worktree", ensure_core_worktree, 0},
-	{"relative-path", resolve_relative_path, 0},
 	{"resolve-relative-url-test", resolve_relative_url_test, 0},
 	{"foreach", module_foreach, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},
 	{"init", module_init, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},
 	{"status", module_status, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},
-	{"print-default-remote", print_default_remote, 0},
 	{"sync", module_sync, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},
 	{"deinit", module_deinit, 0},
 	{"summary", module_summary, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 74f084a9c9..640b3bd220 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -2342,47 +2342,45 @@ static int fetch_in_submodule(const char *module_path, int depth, int quiet, str
 
 static int run_update_command(struct update_data *ud, int subforce)
 {
-	struct strvec args = STRVEC_INIT;
-	struct strvec child_env = STRVEC_INIT;
+	struct child_process cp = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 	char *oid = oid_to_hex(&ud->oid);
 	int must_die_on_failure = 0;
-	int git_cmd;
 
 	switch (ud->update_strategy.type) {
 	case SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT:
-		git_cmd = 1;
-		strvec_pushl(&args, "checkout", "-q", NULL);
+		cp.git_cmd = 1;
+		strvec_pushl(&cp.args, "checkout", "-q", NULL);
 		if (subforce)
-			strvec_push(&args, "-f");
+			strvec_push(&cp.args, "-f");
 		break;
 	case SM_UPDATE_REBASE:
-		git_cmd = 1;
-		strvec_push(&args, "rebase");
+		cp.git_cmd = 1;
+		strvec_push(&cp.args, "rebase");
 		if (ud->quiet)
-			strvec_push(&args, "--quiet");
+			strvec_push(&cp.args, "--quiet");
 		must_die_on_failure = 1;
 		break;
 	case SM_UPDATE_MERGE:
-		git_cmd = 1;
-		strvec_push(&args, "merge");
+		cp.git_cmd = 1;
+		strvec_push(&cp.args, "merge");
 		if (ud->quiet)
-			strvec_push(&args, "--quiet");
+			strvec_push(&cp.args, "--quiet");
 		must_die_on_failure = 1;
 		break;
 	case SM_UPDATE_COMMAND:
-		git_cmd = 0;
-		strvec_push(&args, ud->update_strategy.command);
+		cp.use_shell = 1;
+		strvec_push(&cp.args, ud->update_strategy.command);
 		must_die_on_failure = 1;
 		break;
 	default:
 		BUG("unexpected update strategy type: %s",
 		    submodule_strategy_to_string(&ud->update_strategy));
 	}
-	strvec_push(&args, oid);
+	strvec_push(&cp.args, oid);
 
-	prepare_submodule_repo_env(&child_env);
-	if (run_command_v_opt_cd_env(args.v, git_cmd ? RUN_GIT_CMD : RUN_USING_SHELL,
-				     ud->sm_path, child_env.v)) {
+	cp.dir = xstrdup(ud->sm_path);
+	prepare_submodule_repo_env(&cp.env_array);
+	if (run_command(&cp)) {
 		switch (ud->update_strategy.type) {
 		case SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT:
 			printf(_("Unable to checkout '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),

builtin/submodule--helper.c, git-submodule.sh

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 640b3bd220..3049628f88 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -2010,7 +2010,6 @@ struct submodule_update_clone {
 	const char *prefix;
 	int single_branch;
 
-	/* to be consumed by git-submodule.sh */
 	struct update_clone_data *update_clone;
 	int update_clone_nr; int update_clone_alloc;
 
@@ -2033,19 +2032,63 @@ struct submodule_update_clone {
 }
 
 struct update_data {
+	const char *prefix;
 	const char *recursive_prefix;
 	const char *sm_path;
 	const char *displaypath;
 	struct object_id oid;
 	struct object_id suboid;
-	struct submodule_update_strategy update_strategy;
+	int max_jobs;
 	int depth;
+	int recommend_shallow;
+	int single_branch;
+	unsigned int init: 1;
 	unsigned int force: 1;
 	unsigned int quiet: 1;
 	unsigned int nofetch: 1;
-	unsigned int just_cloned: 1;
+	unsigned int remote: 1;
+	unsigned int recursive: 1;
+	unsigned int progress: 1;
+	unsigned int dissociate: 1;
+	unsigned int require_init: 1;
+	unsigned warn_if_uninitialized : 1;
+	unsigned int just_cloned : 1;
+	struct submodule_update_strategy update_strategy;
+	struct string_list references;
+	struct module_list list;
 };
-#define UPDATE_DATA_INIT { .update_strategy = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_STRATEGY_INIT }
+#define UPDATE_DATA_INIT { \
+	.list = MODULE_LIST_INIT, \
+	.update_strategy = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_STRATEGY_INIT, \
+	.recommend_shallow = -1, \
+	.references = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP, \
+	.single_branch = -1, \
+	.max_jobs = 1, \
+}
+
+static void update_clone_from_update_data(struct submodule_update_clone *suc,
+					  struct update_data *update_data)
+{
+	suc->prefix = update_data->prefix;
+	suc->recursive_prefix = update_data->recursive_prefix;
+	suc->max_jobs = update_data->max_jobs;
+	suc->progress = update_data->progress;
+	suc->quiet = update_data->quiet;
+	suc->dissociate = update_data->dissociate;
+	suc->require_init = update_data->require_init;
+	suc->single_branch = update_data->single_branch;
+	suc->warn_if_uninitialized = update_data->warn_if_uninitialized;
+	suc->list = update_data->list;
+	suc->update = update_data->update_strategy;
+	suc->recommend_shallow = update_data->recommend_shallow;
+	if (update_data->depth)
+		suc->depth = xstrfmt("--depth=%d", update_data->depth);
+	if (update_data->references.nr) {
+		struct string_list_item *item;
+		for_each_string_list_item(item, &update_data->references)
+			string_list_append(&suc->references, item->string);
+	}
+}
 
 static void next_submodule_warn_missing(struct submodule_update_clone *suc,
 		struct strbuf *out, const char *displaypath)
@@ -2340,13 +2383,21 @@ static int fetch_in_submodule(const char *module_path, int depth, int quiet, str
 	return run_command(&cp);
 }
 
-static int run_update_command(struct update_data *ud, int subforce)
+static int run_update_command(struct update_data *ud, int subforce, struct string_list *err)
 {
 	struct child_process cp = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 	char *oid = oid_to_hex(&ud->oid);
+	struct strbuf out = STRBUF_INIT;
 	int must_die_on_failure = 0;
+	struct submodule_update_strategy strategy = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_STRATEGY_INIT;
 
-	switch (ud->update_strategy.type) {
+	if (ud->update_strategy.type == SM_UPDATE_UNSPECIFIED || ud->just_cloned)
+		determine_submodule_update_strategy(the_repository, ud->just_cloned,
+						    ud->sm_path, NULL, &strategy);
+	else
+		strategy = ud->update_strategy;
+
+	switch (strategy.type) {
 	case SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT:
 		cp.git_cmd = 1;
 		strvec_pushl(&cp.args, "checkout", "-q", NULL);
@@ -2369,80 +2420,75 @@ static int run_update_command(struct update_data *ud, int subforce)
 		break;
 	case SM_UPDATE_COMMAND:
 		cp.use_shell = 1;
-		strvec_push(&cp.args, ud->update_strategy.command);
+		strvec_push(&cp.args, strategy.command);
 		must_die_on_failure = 1;
 		break;
 	default:
 		BUG("unexpected update strategy type: %s",
-		    submodule_strategy_to_string(&ud->update_strategy));
+		    submodule_strategy_to_string(&strategy));
 	}
 	strvec_push(&cp.args, oid);
 
 	cp.dir = xstrdup(ud->sm_path);
 	prepare_submodule_repo_env(&cp.env_array);
-	if (run_command(&cp)) {
-		switch (ud->update_strategy.type) {
-		case SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT:
-			printf(_("Unable to checkout '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
-			       oid, ud->displaypath);
-			break;
-		case SM_UPDATE_REBASE:
-			printf(_("Unable to rebase '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
-			       oid, ud->displaypath);
-			break;
-		case SM_UPDATE_MERGE:
-			printf(_("Unable to merge '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
-			       oid, ud->displaypath);
-			break;
-		case SM_UPDATE_COMMAND:
-			printf(_("Execution of '%s %s' failed in submodule path '%s'"),
-			       ud->update_strategy.command, oid, ud->displaypath);
-			break;
-		default:
-			BUG("unexpected update strategy type: %s",
-			    submodule_strategy_to_string(&ud->update_strategy));
+	if (capture_command(&cp, &out, 0)) {
+		if (must_die_on_failure) {
+			switch (strategy.type) {
+			case SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT:
+				die(_("Unable to checkout '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
+				    oid, ud->displaypath);
+				break;
+			case SM_UPDATE_REBASE:
+				die(_("Unable to rebase '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
+				    oid, ud->displaypath);
+				break;
+			case SM_UPDATE_MERGE:
+				die(_("Unable to merge '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
+				    oid, ud->displaypath);
+				break;
+			case SM_UPDATE_COMMAND:
+				die(_("Execution of '%s %s' failed in submodule path '%s'"),
+				    strategy.command, oid, ud->displaypath);
+				break;
+			default:
+				BUG("unexpected update strategy type: %s",
+				    submodule_strategy_to_string(&strategy));
+			}
 		}
-		/*
-		 * NEEDSWORK: We are currently printing to stdout with error
-		 * return so that the shell caller handles the error output
-		 * properly. Once we start handling the error messages within
-		 * C, we should use die() instead.
-		 */
-		if (must_die_on_failure)
-			return 2;
-		/*
-		 * This signifies to the caller in shell that the command
-		 * failed without dying
-		 */
+
+		/* the command failed, but update must continue */
+		string_list_append(err, out.buf);
 		return 1;
 	}
 
-	switch (ud->update_strategy.type) {
-	case SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT:
-		printf(_("Submodule path '%s': checked out '%s'\n"),
-		       ud->displaypath, oid);
-		break;
-	case SM_UPDATE_REBASE:
-		printf(_("Submodule path '%s': rebased into '%s'\n"),
-		       ud->displaypath, oid);
-		break;
-	case SM_UPDATE_MERGE:
-		printf(_("Submodule path '%s': merged in '%s'\n"),
-		       ud->displaypath, oid);
-		break;
-	case SM_UPDATE_COMMAND:
-		printf(_("Submodule path '%s': '%s %s'\n"),
-		       ud->displaypath, ud->update_strategy.command, oid);
-		break;
-	default:
-		BUG("unexpected update strategy type: %s",
-		    submodule_strategy_to_string(&ud->update_strategy));
+	if (!ud->quiet) {
+		switch (strategy.type) {
+		case SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT:
+			printf(_("Submodule path '%s': checked out '%s'\n"),
+			       ud->displaypath, oid);
+			break;
+		case SM_UPDATE_REBASE:
+			printf(_("Submodule path '%s': rebased into '%s'\n"),
+			       ud->displaypath, oid);
+			break;
+		case SM_UPDATE_MERGE:
+			printf(_("Submodule path '%s': merged in '%s'\n"),
+			       ud->displaypath, oid);
+			break;
+		case SM_UPDATE_COMMAND:
+			printf(_("Submodule path '%s': '%s %s'\n"),
+			       ud->displaypath, strategy.command, oid);
+			break;
+		default:
+			BUG("unexpected update strategy type: %s",
+			    submodule_strategy_to_string(&strategy));
+		}
 	}
 
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int do_run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud)
+static int do_run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud, struct string_list *err)
 {
 	int subforce = is_null_oid(&ud->suboid) || ud->force;
 
@@ -2469,7 +2515,7 @@ static int do_run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud)
 			    ud->displaypath, oid_to_hex(&ud->oid));
 	}
 
-	return run_update_command(ud, subforce);
+	return run_update_command(ud, subforce, err);
 }
 
 static void update_clone_submodule(struct update_clone_data *ucd)
@@ -2574,6 +2620,7 @@ static int run_update_procedure(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	int force = 0, quiet = 0, nofetch = 0, just_cloned = 0;
 	char *prefixed_path, *update = NULL;
 	struct update_data update_data = UPDATE_DATA_INIT;
+	struct string_list err = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
 
 	struct option options[] = {
 		OPT__QUIET(&quiet, N_("suppress output for update by rebase or merge")),
@@ -2631,7 +2678,7 @@ static int run_update_procedure(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	free(prefixed_path);
 
 	if (!oideq(&update_data.oid, &update_data.suboid) || update_data.force)
-		return do_run_update_procedure(&update_data);
+		return do_run_update_procedure(&update_data, &err);
 
 	return 3;
 }
@@ -3002,6 +3049,291 @@ static int module_set_branch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	return !!ret;
 }
 
+static void update_data_to_args(struct update_data *update_data, struct strvec *args)
+{
+	const char *update = submodule_strategy_to_string(&update_data->update_strategy);
+
+	strvec_pushl(args, "submodule--helper", "update", "--recursive", NULL);
+	strvec_pushf(args, "--jobs=%d", update_data->max_jobs);
+	if (update_data->prefix)
+		strvec_pushl(args, "--prefix", update_data->prefix, NULL);
+	if (update_data->recursive_prefix)
+		strvec_pushl(args, "--recursive-prefix",
+			     update_data->recursive_prefix, NULL);
+	if (update_data->quiet)
+		strvec_push(args, "--quiet");
+	if (update_data->force)
+		strvec_push(args, "--force");
+	if (update_data->init)
+		strvec_push(args, "--init");
+	if (update_data->remote)
+		strvec_push(args, "--remote");
+	if (update_data->nofetch)
+		strvec_push(args, "--no-fetch");
+	if (update_data->dissociate)
+		strvec_push(args, "--dissociate");
+	if (update_data->progress)
+		strvec_push(args, "--progress");
+	if (update_data->require_init)
+		strvec_push(args, "--require-init");
+	if (update_data->depth)
+		strvec_pushf(args, "--depth=%d", update_data->depth);
+	if (update)
+		strvec_pushl(args, "--update", update, NULL);
+	if (update_data->references.nr) {
+		struct string_list_item *item;
+		for_each_string_list_item(item, &update_data->references)
+			strvec_pushl(args, "--reference", item->string, NULL);
+	}
+	if (update_data->recommend_shallow == 0)
+		strvec_push(args, "--no-recommend-shallow");
+	else if (update_data->recommend_shallow == 1)
+		strvec_push(args, "--recommend-shallow");
+	if (update_data->single_branch >= 0)
+		strvec_push(args, "--single-branch");
+}
+
+static int update_submodule(struct update_data *update_data)
+{
+	char *prefixed_path;
+	struct string_list err = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
+
+	do_ensure_core_worktree(update_data->sm_path);
+
+	if (update_data->recursive_prefix)
+		prefixed_path = xstrfmt("%s%s", update_data->recursive_prefix,
+					update_data->sm_path);
+	else
+		prefixed_path = xstrdup(update_data->sm_path);
+
+	update_data->displaypath = get_submodule_displaypath(prefixed_path,
+							     update_data->prefix);
+	free(prefixed_path);
+
+	if (update_data->just_cloned) {
+		oidcpy(&update_data->suboid, null_oid());
+	} else {
+		if (resolve_gitlink_ref(update_data->sm_path, "HEAD", &update_data->suboid))
+			die(_("Unable to find current revision in submodule path '%s'"),
+			    update_data->displaypath);
+	}
+
+	if (update_data->remote) {
+		char *remote_name = get_default_remote_submodule(update_data->sm_path);
+		const char *branch = remote_submodule_branch(update_data->sm_path);
+		char *remote_ref = xstrfmt("refs/remotes/%s/%s", remote_name, branch);
+
+		if (!update_data->nofetch) {
+			if(fetch_in_submodule(update_data->sm_path, update_data->depth,
+					      0, NULL))
+				die(_("Unable to fetch in submodule path '%s'"),
+				    update_data->sm_path);
+		}
+
+		if (resolve_gitlink_ref(update_data->sm_path, remote_ref, &update_data->oid))
+			die(_("Unable to find %s revision in submodule path '%s'"),
+			    remote_ref, update_data->sm_path);
+
+		free(remote_ref);
+	}
+
+	if (!oideq(&update_data->oid, &update_data->suboid) || update_data->force)
+		if (do_run_update_procedure(update_data, &err))
+			return 1;
+
+	if (update_data->recursive) {
+		int res;
+		struct child_process cp = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
+		struct update_data next = *update_data;
+		char *die_msg = xstrfmt(_("Failed to recurse into submodule path '%s'"),
+					update_data->displaypath);
+
+		if (update_data->recursive_prefix)
+			prefixed_path = xstrfmt("%s%s/", update_data->recursive_prefix,
+						update_data->sm_path);
+		else
+			prefixed_path = xstrfmt("%s/", update_data->sm_path);
+
+		next.recursive_prefix = get_submodule_displaypath(prefixed_path,
+								  update_data->prefix);
+		next.prefix = NULL;
+		oidcpy(&next.oid, null_oid());
+		oidcpy(&next.suboid, null_oid());
+
+		cp.dir = update_data->sm_path;
+		cp.git_cmd = 1;
+		prepare_submodule_repo_env(&cp.env_array);
+		update_data_to_args(&next, &cp.args);
+
+		/* die() if child process die()'d */
+		if ((res = run_command(&cp)) == 128)
+			die("%s", die_msg);
+		if (res)
+			string_list_append(&err, die_msg);
+
+		free(die_msg);
+	}
+
+	if (err.nr) {
+		struct string_list_item *item;
+		for_each_string_list_item(item, &err)
+			fputs(item->string, stderr);
+		return 1;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int update_submodules(struct update_data *update_data)
+{
+	int i, res = 0;
+	struct submodule_update_clone suc = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_CLONE_INIT;
+
+	update_clone_from_update_data(&suc, update_data);
+	run_processes_parallel_tr2(suc.max_jobs, update_clone_get_next_task,
+				   update_clone_start_failure,
+				   update_clone_task_finished, &suc, "submodule",
+				   "parallel/update");
+
+	/*
+	 * We saved the output and put it out all at once now.
+	 * That means:
+	 * - the listener does not have to interleave their (checkout)
+	 *   work with our fetching.  The writes involved in a
+	 *   checkout involve more straightforward sequential I/O.
+	 * - the listener can avoid doing any work if fetching failed.
+	 */
+	if (suc.quickstop) {
+		string_list_clear(&update_data->references, 0);
+		return 1;
+	}
+
+	for (i = 0; i < suc.update_clone_nr; i++) {
+		struct update_clone_data ucd = suc.update_clone[i];
+
+		oidcpy(&update_data->oid, &ucd.oid);
+		update_data->just_cloned = ucd.just_cloned;
+		update_data->sm_path = ucd.sub->path;
+
+		if (update_submodule(update_data))
+			res = 1;
+	}
+
+	string_list_clear(&update_data->references, 0);
+	return res;
+}
+
+static int module_update(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
+{
+	int init = 0, force = 0, quiet = 0, nofetch = 0;
+	int remote = 0, recursive = 0, dissociate = 0;
+	int progress = 0, require_init = 0;
+	const char *update = NULL;
+	struct pathspec pathspec;
+	struct update_data update_data = UPDATE_DATA_INIT;
+
+	struct option module_update_clone_options[] = {
+		OPT__FORCE(&force, N_("force checkout updates"), 0),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "init", &init,
+			 N_("initialize uninitialized submodules before update")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "remote", &remote,
+			 N_("use SHA-1 of submodule's remote tracking branch")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "recursive", &recursive,
+			 N_("traverse submodules recursively")),
+		OPT_BOOL('N', "no-fetch", &nofetch,
+			 N_("don't fetch new objects from the remote site")),
+		OPT_STRING(0, "prefix", &prefix,
+			   N_("path"),
+			   N_("path into the working tree")),
+		OPT_STRING(0, "recursive-prefix", &update_data.recursive_prefix,
+			   N_("path"),
+			   N_("path into the working tree, across nested "
+			      "submodule boundaries")),
+		OPT_STRING(0, "update", &update,
+			   N_("string"),
+			   N_("rebase, merge, checkout or none")),
+		OPT_STRING_LIST(0, "reference", &update_data.references, N_("repo"),
+				N_("reference repository")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "dissociate", &dissociate,
+			 N_("use --reference only while cloning")),
+		OPT_INTEGER(0, "depth", &update_data.depth,
+			    N_("create a shallow clone truncated to the "
+			       "specified number of revisions")),
+		OPT_INTEGER('j', "jobs", &update_data.max_jobs,
+			    N_("parallel jobs")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "recommend-shallow", &update_data.recommend_shallow,
+			 N_("whether the initial clone should follow the shallow recommendation")),
+		OPT__QUIET(&quiet, N_("don't print cloning progress")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "progress", &progress,
+			 N_("force cloning progress")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "require-init", &require_init,
+			 N_("disallow cloning into non-empty directory")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "single-branch", &update_data.single_branch,
+			 N_("clone only one branch, HEAD or --branch")),
+		OPT_END()
+	};
+
+	const char *const git_submodule_helper_usage[] = {
+		N_("git submodule--helper update-clone [--prefix=<path>] [<path>...]"),
+		NULL
+	};
+
+	update_clone_config_from_gitmodules(&update_data.max_jobs);
+	git_config(git_update_clone_config, &update_data.max_jobs);
+
+	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, module_update_clone_options,
+			     git_submodule_helper_usage, 0);
+	update_data.prefix = prefix;
+
+	update_data.force = !!force;
+	update_data.quiet = !!quiet;
+	update_data.nofetch = !!nofetch;
+	update_data.init = !!init;
+	update_data.require_init = !!require_init;
+	update_data.remote = !!remote;
+	update_data.recursive = !!recursive;
+	update_data.progress = !!progress;
+	update_data.dissociate = !!dissociate;
+	oidcpy(&update_data.oid, null_oid());
+	oidcpy(&update_data.suboid, null_oid());
+
+	if (update)
+		if (parse_submodule_update_strategy(update,
+						    &update_data.update_strategy) < 0)
+			die(_("bad value for update parameter"));
+
+	if (module_list_compute(argc, argv, prefix, &pathspec, &update_data.list) < 0)
+		return 1;
+
+	if (pathspec.nr)
+		update_data.warn_if_uninitialized = 1;
+
+	if (update_data.init) {
+		struct module_list list = MODULE_LIST_INIT;
+		struct init_cb info = INIT_CB_INIT;
+
+		if (module_list_compute(argc, argv, update_data.prefix,
+					&pathspec, &list) < 0)
+			return 1;
+
+		/*
+		 * If there are no path args and submodule.active is set then,
+		 * by default, only initialize 'active' modules.
+		 */
+		if (!argc && git_config_get_value_multi("submodule.active"))
+			module_list_active(&list);
+
+		info.prefix = update_data.prefix;
+		info.superprefix = update_data.recursive_prefix;
+		if (update_data.quiet)
+			info.flags |= OPT_QUIET;
+
+		for_each_listed_submodule(&list, init_submodule_cb, &info);
+	}
+
+	return update_submodules(&update_data);
+}
+
 struct add_data {
 	const char *prefix;
 	const char *branch;
@@ -3360,6 +3692,7 @@ static int module_add(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+
 #define SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX (1<<0)
 
 struct cmd_struct {
@@ -3373,6 +3706,7 @@ static struct cmd_struct commands[] = {
 	{"name", module_name, 0},
 	{"clone", module_clone, 0},
 	{"add", module_add, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},
+	{"update", module_update, 0},
 	{"update-module-mode", module_update_module_mode, 0},
 	{"update-clone", update_clone, 0},
 	{"run-update-procedure", run_update_procedure, 0},
diff --git a/git-submodule.sh b/git-submodule.sh
index 652861aa66..bcd8b92aab 100755
--- a/git-submodule.sh
+++ b/git-submodule.sh
@@ -246,20 +246,6 @@ cmd_deinit()
 	git ${wt_prefix:+-C "$wt_prefix"} submodule--helper deinit ${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} ${force:+--force} ${deinit_all:+--all} -- "$@"
 }
 
-# usage: fetch_in_submodule <module_path> [<depth>] [<sha1>]
-# Because arguments are positional, use an empty string to omit <depth>
-# but include <sha1>.
-fetch_in_submodule () (
-	sanitize_submodule_env &&
-	cd "$1" &&
-	if test $# -eq 3
-	then
-		echo "$3" | git fetch ${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} --stdin ${2:+"$2"}
-	else
-		git fetch ${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} ${2:+"$2"}
-	fi
-)
-
 #
 # Update each submodule path to correct revision, using clone and checkout as needed
 #
@@ -361,133 +347,26 @@ cmd_update()
 		shift
 	done
 
-	if test -n "$init"
-	then
-		cmd_init "--" "$@" || return
-	fi
-
-	{
-	git submodule--helper update-clone ${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} \
-		${progress:+"--progress"} \
+	git ${wt_prefix:+-C "$wt_prefix"} ${prefix:+--super-prefix "$prefix"} submodule--helper update \
+		${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} \
+		${force:+--force} \
+		${progress:+--progress} \
+		${dissociate:+--dissociate} \
+		${remote:+--remote} \
+		${recursive:+--recursive} \
+		${init:+--init} \
+		${require_init:+--require-init} \
+		${nofetch:+--no-fetch} \
 		${wt_prefix:+--prefix "$wt_prefix"} \
 		${prefix:+--recursive-prefix "$prefix"} \
 		${update:+--update "$update"} \
 		${reference:+"$reference"} \
-		${dissociate:+"--dissociate"} \
-		${depth:+--depth "$depth"} \
-		${require_init:+--require-init} \
+		${depth:+"$depth"} \
 		$single_branch \
 		$recommend_shallow \
 		$jobs \
 		-- \
-		"$@" || echo "#unmatched" $?
-	} | {
-	err=
-	while read -r quickabort sha1 just_cloned sm_path
-	do
-		die_if_unmatched "$quickabort" "$sha1"
-
-		git submodule--helper ensure-core-worktree "$sm_path" || exit 1
-
-		displaypath=$(git submodule--helper relative-path "$prefix$sm_path" "$wt_prefix")
-
-		if test $just_cloned -eq 1
-		then
-			subsha1=
-		else
-			just_cloned=
-			subsha1=$(sanitize_submodule_env; cd "$sm_path" &&
-				git rev-parse --verify HEAD) ||
-			die "fatal: $(eval_gettext "Unable to find current revision in submodule path '\$displaypath'")"
-		fi
-
-		if test -n "$remote"
-		then
-			branch=$(git submodule--helper remote-branch "$sm_path")
-			if test -z "$nofetch"
-			then
-				# Fetch remote before determining tracking $sha1
-				fetch_in_submodule "$sm_path" $depth ||
-				die "fatal: $(eval_gettext "Unable to fetch in submodule path '\$sm_path'")"
-			fi
-			remote_name=$(sanitize_submodule_env; cd "$sm_path" && git submodule--helper print-default-remote)
-			sha1=$(sanitize_submodule_env; cd "$sm_path" &&
-				git rev-parse --verify "${remote_name}/${branch}") ||
-			die "fatal: $(eval_gettext "Unable to find current \${remote_name}/\${branch} revision in submodule path '\$sm_path'")"
-		fi
-
-		out=$(git submodule--helper run-update-procedure \
-			  ${wt_prefix:+--prefix "$wt_prefix"} \
-			  ${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} \
-			  ${force:+--force} \
-			  ${just_cloned:+--just-cloned} \
-			  ${nofetch:+--no-fetch} \
-			  ${depth:+"$depth"} \
-			  ${update:+--update "$update"} \
-			  ${prefix:+--recursive-prefix "$prefix"} \
-			  ${sha1:+--oid "$sha1"} \
-			  ${subsha1:+--suboid "$subsha1"} \
-			  "--" \
-			  "$sm_path")
-
-		# exit codes for run-update-procedure:
-		# 0: update was successful, say command output
-		# 1: update procedure failed, but should not die
-		# 2 or 128: subcommand died during execution
-		# 3: no update procedure was run
-		res="$?"
-		case $res in
-		0)
-			say "$out"
-			;;
-		1)
-			err="${err};fatal: $out"
-			continue
-			;;
-		2|128)
-			die_with_status $res "fatal: $out"
-			;;
-		esac
-
-		if test -n "$recursive"
-		then
-			(
-				prefix=$(git submodule--helper relative-path "$prefix$sm_path/" "$wt_prefix")
-				wt_prefix=
-				sanitize_submodule_env
-				cd "$sm_path" &&
-				eval cmd_update
-			)
-			res=$?
-			if test $res -gt 0
-			then
-				die_msg="fatal: $(eval_gettext "Failed to recurse into submodule path '\$displaypath'")"
-				if test $res -ne 2
-				then
-					err="${err};$die_msg"
-					continue
-				else
-					die_with_status $res "$die_msg"
-				fi
-			fi
-		fi
-	done
-
-	if test -n "$err"
-	then
-		OIFS=$IFS
-		IFS=';'
-		for e in $err
-		do
-			if test -n "$e"
-			then
-				echo >&2 "$e"
-			fi
-		done
-		IFS=$OIFS
-		exit 1
-	fi
-	}
+		"$@"
 }
 
 #

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 5b4f1dbcbd..74f084a9c9 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -606,18 +606,22 @@ static int module_foreach(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 
 struct init_cb {
 	const char *prefix;
+	const char *superprefix;
 	unsigned int flags;
 };
-#define INIT_CB_INIT { NULL, 0 }
+#define INIT_CB_INIT { 0 }
 
 static void init_submodule(const char *path, const char *prefix,
-			   unsigned int flags)
+			   const char *superprefix, unsigned int flags)
 {
 	const struct submodule *sub;
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
 	char *upd = NULL, *url = NULL, *displaypath;
 
-	displaypath = get_submodule_displaypath(path, prefix);
+	/* try superprefix from the environment, if it is not passed explicitly */
+	if (!superprefix)
+		superprefix = get_super_prefix();
+	displaypath = do_get_submodule_displaypath(path, prefix, superprefix);
 
 	sub = submodule_from_path(the_repository, null_oid(), path);
 
@@ -691,7 +695,7 @@ static void init_submodule(const char *path, const char *prefix,
 static void init_submodule_cb(const struct cache_entry *list_item, void *cb_data)
 {
 	struct init_cb *info = cb_data;
-	init_submodule(list_item->name, info->prefix, info->flags);
+	init_submodule(list_item->name, info->prefix, info->superprefix, info->flags);
 }
 
 static int module_init(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 0d6e65bd6c..82d68650e8 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -2450,7 +2450,7 @@ static int run_update_command(struct update_data *ud, int subforce, struct strin
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int do_run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud, struct string_list *err)
+static int run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud, struct string_list *err)
 {
 	int subforce = is_null_oid(&ud->suboid) || ud->force;
 
@@ -2612,7 +2612,7 @@ static int push_check(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static void do_ensure_core_worktree(const char *path)
+static void ensure_core_worktree(const char *path)
 {
 	const char *cw;
 	struct repository subrepo;
@@ -2871,7 +2871,7 @@ static int update_submodule(struct update_data *update_data)
 	char *prefixed_path;
 	struct string_list err = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
 
-	do_ensure_core_worktree(update_data->sm_path);
+	ensure_core_worktree(update_data->sm_path);
 
 	if (update_data->recursive_prefix)
 		prefixed_path = xstrfmt("%s%s", update_data->recursive_prefix,
@@ -2911,7 +2911,7 @@ static int update_submodule(struct update_data *update_data)
 	}
 
 	if (!oideq(&update_data->oid, &update_data->suboid) || update_data->force)
-		if (do_run_update_procedure(update_data, &err))
+		if (run_update_procedure(update_data, &err))
 			return 1;
 
 	if (update_data->recursive) {

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index c5d3fc3817f..965260edb22 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -29,11 +29,10 @@
 typedef void (*each_submodule_fn)(const struct cache_entry *list_item,
 				  void *cb_data);
 
-static char *get_default_remote(void)
+static char *repo_get_default_remote(struct repository *repo, const char *refname)
 {
 	char *dest = NULL, *ret;
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
-	const char *refname = resolve_ref_unsafe("HEAD", 0, NULL, NULL);
 
 	if (!refname)
 		die(_("No such ref: %s"), "HEAD");
@@ -46,7 +45,7 @@ static char *get_default_remote(void)
 		die(_("Expecting a full ref name, got %s"), refname);
 
 	strbuf_addf(&sb, "branch.%s.remote", refname);
-	if (git_config_get_string(sb.buf, &dest))
+	if (repo_config_get_string(repo, sb.buf, &dest))
 		ret = xstrdup("origin");
 	else
 		ret = dest;
@@ -55,6 +54,25 @@ static char *get_default_remote(void)
 	return ret;
 }
 
+static char *get_default_remote_submodule(const char *module_path)
+{
+	const char *refname;
+	struct repository subrepo;
+	int ignore_errno;
+
+	refname = refs_resolve_ref_unsafe(get_submodule_ref_store(module_path),
+					  "HEAD", 0, NULL, NULL,
+					  &ignore_errno);
+	repo_submodule_init(&subrepo, the_repository, module_path, null_oid());
+	return repo_get_default_remote(&subrepo, refname);
+}
+
+static char *get_default_remote(void)
+{
+	const char *refname = resolve_ref_unsafe("HEAD", 0, NULL, NULL);
+	return repo_get_default_remote(the_repository, refname);
+}
+
 static int print_default_remote(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 {
 	char *remote;
@@ -1341,9 +1359,8 @@ static void sync_submodule(const char *path, const char *prefix,
 {
 	const struct submodule *sub;
 	char *remote_key = NULL;
-	char *sub_origin_url, *super_config_url, *displaypath;
+	char *sub_origin_url, *super_config_url, *displaypath, *default_remote;
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
-	struct child_process cp = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 	char *sub_config_path = NULL;
 
 	if (!is_submodule_active(the_repository, path))
@@ -1382,21 +1399,15 @@ static void sync_submodule(const char *path, const char *prefix,
 	if (!is_submodule_populated_gently(path, NULL))
 		goto cleanup;
 
-	prepare_submodule_repo_env(&cp.env_array);
-	cp.git_cmd = 1;
-	cp.dir = path;
-	strvec_pushl(&cp.args, "submodule--helper",
-		     "print-default-remote", NULL);
-
 	strbuf_reset(&sb);
-	if (capture_command(&cp, &sb, 0))
+	default_remote = get_default_remote_submodule(path);
+	if (!default_remote)
 		die(_("failed to get the default remote for submodule '%s'"),
 		      path);
 
-	strbuf_strip_suffix(&sb, "\n");
-	remote_key = xstrfmt("remote.%s.url", sb.buf);
+	remote_key = xstrfmt("remote.%s.url", default_remote);
+	free(default_remote);
 
-	strbuf_reset(&sb);
 	submodule_to_gitdir(&sb, path);
 	strbuf_addstr(&sb, "/config");
 

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 965260edb22..d38a64c7b7d 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -263,11 +263,8 @@ static int resolve_relative_url_test(int argc, const char **argv, const char *pr
 	return 0;
 }
 
-/* the result should be freed by the caller. */
-static char *get_submodule_displaypath(const char *path, const char *prefix)
+static char *do_get_submodule_displaypath(const char *path, const char *prefix, const char *super_prefix)
 {
-	const char *super_prefix = get_super_prefix();
-
 	if (prefix && super_prefix) {
 		BUG("cannot have prefix '%s' and superprefix '%s'",
 		    prefix, super_prefix);
@@ -283,6 +280,13 @@ static char *get_submodule_displaypath(const char *path, const char *prefix)
 	}
 }
 
+/* the result should be freed by the caller. */
+static char *get_submodule_displaypath(const char *path, const char *prefix)
+{
+	const char *super_prefix = get_super_prefix();
+	return do_get_submodule_displaypath(path, prefix, super_prefix);
+}
+
 static char *compute_rev_name(const char *sub_path, const char* object_id)
 {
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index d38a64c7b7d..f8e18820ace 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -608,18 +608,22 @@ static int module_foreach(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 
 struct init_cb {
 	const char *prefix;
+	const char *superprefix;
 	unsigned int flags;
 };
 #define INIT_CB_INIT { 0 }
 
 static void init_submodule(const char *path, const char *prefix,
-			   unsigned int flags)
+			   const char *superprefix, unsigned int flags)
 {
 	const struct submodule *sub;
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
 	char *upd = NULL, *url = NULL, *displaypath;
 
-	displaypath = get_submodule_displaypath(path, prefix);
+	/* try superprefix from the environment, if it is not passed explicitly */
+	if (!superprefix)
+		superprefix = get_super_prefix();
+	displaypath = do_get_submodule_displaypath(path, prefix, superprefix);
 
 	sub = submodule_from_path(the_repository, null_oid(), path);
 
@@ -693,7 +697,7 @@ static void init_submodule(const char *path, const char *prefix,
 static void init_submodule_cb(const struct cache_entry *list_item, void *cb_data)
 {
 	struct init_cb *info = cb_data;
-	init_submodule(list_item->name, info->prefix, info->flags);
+	init_submodule(list_item->name, info->prefix, info->superprefix, info->flags);
 }
 
 static int module_init(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index f8e18820ace..328c6cc87cd 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -2346,47 +2346,45 @@ static int fetch_in_submodule(const char *module_path, int depth, int quiet, str
 
 static int run_update_command(struct update_data *ud, int subforce)
 {
-	struct strvec args = STRVEC_INIT;
-	struct strvec child_env = STRVEC_INIT;
+	struct child_process cp = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 	char *oid = oid_to_hex(&ud->oid);
 	int must_die_on_failure = 0;
-	int git_cmd;
 
 	switch (ud->update_strategy.type) {
 	case SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT:
-		git_cmd = 1;
-		strvec_pushl(&args, "checkout", "-q", NULL);
+		cp.git_cmd = 1;
+		strvec_pushl(&cp.args, "checkout", "-q", NULL);
 		if (subforce)
-			strvec_push(&args, "-f");
+			strvec_push(&cp.args, "-f");
 		break;
 	case SM_UPDATE_REBASE:
-		git_cmd = 1;
-		strvec_push(&args, "rebase");
+		cp.git_cmd = 1;
+		strvec_push(&cp.args, "rebase");
 		if (ud->quiet)
-			strvec_push(&args, "--quiet");
+			strvec_push(&cp.args, "--quiet");
 		must_die_on_failure = 1;
 		break;
 	case SM_UPDATE_MERGE:
-		git_cmd = 1;
-		strvec_push(&args, "merge");
+		cp.git_cmd = 1;
+		strvec_push(&cp.args, "merge");
 		if (ud->quiet)
-			strvec_push(&args, "--quiet");
+			strvec_push(&cp.args, "--quiet");
 		must_die_on_failure = 1;
 		break;
 	case SM_UPDATE_COMMAND:
-		git_cmd = 0;
-		strvec_push(&args, ud->update_strategy.command);
+		cp.use_shell = 1;
+		strvec_push(&cp.args, ud->update_strategy.command);
 		must_die_on_failure = 1;
 		break;
 	default:
 		BUG("unexpected update strategy type: %s",
 		    submodule_strategy_to_string(&ud->update_strategy));
 	}
-	strvec_push(&args, oid);
+	strvec_push(&cp.args, oid);
 
-	prepare_submodule_repo_env(&child_env);
-	if (run_command_v_opt_cd_env(args.v, git_cmd ? RUN_GIT_CMD : RUN_USING_SHELL,
-				     ud->sm_path, child_env.v)) {
+	cp.dir = xstrdup(ud->sm_path);
+	prepare_submodule_repo_env(&cp.env_array);
+	if (run_command(&cp)) {
 		switch (ud->update_strategy.type) {
 		case SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT:
 			printf(_("Unable to checkout '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 328c6cc87cd..1553b318cc7 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -1656,7 +1656,10 @@ struct module_clone_data {
 	unsigned int require_init: 1;
 	int single_branch;
 };
-#define MODULE_CLONE_DATA_INIT { .reference = STRING_LIST_INIT_NODUP, .single_branch = -1 }
+#define MODULE_CLONE_DATA_INIT { \
+	.reference = STRING_LIST_INIT_NODUP, \
+	.single_branch = -1, \
+}
 
 struct submodule_alternate_setup {
 	const char *submodule_name;
@@ -2049,7 +2052,9 @@ struct update_data {
 	unsigned int nofetch: 1;
 	unsigned int just_cloned: 1;
 };
-#define UPDATE_DATA_INIT { .update_strategy = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_STRATEGY_INIT }
+#define UPDATE_DATA_INIT { \
+	.update_strategy = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_STRATEGY_INIT, \
+}
 
 static void next_submodule_warn_missing(struct submodule_update_clone *suc,
 		struct strbuf *out, const char *displaypath)
@@ -3015,7 +3020,9 @@ struct add_data {
 	unsigned int progress: 1;
 	unsigned int dissociate: 1;
 };
-#define ADD_DATA_INIT { .depth = -1 }
+#define ADD_DATA_INIT { \
+	.depth = -1, \
+}
 
 static void append_fetch_remotes(struct strbuf *msg, const char *git_dir_path)
 {

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 1553b318cc7..a96976b1772 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -2519,36 +2519,36 @@ static int update_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 {
 	const char *update = NULL;
 	struct pathspec pathspec;
-	struct submodule_update_clone suc = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_CLONE_INIT;
+	struct submodule_update_clone opt = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_CLONE_INIT;
 
 	struct option module_update_clone_options[] = {
 		OPT_STRING(0, "prefix", &prefix,
 			   N_("path"),
 			   N_("path into the working tree")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "recursive-prefix", &suc.recursive_prefix,
+		OPT_STRING(0, "recursive-prefix", &opt.recursive_prefix,
 			   N_("path"),
 			   N_("path into the working tree, across nested "
 			      "submodule boundaries")),
 		OPT_STRING(0, "update", &update,
 			   N_("string"),
 			   N_("rebase, merge, checkout or none")),
-		OPT_STRING_LIST(0, "reference", &suc.references, N_("repo"),
+		OPT_STRING_LIST(0, "reference", &opt.references, N_("repo"),
 			   N_("reference repository")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "dissociate", &suc.dissociate,
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "dissociate", &opt.dissociate,
 			   N_("use --reference only while cloning")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "depth", &suc.depth, "<depth>",
+		OPT_STRING(0, "depth", &opt.depth, "<depth>",
 			   N_("create a shallow clone truncated to the "
 			      "specified number of revisions")),
-		OPT_INTEGER('j', "jobs", &suc.max_jobs,
+		OPT_INTEGER('j', "jobs", &opt.max_jobs,
 			    N_("parallel jobs")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "recommend-shallow", &suc.recommend_shallow,
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "recommend-shallow", &opt.recommend_shallow,
 			    N_("whether the initial clone should follow the shallow recommendation")),
-		OPT__QUIET(&suc.quiet, N_("don't print cloning progress")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "progress", &suc.progress,
+		OPT__QUIET(&opt.quiet, N_("don't print cloning progress")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "progress", &opt.progress,
 			    N_("force cloning progress")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "require-init", &suc.require_init,
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "require-init", &opt.require_init,
 			   N_("disallow cloning into non-empty directory")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "single-branch", &suc.single_branch,
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "single-branch", &opt.single_branch,
 			 N_("clone only one branch, HEAD or --branch")),
 		OPT_END()
 	};
@@ -2557,25 +2557,25 @@ static int update_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		N_("git submodule--helper update-clone [--prefix=<path>] [<path>...]"),
 		NULL
 	};
-	suc.prefix = prefix;
+	opt.prefix = prefix;
 
-	update_clone_config_from_gitmodules(&suc.max_jobs);
-	git_config(git_update_clone_config, &suc.max_jobs);
+	update_clone_config_from_gitmodules(&opt.max_jobs);
+	git_config(git_update_clone_config, &opt.max_jobs);
 
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, module_update_clone_options,
 			     git_submodule_helper_usage, 0);
 
 	if (update)
-		if (parse_submodule_update_strategy(update, &suc.update) < 0)
+		if (parse_submodule_update_strategy(update, &opt.update) < 0)
 			die(_("bad value for update parameter"));
 
-	if (module_list_compute(argc, argv, prefix, &pathspec, &suc.list) < 0)
+	if (module_list_compute(argc, argv, prefix, &pathspec, &opt.list) < 0)
 		return 1;
 
 	if (pathspec.nr)
-		suc.warn_if_uninitialized = 1;
+		opt.warn_if_uninitialized = 1;
 
-	return update_submodules(&suc);
+	return update_submodules(&opt);
 }
 
 static int run_update_procedure(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)

builtin/submodule--helper.c, git-submodule.sh

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index a96976b1772..916df6d9947 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -73,21 +73,6 @@ static char *get_default_remote(void)
 	return repo_get_default_remote(the_repository, refname);
 }
 
-static int print_default_remote(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
-{
-	char *remote;
-
-	if (argc != 1)
-		die(_("submodule--helper print-default-remote takes no arguments"));
-
-	remote = get_default_remote();
-	if (remote)
-		printf("%s\n", remote);
-
-	free(remote);
-	return 0;
-}
-
 static int starts_with_dot_slash(const char *str)
 {
 	return str[0] == '.' && is_dir_sep(str[1]);
@@ -1967,29 +1952,6 @@ static void determine_submodule_update_strategy(struct repository *r,
 	free(key);
 }
 
-static int module_update_module_mode(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
-{
-	const char *path, *update = NULL;
-	int just_cloned;
-	struct submodule_update_strategy update_strategy = { .type = SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT };
-
-	if (argc < 3 || argc > 4)
-		die("submodule--helper update-module-clone expects <just-cloned> <path> [<update>]");
-
-	just_cloned = git_config_int("just_cloned", argv[1]);
-	path = argv[2];
-
-	if (argc == 4)
-		update = argv[3];
-
-	determine_submodule_update_strategy(the_repository,
-					    just_cloned, path, update,
-					    &update_strategy);
-	fputs(submodule_strategy_to_string(&update_strategy), stdout);
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
 struct update_clone_data {
 	const struct submodule *sub;
 	struct object_id oid;
@@ -2017,7 +1979,6 @@ struct submodule_update_clone {
 	const char *prefix;
 	int single_branch;
 
-	/* to be consumed by git-submodule.sh */
 	struct update_clone_data *update_clone;
 	int update_clone_nr; int update_clone_alloc;
 
@@ -2040,20 +2001,62 @@ struct submodule_update_clone {
 }
 
 struct update_data {
+	const char *prefix;
 	const char *recursive_prefix;
 	const char *sm_path;
 	const char *displaypath;
 	struct object_id oid;
 	struct object_id suboid;
 	struct submodule_update_strategy update_strategy;
+	int max_jobs;
 	int depth;
-	unsigned int force: 1;
-	unsigned int quiet: 1;
-	unsigned int nofetch: 1;
-	unsigned int just_cloned: 1;
+	int recommend_shallow;
+	int single_branch;
+	unsigned int init;
+	unsigned int force;
+	unsigned int quiet;
+	unsigned int nofetch;
+	unsigned int remote;
+	unsigned int recursive;
+	unsigned int progress;
+	unsigned int dissociate;
+	unsigned int require_init;
+	unsigned warn_if_uninitialized ;
+	unsigned int just_cloned ;
+	struct string_list references;
+	struct module_list list;
 };
 #define UPDATE_DATA_INIT { \
+	.list = MODULE_LIST_INIT, \
 	.update_strategy = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_STRATEGY_INIT, \
+	.recommend_shallow = -1, \
+	.references = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP, \
+	.single_branch = -1, \
+	.max_jobs = 1, \
+}
+
+static void update_clone_from_update_data(struct submodule_update_clone *suc,
+					  struct update_data *update_data)
+{
+	suc->prefix = update_data->prefix;
+	suc->recursive_prefix = update_data->recursive_prefix;
+	suc->max_jobs = update_data->max_jobs;
+	suc->progress = update_data->progress;
+	suc->quiet = update_data->quiet;
+	suc->dissociate = update_data->dissociate;
+	suc->require_init = update_data->require_init;
+	suc->single_branch = update_data->single_branch;
+	suc->warn_if_uninitialized = update_data->warn_if_uninitialized;
+	suc->list = update_data->list;
+	suc->update = update_data->update_strategy;
+	suc->recommend_shallow = update_data->recommend_shallow;
+	if (update_data->depth)
+		suc->depth = xstrfmt("--depth=%d", update_data->depth);
+	if (update_data->references.nr) {
+		struct string_list_item *item;
+		for_each_string_list_item(item, &update_data->references)
+			string_list_append(&suc->references, item->string);
+	}
 }
 
 static void next_submodule_warn_missing(struct submodule_update_clone *suc,
@@ -2349,13 +2352,21 @@ static int fetch_in_submodule(const char *module_path, int depth, int quiet, str
 	return run_command(&cp);
 }
 
-static int run_update_command(struct update_data *ud, int subforce)
+static int run_update_command(struct update_data *ud, int subforce, struct string_list *err)
 {
 	struct child_process cp = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 	char *oid = oid_to_hex(&ud->oid);
+	struct strbuf out = STRBUF_INIT;
 	int must_die_on_failure = 0;
+	struct submodule_update_strategy strategy = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_STRATEGY_INIT;
 
-	switch (ud->update_strategy.type) {
+	if (ud->update_strategy.type == SM_UPDATE_UNSPECIFIED || ud->just_cloned)
+		determine_submodule_update_strategy(the_repository, ud->just_cloned,
+						    ud->sm_path, NULL, &strategy);
+	else
+		strategy = ud->update_strategy;
+
+	switch (strategy.type) {
 	case SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT:
 		cp.git_cmd = 1;
 		strvec_pushl(&cp.args, "checkout", "-q", NULL);
@@ -2378,80 +2389,76 @@ static int run_update_command(struct update_data *ud, int subforce)
 		break;
 	case SM_UPDATE_COMMAND:
 		cp.use_shell = 1;
-		strvec_push(&cp.args, ud->update_strategy.command);
+		strvec_push(&cp.args, strategy.command);
 		must_die_on_failure = 1;
 		break;
 	default:
 		BUG("unexpected update strategy type: %s",
-		    submodule_strategy_to_string(&ud->update_strategy));
+		    submodule_strategy_to_string(&strategy));
 	}
 	strvec_push(&cp.args, oid);
 
 	cp.dir = xstrdup(ud->sm_path);
 	prepare_submodule_repo_env(&cp.env_array);
-	if (run_command(&cp)) {
-		switch (ud->update_strategy.type) {
+	if (capture_command(&cp, &out, 0)) {
+		if (must_die_on_failure) {
+			switch (strategy.type) {
+			case SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT:
+				die(_("Unable to checkout '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
+				    oid, ud->displaypath);
+				break;
+			case SM_UPDATE_REBASE:
+				die(_("Unable to rebase '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
+				    oid, ud->displaypath);
+				break;
+			case SM_UPDATE_MERGE:
+				die(_("Unable to merge '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
+				    oid, ud->displaypath);
+				break;
+			case SM_UPDATE_COMMAND:
+				die(_("Execution of '%s %s' failed in submodule path '%s'"),
+				    strategy.command, oid, ud->displaypath);
+				break;
+			default:
+				BUG("unexpected update strategy type: %s",
+				    submodule_strategy_to_string(&strategy));
+			}
+		}
+
+		/* the command failed, but update must continue */
+		string_list_append_nodup(err, strbuf_detach(&out, NULL));
+		return 1;
+	}
+
+	if (!ud->quiet) {
+		switch (strategy.type) {
 		case SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT:
-			printf(_("Unable to checkout '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
-			       oid, ud->displaypath);
+			printf(_("Submodule path '%s': checked out '%s'\n"),
+			       ud->displaypath, oid);
 			break;
 		case SM_UPDATE_REBASE:
-			printf(_("Unable to rebase '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
-			       oid, ud->displaypath);
+			printf(_("Submodule path '%s': rebased into '%s'\n"),
+			       ud->displaypath, oid);
 			break;
 		case SM_UPDATE_MERGE:
-			printf(_("Unable to merge '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
-			       oid, ud->displaypath);
+			printf(_("Submodule path '%s': merged in '%s'\n"),
+			       ud->displaypath, oid);
 			break;
 		case SM_UPDATE_COMMAND:
-			printf(_("Execution of '%s %s' failed in submodule path '%s'"),
-			       ud->update_strategy.command, oid, ud->displaypath);
+			printf(_("Submodule path '%s': '%s %s'\n"),
+			       ud->displaypath, strategy.command, oid);
 			break;
 		default:
 			BUG("unexpected update strategy type: %s",
-			    submodule_strategy_to_string(&ud->update_strategy));
+			    submodule_strategy_to_string(&strategy));
 		}
-		/*
-		 * NEEDSWORK: We are currently printing to stdout with error
-		 * return so that the shell caller handles the error output
-		 * properly. Once we start handling the error messages within
-		 * C, we should use die() instead.
-		 */
-		if (must_die_on_failure)
-			return 2;
-		/*
-		 * This signifies to the caller in shell that the command
-		 * failed without dying
-		 */
-		return 1;
-	}
-
-	switch (ud->update_strategy.type) {
-	case SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT:
-		printf(_("Submodule path '%s': checked out '%s'\n"),
-		       ud->displaypath, oid);
-		break;
-	case SM_UPDATE_REBASE:
-		printf(_("Submodule path '%s': rebased into '%s'\n"),
-		       ud->displaypath, oid);
-		break;
-	case SM_UPDATE_MERGE:
-		printf(_("Submodule path '%s': merged in '%s'\n"),
-		       ud->displaypath, oid);
-		break;
-	case SM_UPDATE_COMMAND:
-		printf(_("Submodule path '%s': '%s %s'\n"),
-		       ud->displaypath, ud->update_strategy.command, oid);
-		break;
-	default:
-		BUG("unexpected update strategy type: %s",
-		    submodule_strategy_to_string(&ud->update_strategy));
 	}
 
+	strbuf_release(&out);
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int do_run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud)
+static int run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud, struct string_list *err)
 {
 	int subforce = is_null_oid(&ud->suboid) || ud->force;
 
@@ -2478,182 +2485,7 @@ static int do_run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud)
 			    ud->displaypath, oid_to_hex(&ud->oid));
 	}
 
-	return run_update_command(ud, subforce);
-}
-
-static void update_submodule(struct update_clone_data *ucd)
-{
-	fprintf(stdout, "dummy %s %d\t%s\n",
-		oid_to_hex(&ucd->oid),
-		ucd->just_cloned,
-		ucd->sub->path);
-}
-
-static int update_submodules(struct submodule_update_clone *suc)
-{
-	int i;
-
-	run_processes_parallel_tr2(suc->max_jobs, update_clone_get_next_task,
-				   update_clone_start_failure,
-				   update_clone_task_finished, suc, "submodule",
-				   "parallel/update");
-
-	/*
-	 * We saved the output and put it out all at once now.
-	 * That means:
-	 * - the listener does not have to interleave their (checkout)
-	 *   work with our fetching.  The writes involved in a
-	 *   checkout involve more straightforward sequential I/O.
-	 * - the listener can avoid doing any work if fetching failed.
-	 */
-	if (suc->quickstop)
-		return 1;
-
-	for (i = 0; i < suc->update_clone_nr; i++)
-		update_submodule(&suc->update_clone[i]);
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
-static int update_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
-{
-	const char *update = NULL;
-	struct pathspec pathspec;
-	struct submodule_update_clone opt = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_CLONE_INIT;
-
-	struct option module_update_clone_options[] = {
-		OPT_STRING(0, "prefix", &prefix,
-			   N_("path"),
-			   N_("path into the working tree")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "recursive-prefix", &opt.recursive_prefix,
-			   N_("path"),
-			   N_("path into the working tree, across nested "
-			      "submodule boundaries")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "update", &update,
-			   N_("string"),
-			   N_("rebase, merge, checkout or none")),
-		OPT_STRING_LIST(0, "reference", &opt.references, N_("repo"),
-			   N_("reference repository")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "dissociate", &opt.dissociate,
-			   N_("use --reference only while cloning")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "depth", &opt.depth, "<depth>",
-			   N_("create a shallow clone truncated to the "
-			      "specified number of revisions")),
-		OPT_INTEGER('j', "jobs", &opt.max_jobs,
-			    N_("parallel jobs")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "recommend-shallow", &opt.recommend_shallow,
-			    N_("whether the initial clone should follow the shallow recommendation")),
-		OPT__QUIET(&opt.quiet, N_("don't print cloning progress")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "progress", &opt.progress,
-			    N_("force cloning progress")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "require-init", &opt.require_init,
-			   N_("disallow cloning into non-empty directory")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "single-branch", &opt.single_branch,
-			 N_("clone only one branch, HEAD or --branch")),
-		OPT_END()
-	};
-
-	const char *const git_submodule_helper_usage[] = {
-		N_("git submodule--helper update-clone [--prefix=<path>] [<path>...]"),
-		NULL
-	};
-	opt.prefix = prefix;
-
-	update_clone_config_from_gitmodules(&opt.max_jobs);
-	git_config(git_update_clone_config, &opt.max_jobs);
-
-	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, module_update_clone_options,
-			     git_submodule_helper_usage, 0);
-
-	if (update)
-		if (parse_submodule_update_strategy(update, &opt.update) < 0)
-			die(_("bad value for update parameter"));
-
-	if (module_list_compute(argc, argv, prefix, &pathspec, &opt.list) < 0)
-		return 1;
-
-	if (pathspec.nr)
-		opt.warn_if_uninitialized = 1;
-
-	return update_submodules(&opt);
-}
-
-static int run_update_procedure(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
-{
-	int force = 0, quiet = 0, nofetch = 0, just_cloned = 0;
-	char *prefixed_path, *update = NULL;
-	struct update_data update_data = UPDATE_DATA_INIT;
-
-	struct option options[] = {
-		OPT__QUIET(&quiet, N_("suppress output for update by rebase or merge")),
-		OPT__FORCE(&force, N_("force checkout updates"), 0),
-		OPT_BOOL('N', "no-fetch", &nofetch,
-			 N_("don't fetch new objects from the remote site")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "just-cloned", &just_cloned,
-			 N_("overrides update mode in case the repository is a fresh clone")),
-		OPT_INTEGER(0, "depth", &update_data.depth, N_("depth for shallow fetch")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "prefix", &prefix,
-			   N_("path"),
-			   N_("path into the working tree")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "update", &update,
-			   N_("string"),
-			   N_("rebase, merge, checkout or none")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "recursive-prefix", &update_data.recursive_prefix, N_("path"),
-			   N_("path into the working tree, across nested "
-			      "submodule boundaries")),
-		OPT_CALLBACK_F(0, "oid", &update_data.oid, N_("sha1"),
-			       N_("SHA1 expected by superproject"), PARSE_OPT_NONEG,
-			       parse_opt_object_id),
-		OPT_CALLBACK_F(0, "suboid", &update_data.suboid, N_("subsha1"),
-			       N_("SHA1 of submodule's HEAD"), PARSE_OPT_NONEG,
-			       parse_opt_object_id),
-		OPT_END()
-	};
-
-	const char *const usage[] = {
-		N_("git submodule--helper run-update-procedure [<options>] <path>"),
-		NULL
-	};
-
-	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options, usage, 0);
-
-	if (argc != 1)
-		usage_with_options(usage, options);
-
-	update_data.force = !!force;
-	update_data.quiet = !!quiet;
-	update_data.nofetch = !!nofetch;
-	update_data.just_cloned = !!just_cloned;
-	update_data.sm_path = argv[0];
-
-	if (update_data.recursive_prefix)
-		prefixed_path = xstrfmt("%s%s", update_data.recursive_prefix, update_data.sm_path);
-	else
-		prefixed_path = xstrdup(update_data.sm_path);
-
-	update_data.displaypath = get_submodule_displaypath(prefixed_path, prefix);
-
-	determine_submodule_update_strategy(the_repository, update_data.just_cloned,
-					    update_data.sm_path, update,
-					    &update_data.update_strategy);
-
-	free(prefixed_path);
-
-	if (!oideq(&update_data.oid, &update_data.suboid) || update_data.force)
-		return do_run_update_procedure(&update_data);
-
-	return 3;
-}
-
-static int resolve_relative_path(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
-{
-	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
-	if (argc != 3)
-		die("submodule--helper relative-path takes exactly 2 arguments, got %d", argc);
-
-	printf("%s", relative_path(argv[1], argv[2], &sb));
-	strbuf_release(&sb);
-	return 0;
+	return run_update_command(ud, subforce, err);
 }
 
 static const char *remote_submodule_branch(const char *path)
@@ -2788,17 +2620,11 @@ static int push_check(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int ensure_core_worktree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
+static void ensure_core_worktree(const char *path)
 {
-	const char *path;
 	const char *cw;
 	struct repository subrepo;
 
-	if (argc != 2)
-		BUG("submodule--helper ensure-core-worktree <path>");
-
-	path = argv[1];
-
 	if (repo_submodule_init(&subrepo, the_repository, path, null_oid()))
 		die(_("could not get a repository handle for submodule '%s'"), path);
 
@@ -2818,8 +2644,6 @@ static int ensure_core_worktree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		free(abs_path);
 		strbuf_release(&sb);
 	}
-
-	return 0;
 }
 
 static int absorb_git_dirs(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
@@ -3006,6 +2830,279 @@ static int module_set_branch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	return !!ret;
 }
 
+static void update_data_to_args(struct update_data *update_data, struct strvec *args)
+{
+	const char *update = submodule_strategy_to_string(&update_data->update_strategy);
+
+	strvec_pushl(args, "submodule--helper", "update", "--recursive", NULL);
+	strvec_pushf(args, "--jobs=%d", update_data->max_jobs);
+	if (update_data->prefix)
+		strvec_pushl(args, "--prefix", update_data->prefix, NULL);
+	if (update_data->recursive_prefix)
+		strvec_pushl(args, "--recursive-prefix",
+			     update_data->recursive_prefix, NULL);
+	if (update_data->quiet)
+		strvec_push(args, "--quiet");
+	if (update_data->force)
+		strvec_push(args, "--force");
+	if (update_data->init)
+		strvec_push(args, "--init");
+	if (update_data->remote)
+		strvec_push(args, "--remote");
+	if (update_data->nofetch)
+		strvec_push(args, "--no-fetch");
+	if (update_data->dissociate)
+		strvec_push(args, "--dissociate");
+	if (update_data->progress)
+		strvec_push(args, "--progress");
+	if (update_data->require_init)
+		strvec_push(args, "--require-init");
+	if (update_data->depth)
+		strvec_pushf(args, "--depth=%d", update_data->depth);
+	if (update)
+		strvec_pushl(args, "--update", update, NULL);
+	if (update_data->references.nr) {
+		struct string_list_item *item;
+		for_each_string_list_item(item, &update_data->references)
+			strvec_pushl(args, "--reference", item->string, NULL);
+	}
+	if (update_data->recommend_shallow == 0)
+		strvec_push(args, "--no-recommend-shallow");
+	else if (update_data->recommend_shallow == 1)
+		strvec_push(args, "--recommend-shallow");
+	if (update_data->single_branch >= 0)
+		strvec_push(args, "--single-branch");
+}
+
+static int update_submodule(struct update_data *update_data)
+{
+	char *prefixed_path;
+	struct string_list err = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
+
+	ensure_core_worktree(update_data->sm_path);
+
+	if (update_data->recursive_prefix)
+		prefixed_path = xstrfmt("%s%s", update_data->recursive_prefix,
+					update_data->sm_path);
+	else
+		prefixed_path = xstrdup(update_data->sm_path);
+
+	update_data->displaypath = get_submodule_displaypath(prefixed_path,
+							     update_data->prefix);
+	free(prefixed_path);
+
+	if (update_data->just_cloned) {
+		oidcpy(&update_data->suboid, null_oid());
+	} else {
+		if (resolve_gitlink_ref(update_data->sm_path, "HEAD", &update_data->suboid))
+			die(_("Unable to find current revision in submodule path '%s'"),
+			    update_data->displaypath);
+	}
+
+	if (update_data->remote) {
+		char *remote_name = get_default_remote_submodule(update_data->sm_path);
+		const char *branch = remote_submodule_branch(update_data->sm_path);
+		char *remote_ref = xstrfmt("refs/remotes/%s/%s", remote_name, branch);
+
+		if (!update_data->nofetch) {
+			if (fetch_in_submodule(update_data->sm_path, update_data->depth,
+					      0, NULL))
+				die(_("Unable to fetch in submodule path '%s'"),
+				    update_data->sm_path);
+		}
+
+		if (resolve_gitlink_ref(update_data->sm_path, remote_ref, &update_data->oid))
+			die(_("Unable to find %s revision in submodule path '%s'"),
+			    remote_ref, update_data->sm_path);
+
+		free(remote_ref);
+	}
+
+	if (!oideq(&update_data->oid, &update_data->suboid) || update_data->force)
+		if (run_update_procedure(update_data, &err))
+			return 1;
+
+	if (update_data->recursive) {
+		int res;
+		struct child_process cp = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
+		struct update_data next = *update_data;
+		char *die_msg = xstrfmt(_("Failed to recurse into submodule path '%s'"),
+					update_data->displaypath);
+
+		if (update_data->recursive_prefix)
+			prefixed_path = xstrfmt("%s%s/", update_data->recursive_prefix,
+						update_data->sm_path);
+		else
+			prefixed_path = xstrfmt("%s/", update_data->sm_path);
+
+		next.recursive_prefix = get_submodule_displaypath(prefixed_path,
+								  update_data->prefix);
+		next.prefix = NULL;
+		oidcpy(&next.oid, null_oid());
+		oidcpy(&next.suboid, null_oid());
+
+		cp.dir = update_data->sm_path;
+		cp.git_cmd = 1;
+		prepare_submodule_repo_env(&cp.env_array);
+		update_data_to_args(&next, &cp.args);
+
+		/* die() if child process die()'d */
+		if ((res = run_command(&cp)) == 128)
+			die("%s", die_msg);
+		if (res)
+			string_list_append(&err, die_msg);
+
+		free(die_msg);
+	}
+
+	if (err.nr) {
+		struct string_list_item *item;
+		for_each_string_list_item(item, &err)
+			fputs(item->string, stderr);
+		string_list_clear(&err, 0);
+		return 1;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int update_submodules(struct update_data *update_data)
+{
+	int i, res = 0;
+	struct submodule_update_clone suc = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_CLONE_INIT;
+
+	update_clone_from_update_data(&suc, update_data);
+	run_processes_parallel_tr2(suc.max_jobs, update_clone_get_next_task,
+				   update_clone_start_failure,
+				   update_clone_task_finished, &suc, "submodule",
+				   "parallel/update");
+
+	/*
+	 * We saved the output and put it out all at once now.
+	 * That means:
+	 * - the listener does not have to interleave their (checkout)
+	 *   work with our fetching.  The writes involved in a
+	 *   checkout involve more straightforward sequential I/O.
+	 * - the listener can avoid doing any work if fetching failed.
+	 */
+	if (suc.quickstop) {
+		res = 1;
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
+	for (i = 0; i < suc.update_clone_nr; i++) {
+		struct update_clone_data ucd = suc.update_clone[i];
+
+		oidcpy(&update_data->oid, &ucd.oid);
+		update_data->just_cloned = ucd.just_cloned;
+		update_data->sm_path = ucd.sub->path;
+
+		if (update_submodule(update_data))
+			res = 1;
+	}
+
+cleanup:
+	string_list_clear(&update_data->references, 0);
+	return res;
+}
+
+static int module_update(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
+{
+	const char *update = NULL;
+	struct pathspec pathspec;
+	struct update_data opt = UPDATE_DATA_INIT;
+
+	struct option module_update_clone_options[] = {
+		OPT__FORCE(&opt.force, N_("force checkout updates"), 0),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "init", &opt.init,
+			 N_("initialize uninitialized submodules before update")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "remote", &opt.remote,
+			 N_("use SHA-1 of submodule's remote tracking branch")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "recursive", &opt.recursive,
+			 N_("traverse submodules recursively")),
+		OPT_BOOL('N', "no-fetch", &opt.nofetch,
+			 N_("don't fetch new objects from the remote site")),
+		OPT_STRING(0, "prefix", &opt.prefix,
+			   N_("path"),
+			   N_("path into the working tree")),
+		OPT_STRING(0, "recursive-prefix", &opt.recursive_prefix,
+			   N_("path"),
+			   N_("path into the working tree, across nested "
+			      "submodule boundaries")),
+		OPT_STRING(0, "update", &update,
+			   N_("string"),
+			   N_("rebase, merge, checkout or none")),
+		OPT_STRING_LIST(0, "reference", &opt.references, N_("repo"),
+				N_("reference repository")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "dissociate", &opt.dissociate,
+			 N_("use --reference only while cloning")),
+		OPT_INTEGER(0, "depth", &opt.depth,
+			    N_("create a shallow clone truncated to the "
+			       "specified number of revisions")),
+		OPT_INTEGER('j', "jobs", &opt.max_jobs,
+			    N_("parallel jobs")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "recommend-shallow", &opt.recommend_shallow,
+			 N_("whether the initial clone should follow the shallow recommendation")),
+		OPT__QUIET(&opt.quiet, N_("don't print cloning progress")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "progress", &opt.progress,
+			 N_("force cloning progress")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "require-init", &opt.require_init,
+			 N_("disallow cloning into non-empty directory")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "single-branch", &opt.single_branch,
+			 N_("clone only one branch, HEAD or --branch")),
+		OPT_END()
+	};
+
+	const char *const git_submodule_helper_usage[] = {
+		N_("git submodule--helper update-clone [--prefix=<path>] [<path>...]"),
+		NULL
+	};
+
+	update_clone_config_from_gitmodules(&opt.max_jobs);
+	git_config(git_update_clone_config, &opt.max_jobs);
+
+	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, module_update_clone_options,
+			     git_submodule_helper_usage, 0);
+	oidcpy(&opt.oid, null_oid());
+	oidcpy(&opt.suboid, null_oid());
+
+	if (update)
+		if (parse_submodule_update_strategy(update,
+						    &opt.update_strategy) < 0)
+			die(_("bad value for update parameter"));
+
+	if (module_list_compute(argc, argv, prefix, &pathspec, &opt.list) < 0)
+		return 1;
+
+	if (pathspec.nr)
+		opt.warn_if_uninitialized = 1;
+
+	if (opt.init) {
+		struct module_list list = MODULE_LIST_INIT;
+		struct init_cb info = INIT_CB_INIT;
+
+		if (module_list_compute(argc, argv, opt.prefix,
+					&pathspec, &list) < 0)
+			return 1;
+
+		/*
+		 * If there are no path args and submodule.active is set then,
+		 * by default, only initialize 'active' modules.
+		 */
+		if (!argc && git_config_get_value_multi("submodule.active"))
+			module_list_active(&list);
+
+		info.prefix = opt.prefix;
+		info.superprefix = opt.recursive_prefix;
+		if (opt.quiet)
+			info.flags |= OPT_QUIET;
+
+		for_each_listed_submodule(&list, init_submodule_cb, &info);
+	}
+
+	return update_submodules(&opt);
+}
+
 struct add_data {
 	const char *prefix;
 	const char *branch;
@@ -3393,16 +3490,11 @@ static struct cmd_struct commands[] = {
 	{"name", module_name, 0},
 	{"clone", module_clone, 0},
 	{"add", module_add, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},
-	{"update-module-mode", module_update_module_mode, 0},
-	{"update-clone", update_clone, 0},
-	{"run-update-procedure", run_update_procedure, 0},
-	{"ensure-core-worktree", ensure_core_worktree, 0},
-	{"relative-path", resolve_relative_path, 0},
+	{"update", module_update, 0},
 	{"resolve-relative-url-test", resolve_relative_url_test, 0},
 	{"foreach", module_foreach, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},
 	{"init", module_init, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},
 	{"status", module_status, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},
-	{"print-default-remote", print_default_remote, 0},
 	{"sync", module_sync, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},
 	{"deinit", module_deinit, 0},
 	{"summary", module_summary, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},
diff --git a/git-submodule.sh b/git-submodule.sh
index 652861aa66a..bcd8b92aabd 100755
--- a/git-submodule.sh
+++ b/git-submodule.sh
@@ -246,20 +246,6 @@ cmd_deinit()
 	git ${wt_prefix:+-C "$wt_prefix"} submodule--helper deinit ${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} ${force:+--force} ${deinit_all:+--all} -- "$@"
 }
 
-# usage: fetch_in_submodule <module_path> [<depth>] [<sha1>]
-# Because arguments are positional, use an empty string to omit <depth>
-# but include <sha1>.
-fetch_in_submodule () (
-	sanitize_submodule_env &&
-	cd "$1" &&
-	if test $# -eq 3
-	then
-		echo "$3" | git fetch ${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} --stdin ${2:+"$2"}
-	else
-		git fetch ${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} ${2:+"$2"}
-	fi
-)
-
 #
 # Update each submodule path to correct revision, using clone and checkout as needed
 #
@@ -361,133 +347,26 @@ cmd_update()
 		shift
 	done
 
-	if test -n "$init"
-	then
-		cmd_init "--" "$@" || return
-	fi
-
-	{
-	git submodule--helper update-clone ${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} \
-		${progress:+"--progress"} \
+	git ${wt_prefix:+-C "$wt_prefix"} ${prefix:+--super-prefix "$prefix"} submodule--helper update \
+		${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} \
+		${force:+--force} \
+		${progress:+--progress} \
+		${dissociate:+--dissociate} \
+		${remote:+--remote} \
+		${recursive:+--recursive} \
+		${init:+--init} \
+		${require_init:+--require-init} \
+		${nofetch:+--no-fetch} \
 		${wt_prefix:+--prefix "$wt_prefix"} \
 		${prefix:+--recursive-prefix "$prefix"} \
 		${update:+--update "$update"} \
 		${reference:+"$reference"} \
-		${dissociate:+"--dissociate"} \
-		${depth:+--depth "$depth"} \
-		${require_init:+--require-init} \
+		${depth:+"$depth"} \
 		$single_branch \
 		$recommend_shallow \
 		$jobs \
 		-- \
-		"$@" || echo "#unmatched" $?
-	} | {
-	err=
-	while read -r quickabort sha1 just_cloned sm_path
-	do
-		die_if_unmatched "$quickabort" "$sha1"
-
-		git submodule--helper ensure-core-worktree "$sm_path" || exit 1
-
-		displaypath=$(git submodule--helper relative-path "$prefix$sm_path" "$wt_prefix")
-
-		if test $just_cloned -eq 1
-		then
-			subsha1=
-		else
-			just_cloned=
-			subsha1=$(sanitize_submodule_env; cd "$sm_path" &&
-				git rev-parse --verify HEAD) ||
-			die "fatal: $(eval_gettext "Unable to find current revision in submodule path '\$displaypath'")"
-		fi
-
-		if test -n "$remote"
-		then
-			branch=$(git submodule--helper remote-branch "$sm_path")
-			if test -z "$nofetch"
-			then
-				# Fetch remote before determining tracking $sha1
-				fetch_in_submodule "$sm_path" $depth ||
-				die "fatal: $(eval_gettext "Unable to fetch in submodule path '\$sm_path'")"
-			fi
-			remote_name=$(sanitize_submodule_env; cd "$sm_path" && git submodule--helper print-default-remote)
-			sha1=$(sanitize_submodule_env; cd "$sm_path" &&
-				git rev-parse --verify "${remote_name}/${branch}") ||
-			die "fatal: $(eval_gettext "Unable to find current \${remote_name}/\${branch} revision in submodule path '\$sm_path'")"
-		fi
-
-		out=$(git submodule--helper run-update-procedure \
-			  ${wt_prefix:+--prefix "$wt_prefix"} \
-			  ${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} \
-			  ${force:+--force} \
-			  ${just_cloned:+--just-cloned} \
-			  ${nofetch:+--no-fetch} \
-			  ${depth:+"$depth"} \
-			  ${update:+--update "$update"} \
-			  ${prefix:+--recursive-prefix "$prefix"} \
-			  ${sha1:+--oid "$sha1"} \
-			  ${subsha1:+--suboid "$subsha1"} \
-			  "--" \
-			  "$sm_path")
-
-		# exit codes for run-update-procedure:
-		# 0: update was successful, say command output
-		# 1: update procedure failed, but should not die
-		# 2 or 128: subcommand died during execution
-		# 3: no update procedure was run
-		res="$?"
-		case $res in
-		0)
-			say "$out"
-			;;
-		1)
-			err="${err};fatal: $out"
-			continue
-			;;
-		2|128)
-			die_with_status $res "fatal: $out"
-			;;
-		esac
-
-		if test -n "$recursive"
-		then
-			(
-				prefix=$(git submodule--helper relative-path "$prefix$sm_path/" "$wt_prefix")
-				wt_prefix=
-				sanitize_submodule_env
-				cd "$sm_path" &&
-				eval cmd_update
-			)
-			res=$?
-			if test $res -gt 0
-			then
-				die_msg="fatal: $(eval_gettext "Failed to recurse into submodule path '\$displaypath'")"
-				if test $res -ne 2
-				then
-					err="${err};$die_msg"
-					continue
-				else
-					die_with_status $res "$die_msg"
-				fi
-			fi
-		fi
-	done
-
-	if test -n "$err"
-	then
-		OIFS=$IFS
-		IFS=';'
-		for e in $err
-		do
-			if test -n "$e"
-			then
-				echo >&2 "$e"
-			fi
-		done
-		IFS=$OIFS
-		exit 1
-	fi
-	}
+		"$@"
 }
 
 #

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index c5d3fc3817f..4c7c1e1432d 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -29,11 +29,14 @@
 typedef void (*each_submodule_fn)(const struct cache_entry *list_item,
 				  void *cb_data);
 
-static char *get_default_remote(void)
+static char *repo_get_default_remote(struct repository *repo)
 {
 	char *dest = NULL, *ret;
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
-	const char *refname = resolve_ref_unsafe("HEAD", 0, NULL, NULL);
+	struct ref_store *store = get_main_ref_store(repo);
+	int ignore_errno;
+	const char *refname = refs_resolve_ref_unsafe(store, "HEAD", 0, NULL,
+						      NULL, &ignore_errno);
 
 	if (!refname)
 		die(_("No such ref: %s"), "HEAD");
@@ -46,7 +49,7 @@ static char *get_default_remote(void)
 		die(_("Expecting a full ref name, got %s"), refname);
 
 	strbuf_addf(&sb, "branch.%s.remote", refname);
-	if (git_config_get_string(sb.buf, &dest))
+	if (repo_config_get_string(repo, sb.buf, &dest))
 		ret = xstrdup("origin");
 	else
 		ret = dest;
@@ -55,6 +58,19 @@ static char *get_default_remote(void)
 	return ret;
 }
 
+static char *get_default_remote_submodule(const char *module_path)
+{
+	struct repository subrepo;
+
+	repo_submodule_init(&subrepo, the_repository, module_path, null_oid());
+	return repo_get_default_remote(&subrepo);
+}
+
+static char *get_default_remote(void)
+{
+	return repo_get_default_remote(the_repository);
+}
+
 static int print_default_remote(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 {
 	char *remote;
@@ -1341,9 +1357,8 @@ static void sync_submodule(const char *path, const char *prefix,
 {
 	const struct submodule *sub;
 	char *remote_key = NULL;
-	char *sub_origin_url, *super_config_url, *displaypath;
+	char *sub_origin_url, *super_config_url, *displaypath, *default_remote;
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
-	struct child_process cp = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 	char *sub_config_path = NULL;
 
 	if (!is_submodule_active(the_repository, path))
@@ -1382,21 +1397,15 @@ static void sync_submodule(const char *path, const char *prefix,
 	if (!is_submodule_populated_gently(path, NULL))
 		goto cleanup;
 
-	prepare_submodule_repo_env(&cp.env_array);
-	cp.git_cmd = 1;
-	cp.dir = path;
-	strvec_pushl(&cp.args, "submodule--helper",
-		     "print-default-remote", NULL);
-
 	strbuf_reset(&sb);
-	if (capture_command(&cp, &sb, 0))
+	default_remote = get_default_remote_submodule(path);
+	if (!default_remote)
 		die(_("failed to get the default remote for submodule '%s'"),
 		      path);
 
-	strbuf_strip_suffix(&sb, "\n");
-	remote_key = xstrfmt("remote.%s.url", sb.buf);
+	remote_key = xstrfmt("remote.%s.url", default_remote);
+	free(default_remote);
 
-	strbuf_reset(&sb);
 	submodule_to_gitdir(&sb, path);
 	strbuf_addstr(&sb, "/config");
 

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 4c7c1e1432d..5efceb9d46c 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -261,11 +261,8 @@ static int resolve_relative_url_test(int argc, const char **argv, const char *pr
 	return 0;
 }
 
-/* the result should be freed by the caller. */
-static char *get_submodule_displaypath(const char *path, const char *prefix)
+static char *do_get_submodule_displaypath(const char *path, const char *prefix, const char *super_prefix)
 {
-	const char *super_prefix = get_super_prefix();
-
 	if (prefix && super_prefix) {
 		BUG("cannot have prefix '%s' and superprefix '%s'",
 		    prefix, super_prefix);
@@ -281,6 +278,13 @@ static char *get_submodule_displaypath(const char *path, const char *prefix)
 	}
 }
 
+/* the result should be freed by the caller. */
+static char *get_submodule_displaypath(const char *path, const char *prefix)
+{
+	const char *super_prefix = get_super_prefix();
+	return do_get_submodule_displaypath(path, prefix, super_prefix);
+}
+
 static char *compute_rev_name(const char *sub_path, const char* object_id)
 {
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 5efceb9d46c..09cda67c1ea 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -606,18 +606,22 @@ static int module_foreach(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 
 struct init_cb {
 	const char *prefix;
+	const char *superprefix;
 	unsigned int flags;
 };
 #define INIT_CB_INIT { 0 }
 
 static void init_submodule(const char *path, const char *prefix,
-			   unsigned int flags)
+			   const char *superprefix, unsigned int flags)
 {
 	const struct submodule *sub;
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
 	char *upd = NULL, *url = NULL, *displaypath;
 
-	displaypath = get_submodule_displaypath(path, prefix);
+	/* try superprefix from the environment, if it is not passed explicitly */
+	if (!superprefix)
+		superprefix = get_super_prefix();
+	displaypath = do_get_submodule_displaypath(path, prefix, superprefix);
 
 	sub = submodule_from_path(the_repository, null_oid(), path);
 
@@ -691,7 +695,7 @@ static void init_submodule(const char *path, const char *prefix,
 static void init_submodule_cb(const struct cache_entry *list_item, void *cb_data)
 {
 	struct init_cb *info = cb_data;
-	init_submodule(list_item->name, info->prefix, info->flags);
+	init_submodule(list_item->name, info->prefix, info->superprefix, info->flags);
 }
 
 static int module_init(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 09cda67c1ea..db71e6f4ec8 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -2344,47 +2344,45 @@ static int fetch_in_submodule(const char *module_path, int depth, int quiet, str
 
 static int run_update_command(struct update_data *ud, int subforce)
 {
-	struct strvec args = STRVEC_INIT;
-	struct strvec child_env = STRVEC_INIT;
+	struct child_process cp = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 	char *oid = oid_to_hex(&ud->oid);
 	int must_die_on_failure = 0;
-	int git_cmd;
 
 	switch (ud->update_strategy.type) {
 	case SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT:
-		git_cmd = 1;
-		strvec_pushl(&args, "checkout", "-q", NULL);
+		cp.git_cmd = 1;
+		strvec_pushl(&cp.args, "checkout", "-q", NULL);
 		if (subforce)
-			strvec_push(&args, "-f");
+			strvec_push(&cp.args, "-f");
 		break;
 	case SM_UPDATE_REBASE:
-		git_cmd = 1;
-		strvec_push(&args, "rebase");
+		cp.git_cmd = 1;
+		strvec_push(&cp.args, "rebase");
 		if (ud->quiet)
-			strvec_push(&args, "--quiet");
+			strvec_push(&cp.args, "--quiet");
 		must_die_on_failure = 1;
 		break;
 	case SM_UPDATE_MERGE:
-		git_cmd = 1;
-		strvec_push(&args, "merge");
+		cp.git_cmd = 1;
+		strvec_push(&cp.args, "merge");
 		if (ud->quiet)
-			strvec_push(&args, "--quiet");
+			strvec_push(&cp.args, "--quiet");
 		must_die_on_failure = 1;
 		break;
 	case SM_UPDATE_COMMAND:
-		git_cmd = 0;
-		strvec_push(&args, ud->update_strategy.command);
+		cp.use_shell = 1;
+		strvec_push(&cp.args, ud->update_strategy.command);
 		must_die_on_failure = 1;
 		break;
 	default:
 		BUG("unexpected update strategy type: %s",
 		    submodule_strategy_to_string(&ud->update_strategy));
 	}
-	strvec_push(&args, oid);
+	strvec_push(&cp.args, oid);
 
-	prepare_submodule_repo_env(&child_env);
-	if (run_command_v_opt_cd_env(args.v, git_cmd ? RUN_GIT_CMD : RUN_USING_SHELL,
-				     ud->sm_path, child_env.v)) {
+	cp.dir = xstrdup(ud->sm_path);
+	prepare_submodule_repo_env(&cp.env_array);
+	if (run_command(&cp)) {
 		switch (ud->update_strategy.type) {
 		case SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT:
 			printf(_("Unable to checkout '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index db71e6f4ec8..9f79bdf4d51 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -1654,7 +1654,10 @@ struct module_clone_data {
 	unsigned int require_init: 1;
 	int single_branch;
 };
-#define MODULE_CLONE_DATA_INIT { .reference = STRING_LIST_INIT_NODUP, .single_branch = -1 }
+#define MODULE_CLONE_DATA_INIT { \
+	.reference = STRING_LIST_INIT_NODUP, \
+	.single_branch = -1, \
+}
 
 struct submodule_alternate_setup {
 	const char *submodule_name;
@@ -2047,7 +2050,9 @@ struct update_data {
 	unsigned int nofetch: 1;
 	unsigned int just_cloned: 1;
 };
-#define UPDATE_DATA_INIT { .update_strategy = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_STRATEGY_INIT }
+#define UPDATE_DATA_INIT { \
+	.update_strategy = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_STRATEGY_INIT, \
+}
 
 static void next_submodule_warn_missing(struct submodule_update_clone *suc,
 		struct strbuf *out, const char *displaypath)
@@ -3013,7 +3018,9 @@ struct add_data {
 	unsigned int progress: 1;
 	unsigned int dissociate: 1;
 };
-#define ADD_DATA_INIT { .depth = -1 }
+#define ADD_DATA_INIT { \
+	.depth = -1, \
+}
 
 static void append_fetch_remotes(struct strbuf *msg, const char *git_dir_path)
 {

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 9f79bdf4d51..c2d4fd0347a 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -2517,36 +2517,36 @@ static int update_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 {
 	const char *update = NULL;
 	struct pathspec pathspec;
-	struct submodule_update_clone suc = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_CLONE_INIT;
+	struct submodule_update_clone opt = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_CLONE_INIT;
 
 	struct option module_update_clone_options[] = {
 		OPT_STRING(0, "prefix", &prefix,
 			   N_("path"),
 			   N_("path into the working tree")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "recursive-prefix", &suc.recursive_prefix,
+		OPT_STRING(0, "recursive-prefix", &opt.recursive_prefix,
 			   N_("path"),
 			   N_("path into the working tree, across nested "
 			      "submodule boundaries")),
 		OPT_STRING(0, "update", &update,
 			   N_("string"),
 			   N_("rebase, merge, checkout or none")),
-		OPT_STRING_LIST(0, "reference", &suc.references, N_("repo"),
+		OPT_STRING_LIST(0, "reference", &opt.references, N_("repo"),
 			   N_("reference repository")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "dissociate", &suc.dissociate,
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "dissociate", &opt.dissociate,
 			   N_("use --reference only while cloning")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "depth", &suc.depth, "<depth>",
+		OPT_STRING(0, "depth", &opt.depth, "<depth>",
 			   N_("create a shallow clone truncated to the "
 			      "specified number of revisions")),
-		OPT_INTEGER('j', "jobs", &suc.max_jobs,
+		OPT_INTEGER('j', "jobs", &opt.max_jobs,
 			    N_("parallel jobs")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "recommend-shallow", &suc.recommend_shallow,
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "recommend-shallow", &opt.recommend_shallow,
 			    N_("whether the initial clone should follow the shallow recommendation")),
-		OPT__QUIET(&suc.quiet, N_("don't print cloning progress")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "progress", &suc.progress,
+		OPT__QUIET(&opt.quiet, N_("don't print cloning progress")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "progress", &opt.progress,
 			    N_("force cloning progress")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "require-init", &suc.require_init,
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "require-init", &opt.require_init,
 			   N_("disallow cloning into non-empty directory")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "single-branch", &suc.single_branch,
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "single-branch", &opt.single_branch,
 			 N_("clone only one branch, HEAD or --branch")),
 		OPT_END()
 	};
@@ -2555,32 +2555,32 @@ static int update_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		N_("git submodule--helper update-clone [--prefix=<path>] [<path>...]"),
 		NULL
 	};
-	suc.prefix = prefix;
+	opt.prefix = prefix;
 
-	update_clone_config_from_gitmodules(&suc.max_jobs);
-	git_config(git_update_clone_config, &suc.max_jobs);
+	update_clone_config_from_gitmodules(&opt.max_jobs);
+	git_config(git_update_clone_config, &opt.max_jobs);
 
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, module_update_clone_options,
 			     git_submodule_helper_usage, 0);
 
 	if (update)
-		if (parse_submodule_update_strategy(update, &suc.update) < 0)
+		if (parse_submodule_update_strategy(update, &opt.update) < 0)
 			die(_("bad value for update parameter"));
 
-	if (module_list_compute(argc, argv, prefix, &pathspec, &suc.list) < 0)
+	if (module_list_compute(argc, argv, prefix, &pathspec, &opt.list) < 0)
 		return 1;
 
 	if (pathspec.nr)
-		suc.warn_if_uninitialized = 1;
+		opt.warn_if_uninitialized = 1;
 
-	return update_submodules(&suc);
+	return update_submodules(&opt);
 }
 
 static int run_update_procedure(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 {
 	int force = 0, quiet = 0, nofetch = 0, just_cloned = 0;
 	char *prefixed_path, *update = NULL;
-	struct update_data update_data = UPDATE_DATA_INIT;
+	struct update_data opt = UPDATE_DATA_INIT;
 
 	struct option options[] = {
 		OPT__QUIET(&quiet, N_("suppress output for update by rebase or merge")),
@@ -2589,20 +2589,20 @@ static int run_update_procedure(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 			 N_("don't fetch new objects from the remote site")),
 		OPT_BOOL(0, "just-cloned", &just_cloned,
 			 N_("overrides update mode in case the repository is a fresh clone")),
-		OPT_INTEGER(0, "depth", &update_data.depth, N_("depth for shallow fetch")),
+		OPT_INTEGER(0, "depth", &opt.depth, N_("depth for shallow fetch")),
 		OPT_STRING(0, "prefix", &prefix,
 			   N_("path"),
 			   N_("path into the working tree")),
 		OPT_STRING(0, "update", &update,
 			   N_("string"),
 			   N_("rebase, merge, checkout or none")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "recursive-prefix", &update_data.recursive_prefix, N_("path"),
+		OPT_STRING(0, "recursive-prefix", &opt.recursive_prefix, N_("path"),
 			   N_("path into the working tree, across nested "
 			      "submodule boundaries")),
-		OPT_CALLBACK_F(0, "oid", &update_data.oid, N_("sha1"),
+		OPT_CALLBACK_F(0, "oid", &opt.oid, N_("sha1"),
 			       N_("SHA1 expected by superproject"), PARSE_OPT_NONEG,
 			       parse_opt_object_id),
-		OPT_CALLBACK_F(0, "suboid", &update_data.suboid, N_("subsha1"),
+		OPT_CALLBACK_F(0, "suboid", &opt.suboid, N_("subsha1"),
 			       N_("SHA1 of submodule's HEAD"), PARSE_OPT_NONEG,
 			       parse_opt_object_id),
 		OPT_END()
@@ -2618,27 +2618,27 @@ static int run_update_procedure(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	if (argc != 1)
 		usage_with_options(usage, options);
 
-	update_data.force = !!force;
-	update_data.quiet = !!quiet;
-	update_data.nofetch = !!nofetch;
-	update_data.just_cloned = !!just_cloned;
-	update_data.sm_path = argv[0];
+	opt.force = !!force;
+	opt.quiet = !!quiet;
+	opt.nofetch = !!nofetch;
+	opt.just_cloned = !!just_cloned;
+	opt.sm_path = argv[0];
 
-	if (update_data.recursive_prefix)
-		prefixed_path = xstrfmt("%s%s", update_data.recursive_prefix, update_data.sm_path);
+	if (opt.recursive_prefix)
+		prefixed_path = xstrfmt("%s%s", opt.recursive_prefix, opt.sm_path);
 	else
-		prefixed_path = xstrdup(update_data.sm_path);
+		prefixed_path = xstrdup(opt.sm_path);
 
-	update_data.displaypath = get_submodule_displaypath(prefixed_path, prefix);
+	opt.displaypath = get_submodule_displaypath(prefixed_path, prefix);
 
-	determine_submodule_update_strategy(the_repository, update_data.just_cloned,
-					    update_data.sm_path, update,
-					    &update_data.update_strategy);
+	determine_submodule_update_strategy(the_repository, opt.just_cloned,
+					    opt.sm_path, update,
+					    &opt.update_strategy);
 
 	free(prefixed_path);
 
-	if (!oideq(&update_data.oid, &update_data.suboid) || update_data.force)
-		return do_run_update_procedure(&update_data);
+	if (!oideq(&opt.oid, &opt.suboid) || opt.force)
+		return do_run_update_procedure(&opt);
 
 	return 3;
 }

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index c2d4fd0347a..4a0890954e9 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -2045,10 +2045,10 @@ struct update_data {
 	struct object_id suboid;
 	struct submodule_update_strategy update_strategy;
 	int depth;
-	unsigned int force: 1;
-	unsigned int quiet: 1;
-	unsigned int nofetch: 1;
-	unsigned int just_cloned: 1;
+	unsigned int force;
+	unsigned int quiet;
+	unsigned int nofetch;
+	unsigned int just_cloned;
 };
 #define UPDATE_DATA_INIT { \
 	.update_strategy = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_STRATEGY_INIT, \
@@ -2578,16 +2578,17 @@ static int update_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 
 static int run_update_procedure(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 {
-	int force = 0, quiet = 0, nofetch = 0, just_cloned = 0;
 	char *prefixed_path, *update = NULL;
 	struct update_data opt = UPDATE_DATA_INIT;
 
 	struct option options[] = {
-		OPT__QUIET(&quiet, N_("suppress output for update by rebase or merge")),
-		OPT__FORCE(&force, N_("force checkout updates"), 0),
-		OPT_BOOL('N', "no-fetch", &nofetch,
+		OPT__QUIET(&opt.quiet,
+			   N_("suppress output for update by rebase or merge")),
+		OPT__FORCE(&opt.force, N_("force checkout updates"),
+			   0),
+		OPT_BOOL('N', "no-fetch", &opt.nofetch,
 			 N_("don't fetch new objects from the remote site")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "just-cloned", &just_cloned,
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "just-cloned", &opt.just_cloned,
 			 N_("overrides update mode in case the repository is a fresh clone")),
 		OPT_INTEGER(0, "depth", &opt.depth, N_("depth for shallow fetch")),
 		OPT_STRING(0, "prefix", &prefix,
@@ -2618,10 +2619,6 @@ static int run_update_procedure(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	if (argc != 1)
 		usage_with_options(usage, options);
 
-	opt.force = !!force;
-	opt.quiet = !!quiet;
-	opt.nofetch = !!nofetch;
-	opt.just_cloned = !!just_cloned;
 	opt.sm_path = argv[0];
 
 	if (opt.recursive_prefix)

t/t7406-submodule-update.sh, t/t7408-submodule-reference.sh

diff --git a/t/t7406-submodule-update.sh b/t/t7406-submodule-update.sh
index 11cccbb333b..7764c1c3cb6 100755
--- a/t/t7406-submodule-update.sh
+++ b/t/t7406-submodule-update.sh
@@ -205,8 +205,18 @@ test_expect_success 'submodule update should fail due to local changes' '
 	 (cd submodule &&
 	  compare_head
 	 ) &&
-	 test_must_fail git submodule update submodule
-	)
+	 test_must_fail git submodule update submodule 2>../actual.raw
+	) &&
+	sed "s/^> //" >expect <<-\EOF &&
+	> error: Your local changes to the following files would be overwritten by checkout:
+	> 	file
+	> Please commit your changes or stash them before you switch branches.
+	> Aborting
+	> fatal: Unable to checkout OID in submodule path '\''submodule'\''
+	EOF
+	sed -e "s/checkout $SQ[^$SQ]*$SQ/checkout OID/" <actual.raw >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+
 '
 test_expect_success 'submodule update should throw away changes with --force ' '
 	(cd super &&
diff --git a/t/t7408-submodule-reference.sh b/t/t7408-submodule-reference.sh
index a3892f494b6..c3a45455106 100755
--- a/t/t7408-submodule-reference.sh
+++ b/t/t7408-submodule-reference.sh
@@ -193,7 +193,19 @@ test_expect_success 'missing nested submodule alternate fails clone and submodul
 		cd supersuper-clone &&
 		check_that_two_of_three_alternates_are_used &&
 		# update of the submodule fails
-		test_must_fail git submodule update --init --recursive
+		cat >expect <<-\EOF &&
+		fatal: submodule '\''sub'\'' cannot add alternate: path ... does not exist
+		Failed to clone '\''sub'\''. Retry scheduled
+		fatal: submodule '\''sub-dissociate'\'' cannot add alternate: path ... does not exist
+		Failed to clone '\''sub-dissociate'\''. Retry scheduled
+		fatal: submodule '\''sub'\'' cannot add alternate: path ... does not exist
+		Failed to clone '\''sub'\'' a second time, aborting
+		fatal: Failed to recurse into submodule path ...
+		EOF
+		test_must_fail git submodule update --init --recursive 2>err &&
+		grep -e fatal: -e ^Failed err >actual.raw &&
+		sed -e "s/path $SQ[^$SQ]*$SQ/path .../" <actual.raw >actual &&
+		test_cmp expect actual
 	)
 '
 

builtin/submodule--helper.c, git-submodule.sh

diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 4a0890954e9..1c28b6f479c 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -71,21 +71,6 @@ static char *get_default_remote(void)
 	return repo_get_default_remote(the_repository);
 }
 
-static int print_default_remote(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
-{
-	char *remote;
-
-	if (argc != 1)
-		die(_("submodule--helper print-default-remote takes no arguments"));
-
-	remote = get_default_remote();
-	if (remote)
-		printf("%s\n", remote);
-
-	free(remote);
-	return 0;
-}
-
 static int starts_with_dot_slash(const char *str)
 {
 	return str[0] == '.' && is_dir_sep(str[1]);
@@ -1965,29 +1950,6 @@ static void determine_submodule_update_strategy(struct repository *r,
 	free(key);
 }
 
-static int module_update_module_mode(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
-{
-	const char *path, *update = NULL;
-	int just_cloned;
-	struct submodule_update_strategy update_strategy = { .type = SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT };
-
-	if (argc < 3 || argc > 4)
-		die("submodule--helper update-module-clone expects <just-cloned> <path> [<update>]");
-
-	just_cloned = git_config_int("just_cloned", argv[1]);
-	path = argv[2];
-
-	if (argc == 4)
-		update = argv[3];
-
-	determine_submodule_update_strategy(the_repository,
-					    just_cloned, path, update,
-					    &update_strategy);
-	fputs(submodule_strategy_to_string(&update_strategy), stdout);
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
 struct update_clone_data {
 	const struct submodule *sub;
 	struct object_id oid;
@@ -2015,7 +1977,6 @@ struct submodule_update_clone {
 	const char *prefix;
 	int single_branch;
 
-	/* to be consumed by git-submodule.sh */
 	struct update_clone_data *update_clone;
 	int update_clone_nr; int update_clone_alloc;
 
@@ -2038,6 +1999,7 @@ struct submodule_update_clone {
 }
 
 struct update_data {
+	const char *prefix;
 	const char *recursive_prefix;
 	const char *sm_path;
 	const char *displaypath;
@@ -2045,13 +2007,54 @@ struct update_data {
 	struct object_id suboid;
 	struct submodule_update_strategy update_strategy;
 	int depth;
+	int recommend_shallow;
+	int single_branch;
+	int max_jobs;
+	unsigned int init;
 	unsigned int force;
 	unsigned int quiet;
 	unsigned int nofetch;
 	unsigned int just_cloned;
+	unsigned int remote;
+	unsigned int recursive;
+	unsigned int progress;
+	unsigned int dissociate;
+	unsigned int require_init;
+	unsigned warn_if_uninitialized ;
+	struct string_list references;
+	struct module_list list;
 };
 #define UPDATE_DATA_INIT { \
+	.list = MODULE_LIST_INIT, \
 	.update_strategy = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_STRATEGY_INIT, \
+	.recommend_shallow = -1, \
+	.references = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP, \
+	.single_branch = -1, \
+	.max_jobs = 1, \
+}
+
+static void update_clone_from_update_data(struct submodule_update_clone *suc,
+					  struct update_data *update_data)
+{
+	suc->prefix = update_data->prefix;
+	suc->recursive_prefix = update_data->recursive_prefix;
+	suc->max_jobs = update_data->max_jobs;
+	suc->progress = update_data->progress;
+	suc->quiet = update_data->quiet;
+	suc->dissociate = update_data->dissociate;
+	suc->require_init = update_data->require_init;
+	suc->single_branch = update_data->single_branch;
+	suc->warn_if_uninitialized = update_data->warn_if_uninitialized;
+	suc->list = update_data->list;
+	suc->update = update_data->update_strategy;
+	suc->recommend_shallow = update_data->recommend_shallow;
+	if (update_data->depth)
+		suc->depth = xstrfmt("--depth=%d", update_data->depth);
+	if (update_data->references.nr) {
+		struct string_list_item *item;
+		for_each_string_list_item(item, &update_data->references)
+			string_list_append(&suc->references, item->string);
+	}
 }
 
 static void next_submodule_warn_missing(struct submodule_update_clone *suc,
@@ -2352,8 +2355,15 @@ static int run_update_command(struct update_data *ud, int subforce)
 	struct child_process cp = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 	char *oid = oid_to_hex(&ud->oid);
 	int must_die_on_failure = 0;
+	struct submodule_update_strategy strategy = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_STRATEGY_INIT;
 
-	switch (ud->update_strategy.type) {
+	if (ud->update_strategy.type == SM_UPDATE_UNSPECIFIED || ud->just_cloned)
+		determine_submodule_update_strategy(the_repository, ud->just_cloned,
+						    ud->sm_path, NULL, &strategy);
+	else
+		strategy = ud->update_strategy;
+
+	switch (strategy.type) {
 	case SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT:
 		cp.git_cmd = 1;
 		strvec_pushl(&cp.args, "checkout", "-q", NULL);
@@ -2376,55 +2386,54 @@ static int run_update_command(struct update_data *ud, int subforce)
 		break;
 	case SM_UPDATE_COMMAND:
 		cp.use_shell = 1;
-		strvec_push(&cp.args, ud->update_strategy.command);
+		strvec_push(&cp.args, strategy.command);
 		must_die_on_failure = 1;
 		break;
 	default:
 		BUG("unexpected update strategy type: %s",
-		    submodule_strategy_to_string(&ud->update_strategy));
+		    submodule_strategy_to_string(&strategy));
 	}
 	strvec_push(&cp.args, oid);
 
 	cp.dir = xstrdup(ud->sm_path);
 	prepare_submodule_repo_env(&cp.env_array);
 	if (run_command(&cp)) {
-		switch (ud->update_strategy.type) {
+		switch (strategy.type) {
 		case SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT:
-			printf(_("Unable to checkout '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
-			       oid, ud->displaypath);
+			die_message(_("Unable to checkout '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
+				    oid, ud->displaypath);
 			break;
 		case SM_UPDATE_REBASE:
-			printf(_("Unable to rebase '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
-			       oid, ud->displaypath);
+			if (!must_die_on_failure)
+				break;
+			die(_("Unable to rebase '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
+			    oid, ud->displaypath);
 			break;
 		case SM_UPDATE_MERGE:
-			printf(_("Unable to merge '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
-			       oid, ud->displaypath);
+			if (!must_die_on_failure)
+				break;
+			die(_("Unable to merge '%s' in submodule path '%s'"),
+			    oid, ud->displaypath);
 			break;
 		case SM_UPDATE_COMMAND:
-			printf(_("Execution of '%s %s' failed in submodule path '%s'"),
-			       ud->update_strategy.command, oid, ud->displaypath);
+			if (!must_die_on_failure)
+				break;
+			die(_("Execution of '%s %s' failed in submodule path '%s'"),
+			    strategy.command, oid, ud->displaypath);
 			break;
 		default:
 			BUG("unexpected update strategy type: %s",
-			    submodule_strategy_to_string(&ud->update_strategy));
+			    submodule_strategy_to_string(&strategy));
 		}
-		/*
-		 * NEEDSWORK: We are currently printing to stdout with error
-		 * return so that the shell caller handles the error output
-		 * properly. Once we start handling the error messages within
-		 * C, we should use die() instead.
-		 */
-		if (must_die_on_failure)
-			return 2;
-		/*
-		 * This signifies to the caller in shell that the command
-		 * failed without dying
-		 */
+
+		/* the command failed, but update must continue */
 		return 1;
 	}
 
-	switch (ud->update_strategy.type) {
+	if (ud->quiet)
+		return 0;
+
+	switch (strategy.type) {
 	case SM_UPDATE_CHECKOUT:
 		printf(_("Submodule path '%s': checked out '%s'\n"),
 		       ud->displaypath, oid);
@@ -2439,17 +2448,17 @@ static int run_update_command(struct update_data *ud, int subforce)
 		break;
 	case SM_UPDATE_COMMAND:
 		printf(_("Submodule path '%s': '%s %s'\n"),
-		       ud->displaypath, ud->update_strategy.command, oid);
+		       ud->displaypath, strategy.command, oid);
 		break;
 	default:
 		BUG("unexpected update strategy type: %s",
-		    submodule_strategy_to_string(&ud->update_strategy));
+		    submodule_strategy_to_string(&strategy));
 	}
 
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int do_run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud)
+static int run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud)
 {
 	int subforce = is_null_oid(&ud->suboid) || ud->force;
 
@@ -2479,178 +2488,6 @@ static int do_run_update_procedure(struct update_data *ud)
 	return run_update_command(ud, subforce);
 }
 
-static void update_submodule(struct update_clone_data *ucd)
-{
-	fprintf(stdout, "dummy %s %d\t%s\n",
-		oid_to_hex(&ucd->oid),
-		ucd->just_cloned,
-		ucd->sub->path);
-}
-
-static int update_submodules(struct submodule_update_clone *suc)
-{
-	int i;
-
-	run_processes_parallel_tr2(suc->max_jobs, update_clone_get_next_task,
-				   update_clone_start_failure,
-				   update_clone_task_finished, suc, "submodule",
-				   "parallel/update");
-
-	/*
-	 * We saved the output and put it out all at once now.
-	 * That means:
-	 * - the listener does not have to interleave their (checkout)
-	 *   work with our fetching.  The writes involved in a
-	 *   checkout involve more straightforward sequential I/O.
-	 * - the listener can avoid doing any work if fetching failed.
-	 */
-	if (suc->quickstop)
-		return 1;
-
-	for (i = 0; i < suc->update_clone_nr; i++)
-		update_submodule(&suc->update_clone[i]);
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
-static int update_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
-{
-	const char *update = NULL;
-	struct pathspec pathspec;
-	struct submodule_update_clone opt = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_CLONE_INIT;
-
-	struct option module_update_clone_options[] = {
-		OPT_STRING(0, "prefix", &prefix,
-			   N_("path"),
-			   N_("path into the working tree")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "recursive-prefix", &opt.recursive_prefix,
-			   N_("path"),
-			   N_("path into the working tree, across nested "
-			      "submodule boundaries")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "update", &update,
-			   N_("string"),
-			   N_("rebase, merge, checkout or none")),
-		OPT_STRING_LIST(0, "reference", &opt.references, N_("repo"),
-			   N_("reference repository")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "dissociate", &opt.dissociate,
-			   N_("use --reference only while cloning")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "depth", &opt.depth, "<depth>",
-			   N_("create a shallow clone truncated to the "
-			      "specified number of revisions")),
-		OPT_INTEGER('j', "jobs", &opt.max_jobs,
-			    N_("parallel jobs")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "recommend-shallow", &opt.recommend_shallow,
-			    N_("whether the initial clone should follow the shallow recommendation")),
-		OPT__QUIET(&opt.quiet, N_("don't print cloning progress")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "progress", &opt.progress,
-			    N_("force cloning progress")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "require-init", &opt.require_init,
-			   N_("disallow cloning into non-empty directory")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "single-branch", &opt.single_branch,
-			 N_("clone only one branch, HEAD or --branch")),
-		OPT_END()
-	};
-
-	const char *const git_submodule_helper_usage[] = {
-		N_("git submodule--helper update-clone [--prefix=<path>] [<path>...]"),
-		NULL
-	};
-	opt.prefix = prefix;
-
-	update_clone_config_from_gitmodules(&opt.max_jobs);
-	git_config(git_update_clone_config, &opt.max_jobs);
-
-	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, module_update_clone_options,
-			     git_submodule_helper_usage, 0);
-
-	if (update)
-		if (parse_submodule_update_strategy(update, &opt.update) < 0)
-			die(_("bad value for update parameter"));
-
-	if (module_list_compute(argc, argv, prefix, &pathspec, &opt.list) < 0)
-		return 1;
-
-	if (pathspec.nr)
-		opt.warn_if_uninitialized = 1;
-
-	return update_submodules(&opt);
-}
-
-static int run_update_procedure(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
-{
-	char *prefixed_path, *update = NULL;
-	struct update_data opt = UPDATE_DATA_INIT;
-
-	struct option options[] = {
-		OPT__QUIET(&opt.quiet,
-			   N_("suppress output for update by rebase or merge")),
-		OPT__FORCE(&opt.force, N_("force checkout updates"),
-			   0),
-		OPT_BOOL('N', "no-fetch", &opt.nofetch,
-			 N_("don't fetch new objects from the remote site")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "just-cloned", &opt.just_cloned,
-			 N_("overrides update mode in case the repository is a fresh clone")),
-		OPT_INTEGER(0, "depth", &opt.depth, N_("depth for shallow fetch")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "prefix", &prefix,
-			   N_("path"),
-			   N_("path into the working tree")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "update", &update,
-			   N_("string"),
-			   N_("rebase, merge, checkout or none")),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "recursive-prefix", &opt.recursive_prefix, N_("path"),
-			   N_("path into the working tree, across nested "
-			      "submodule boundaries")),
-		OPT_CALLBACK_F(0, "oid", &opt.oid, N_("sha1"),
-			       N_("SHA1 expected by superproject"), PARSE_OPT_NONEG,
-			       parse_opt_object_id),
-		OPT_CALLBACK_F(0, "suboid", &opt.suboid, N_("subsha1"),
-			       N_("SHA1 of submodule's HEAD"), PARSE_OPT_NONEG,
-			       parse_opt_object_id),
-		OPT_END()
-	};
-
-	const char *const usage[] = {
-		N_("git submodule--helper run-update-procedure [<options>] <path>"),
-		NULL
-	};
-
-	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options, usage, 0);
-
-	if (argc != 1)
-		usage_with_options(usage, options);
-
-	opt.sm_path = argv[0];
-
-	if (opt.recursive_prefix)
-		prefixed_path = xstrfmt("%s%s", opt.recursive_prefix, opt.sm_path);
-	else
-		prefixed_path = xstrdup(opt.sm_path);
-
-	opt.displaypath = get_submodule_displaypath(prefixed_path, prefix);
-
-	determine_submodule_update_strategy(the_repository, opt.just_cloned,
-					    opt.sm_path, update,
-					    &opt.update_strategy);
-
-	free(prefixed_path);
-
-	if (!oideq(&opt.oid, &opt.suboid) || opt.force)
-		return do_run_update_procedure(&opt);
-
-	return 3;
-}
-
-static int resolve_relative_path(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
-{
-	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
-	if (argc != 3)
-		die("submodule--helper relative-path takes exactly 2 arguments, got %d", argc);
-
-	printf("%s", relative_path(argv[1], argv[2], &sb));
-	strbuf_release(&sb);
-	return 0;
-}
-
 static const char *remote_submodule_branch(const char *path)
 {
 	const struct submodule *sub;
@@ -2783,17 +2620,11 @@ static int push_check(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int ensure_core_worktree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
+static void ensure_core_worktree(const char *path)
 {
-	const char *path;
 	const char *cw;
 	struct repository subrepo;
 
-	if (argc != 2)
-		BUG("submodule--helper ensure-core-worktree <path>");
-
-	path = argv[1];
-
 	if (repo_submodule_init(&subrepo, the_repository, path, null_oid()))
 		die(_("could not get a repository handle for submodule '%s'"), path);
 
@@ -2813,8 +2644,6 @@ static int ensure_core_worktree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		free(abs_path);
 		strbuf_release(&sb);
 	}
-
-	return 0;
 }
 
 static int absorb_git_dirs(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
@@ -3001,6 +2830,271 @@ static int module_set_branch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	return !!ret;
 }
 
+static void update_data_to_args(struct update_data *update_data, struct strvec *args)
+{
+	const char *update = submodule_strategy_to_string(&update_data->update_strategy);
+
+	strvec_pushl(args, "submodule--helper", "update", "--recursive", NULL);
+	strvec_pushf(args, "--jobs=%d", update_data->max_jobs);
+	if (update_data->prefix)
+		strvec_pushl(args, "--prefix", update_data->prefix, NULL);
+	if (update_data->recursive_prefix)
+		strvec_pushl(args, "--recursive-prefix",
+			     update_data->recursive_prefix, NULL);
+	if (update_data->quiet)
+		strvec_push(args, "--quiet");
+	if (update_data->force)
+		strvec_push(args, "--force");
+	if (update_data->init)
+		strvec_push(args, "--init");
+	if (update_data->remote)
+		strvec_push(args, "--remote");
+	if (update_data->nofetch)
+		strvec_push(args, "--no-fetch");
+	if (update_data->dissociate)
+		strvec_push(args, "--dissociate");
+	if (update_data->progress)
+		strvec_push(args, "--progress");
+	if (update_data->require_init)
+		strvec_push(args, "--require-init");
+	if (update_data->depth)
+		strvec_pushf(args, "--depth=%d", update_data->depth);
+	if (update)
+		strvec_pushl(args, "--update", update, NULL);
+	if (update_data->references.nr) {
+		struct string_list_item *item;
+		for_each_string_list_item(item, &update_data->references)
+			strvec_pushl(args, "--reference", item->string, NULL);
+	}
+	if (update_data->recommend_shallow == 0)
+		strvec_push(args, "--no-recommend-shallow");
+	else if (update_data->recommend_shallow == 1)
+		strvec_push(args, "--recommend-shallow");
+	if (update_data->single_branch >= 0)
+		strvec_push(args, "--single-branch");
+}
+
+static int update_submodule(struct update_data *update_data)
+{
+	char *prefixed_path;
+
+	ensure_core_worktree(update_data->sm_path);
+
+	if (update_data->recursive_prefix)
+		prefixed_path = xstrfmt("%s%s", update_data->recursive_prefix,
+					update_data->sm_path);
+	else
+		prefixed_path = xstrdup(update_data->sm_path);
+
+	update_data->displaypath = get_submodule_displaypath(prefixed_path,
+							     update_data->prefix);
+	free(prefixed_path);
+
+	if (update_data->just_cloned) {
+		oidcpy(&update_data->suboid, null_oid());
+	} else {
+		if (resolve_gitlink_ref(update_data->sm_path, "HEAD", &update_data->suboid))
+			die(_("Unable to find current revision in submodule path '%s'"),
+			    update_data->displaypath);
+	}
+
+	if (update_data->remote) {
+		char *remote_name = get_default_remote_submodule(update_data->sm_path);
+		const char *branch = remote_submodule_branch(update_data->sm_path);
+		char *remote_ref = xstrfmt("refs/remotes/%s/%s", remote_name, branch);
+
+		if (!update_data->nofetch) {
+			if (fetch_in_submodule(update_data->sm_path, update_data->depth,
+					      0, NULL))
+				die(_("Unable to fetch in submodule path '%s'"),
+				    update_data->sm_path);
+		}
+
+		if (resolve_gitlink_ref(update_data->sm_path, remote_ref, &update_data->oid))
+			die(_("Unable to find %s revision in submodule path '%s'"),
+			    remote_ref, update_data->sm_path);
+
+		free(remote_ref);
+	}
+
+	if (!oideq(&update_data->oid, &update_data->suboid) || update_data->force)
+		if (run_update_procedure(update_data))
+			return 1;
+
+	if (update_data->recursive) {
+		struct child_process cp = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
+		struct update_data next = *update_data;
+		int res;
+
+		if (update_data->recursive_prefix)
+			prefixed_path = xstrfmt("%s%s/", update_data->recursive_prefix,
+						update_data->sm_path);
+		else
+			prefixed_path = xstrfmt("%s/", update_data->sm_path);
+
+		next.recursive_prefix = get_submodule_displaypath(prefixed_path,
+								  update_data->prefix);
+		next.prefix = NULL;
+		oidcpy(&next.oid, null_oid());
+		oidcpy(&next.suboid, null_oid());
+
+		cp.dir = update_data->sm_path;
+		cp.git_cmd = 1;
+		prepare_submodule_repo_env(&cp.env_array);
+		update_data_to_args(&next, &cp.args);
+
+		/* die() if child process die()'d */
+		res = run_command(&cp);
+		if (!res)
+			return 0;
+		die_message(_("Failed to recurse into submodule path '%s'"),
+			    update_data->displaypath);
+		if (res == 128)
+			exit(res);
+		else if (res)
+			return 1;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int update_submodules(struct update_data *update_data)
+{
+	int i, res = 0;
+	struct submodule_update_clone suc = SUBMODULE_UPDATE_CLONE_INIT;
+
+	update_clone_from_update_data(&suc, update_data);
+	run_processes_parallel_tr2(suc.max_jobs, update_clone_get_next_task,
+				   update_clone_start_failure,
+				   update_clone_task_finished, &suc, "submodule",
+				   "parallel/update");
+
+	/*
+	 * We saved the output and put it out all at once now.
+	 * That means:
+	 * - the listener does not have to interleave their (checkout)
+	 *   work with our fetching.  The writes involved in a
+	 *   checkout involve more straightforward sequential I/O.
+	 * - the listener can avoid doing any work if fetching failed.
+	 */
+	if (suc.quickstop) {
+		res = 1;
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
+	for (i = 0; i < suc.update_clone_nr; i++) {
+		struct update_clone_data ucd = suc.update_clone[i];
+
+		oidcpy(&update_data->oid, &ucd.oid);
+		update_data->just_cloned = ucd.just_cloned;
+		update_data->sm_path = ucd.sub->path;
+
+		if (update_submodule(update_data))
+			res = 1;
+	}
+
+cleanup:
+	string_list_clear(&update_data->references, 0);
+	return res;
+}
+
+static int module_update(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
+{
+	const char *update = NULL;
+	struct pathspec pathspec;
+	struct update_data opt = UPDATE_DATA_INIT;
+
+	struct option module_update_clone_options[] = {
+		OPT__FORCE(&opt.force, N_("force checkout updates"), 0),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "init", &opt.init,
+			 N_("initialize uninitialized submodules before update")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "remote", &opt.remote,
+			 N_("use SHA-1 of submodule's remote tracking branch")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "recursive", &opt.recursive,
+			 N_("traverse submodules recursively")),
+		OPT_BOOL('N', "no-fetch", &opt.nofetch,
+			 N_("don't fetch new objects from the remote site")),
+		OPT_STRING(0, "prefix", &opt.prefix,
+			   N_("path"),
+			   N_("path into the working tree")),
+		OPT_STRING(0, "recursive-prefix", &opt.recursive_prefix,
+			   N_("path"),
+			   N_("path into the working tree, across nested "
+			      "submodule boundaries")),
+		OPT_STRING(0, "update", &update,
+			   N_("string"),
+			   N_("rebase, merge, checkout or none")),
+		OPT_STRING_LIST(0, "reference", &opt.references, N_("repo"),
+				N_("reference repository")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "dissociate", &opt.dissociate,
+			 N_("use --reference only while cloning")),
+		OPT_INTEGER(0, "depth", &opt.depth,
+			    N_("create a shallow clone truncated to the "
+			       "specified number of revisions")),
+		OPT_INTEGER('j', "jobs", &opt.max_jobs,
+			    N_("parallel jobs")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "recommend-shallow", &opt.recommend_shallow,
+			 N_("whether the initial clone should follow the shallow recommendation")),
+		OPT__QUIET(&opt.quiet, N_("don't print cloning progress")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "progress", &opt.progress,
+			 N_("force cloning progress")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "require-init", &opt.require_init,
+			 N_("disallow cloning into non-empty directory")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "single-branch", &opt.single_branch,
+			 N_("clone only one branch, HEAD or --branch")),
+		OPT_END()
+	};
+
+	const char *const git_submodule_helper_usage[] = {
+		N_("git submodule--helper update-clone [--prefix=<path>] [<path>...]"),
+		NULL
+	};
+
+	update_clone_config_from_gitmodules(&opt.max_jobs);
+	git_config(git_update_clone_config, &opt.max_jobs);
+
+	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, module_update_clone_options,
+			     git_submodule_helper_usage, 0);
+	oidcpy(&opt.oid, null_oid());
+	oidcpy(&opt.suboid, null_oid());
+
+	if (update)
+		if (parse_submodule_update_strategy(update,
+						    &opt.update_strategy) < 0)
+			die(_("bad value for update parameter"));
+
+	if (module_list_compute(argc, argv, prefix, &pathspec, &opt.list) < 0)
+		return 1;
+
+	if (pathspec.nr)
+		opt.warn_if_uninitialized = 1;
+
+	if (opt.init) {
+		struct module_list list = MODULE_LIST_INIT;
+		struct init_cb info = INIT_CB_INIT;
+
+		if (module_list_compute(argc, argv, opt.prefix,
+					&pathspec, &list) < 0)
+			return 1;
+
+		/*
+		 * If there are no path args and submodule.active is set then,
+		 * by default, only initialize 'active' modules.
+		 */
+		if (!argc && git_config_get_value_multi("submodule.active"))
+			module_list_active(&list);
+
+		info.prefix = opt.prefix;
+		info.superprefix = opt.recursive_prefix;
+		if (opt.quiet)
+			info.flags |= OPT_QUIET;
+
+		for_each_listed_submodule(&list, init_submodule_cb, &info);
+	}
+
+	return update_submodules(&opt);
+}
+
 struct add_data {
 	const char *prefix;
 	const char *branch;
@@ -3388,16 +3482,11 @@ static struct cmd_struct commands[] = {
 	{"name", module_name, 0},
 	{"clone", module_clone, 0},
 	{"add", module_add, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},
-	{"update-module-mode", module_update_module_mode, 0},
-	{"update-clone", update_clone, 0},
-	{"run-update-procedure", run_update_procedure, 0},
-	{"ensure-core-worktree", ensure_core_worktree, 0},
-	{"relative-path", resolve_relative_path, 0},
+	{"update", module_update, 0},
 	{"resolve-relative-url-test", resolve_relative_url_test, 0},
 	{"foreach", module_foreach, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},
 	{"init", module_init, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},
 	{"status", module_status, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},
-	{"print-default-remote", print_default_remote, 0},
 	{"sync", module_sync, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},
 	{"deinit", module_deinit, 0},
 	{"summary", module_summary, SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX},
diff --git a/git-submodule.sh b/git-submodule.sh
index 652861aa66a..bcd8b92aabd 100755
--- a/git-submodule.sh
+++ b/git-submodule.sh
@@ -246,20 +246,6 @@ cmd_deinit()
 	git ${wt_prefix:+-C "$wt_prefix"} submodule--helper deinit ${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} ${force:+--force} ${deinit_all:+--all} -- "$@"
 }
 
-# usage: fetch_in_submodule <module_path> [<depth>] [<sha1>]
-# Because arguments are positional, use an empty string to omit <depth>
-# but include <sha1>.
-fetch_in_submodule () (
-	sanitize_submodule_env &&
-	cd "$1" &&
-	if test $# -eq 3
-	then
-		echo "$3" | git fetch ${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} --stdin ${2:+"$2"}
-	else
-		git fetch ${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} ${2:+"$2"}
-	fi
-)
-
 #
 # Update each submodule path to correct revision, using clone and checkout as needed
 #
@@ -361,133 +347,26 @@ cmd_update()
 		shift
 	done
 
-	if test -n "$init"
-	then
-		cmd_init "--" "$@" || return
-	fi
-
-	{
-	git submodule--helper update-clone ${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} \
-		${progress:+"--progress"} \
+	git ${wt_prefix:+-C "$wt_prefix"} ${prefix:+--super-prefix "$prefix"} submodule--helper update \
+		${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} \
+		${force:+--force} \
+		${progress:+--progress} \
+		${dissociate:+--dissociate} \
+		${remote:+--remote} \
+		${recursive:+--recursive} \
+		${init:+--init} \
+		${require_init:+--require-init} \
+		${nofetch:+--no-fetch} \
 		${wt_prefix:+--prefix "$wt_prefix"} \
 		${prefix:+--recursive-prefix "$prefix"} \
 		${update:+--update "$update"} \
 		${reference:+"$reference"} \
-		${dissociate:+"--dissociate"} \
-		${depth:+--depth "$depth"} \
-		${require_init:+--require-init} \
+		${depth:+"$depth"} \
 		$single_branch \
 		$recommend_shallow \
 		$jobs \
 		-- \
-		"$@" || echo "#unmatched" $?
-	} | {
-	err=
-	while read -r quickabort sha1 just_cloned sm_path
-	do
-		die_if_unmatched "$quickabort" "$sha1"
-
-		git submodule--helper ensure-core-worktree "$sm_path" || exit 1
-
-		displaypath=$(git submodule--helper relative-path "$prefix$sm_path" "$wt_prefix")
-
-		if test $just_cloned -eq 1
-		then
-			subsha1=
-		else
-			just_cloned=
-			subsha1=$(sanitize_submodule_env; cd "$sm_path" &&
-				git rev-parse --verify HEAD) ||
-			die "fatal: $(eval_gettext "Unable to find current revision in submodule path '\$displaypath'")"
-		fi
-
-		if test -n "$remote"
-		then
-			branch=$(git submodule--helper remote-branch "$sm_path")
-			if test -z "$nofetch"
-			then
-				# Fetch remote before determining tracking $sha1
-				fetch_in_submodule "$sm_path" $depth ||
-				die "fatal: $(eval_gettext "Unable to fetch in submodule path '\$sm_path'")"
-			fi
-			remote_name=$(sanitize_submodule_env; cd "$sm_path" && git submodule--helper print-default-remote)
-			sha1=$(sanitize_submodule_env; cd "$sm_path" &&
-				git rev-parse --verify "${remote_name}/${branch}") ||
-			die "fatal: $(eval_gettext "Unable to find current \${remote_name}/\${branch} revision in submodule path '\$sm_path'")"
-		fi
-
-		out=$(git submodule--helper run-update-procedure \
-			  ${wt_prefix:+--prefix "$wt_prefix"} \
-			  ${GIT_QUIET:+--quiet} \
-			  ${force:+--force} \
-			  ${just_cloned:+--just-cloned} \
-			  ${nofetch:+--no-fetch} \
-			  ${depth:+"$depth"} \
-			  ${update:+--update "$update"} \
-			  ${prefix:+--recursive-prefix "$prefix"} \
-			  ${sha1:+--oid "$sha1"} \
-			  ${subsha1:+--suboid "$subsha1"} \
-			  "--" \
-			  "$sm_path")
-
-		# exit codes for run-update-procedure:
-		# 0: update was successful, say command output
-		# 1: update procedure failed, but should not die
-		# 2 or 128: subcommand died during execution
-		# 3: no update procedure was run
-		res="$?"
-		case $res in
-		0)
-			say "$out"
-			;;
-		1)
-			err="${err};fatal: $out"
-			continue
-			;;
-		2|128)
-			die_with_status $res "fatal: $out"
-			;;
-		esac
-
-		if test -n "$recursive"
-		then
-			(
-				prefix=$(git submodule--helper relative-path "$prefix$sm_path/" "$wt_prefix")
-				wt_prefix=
-				sanitize_submodule_env
-				cd "$sm_path" &&
-				eval cmd_update
-			)
-			res=$?
-			if test $res -gt 0
-			then
-				die_msg="fatal: $(eval_gettext "Failed to recurse into submodule path '\$displaypath'")"
-				if test $res -ne 2
-				then
-					err="${err};$die_msg"
-					continue
-				else
-					die_with_status $res "$die_msg"
-				fi
-			fi
-		fi
-	done
-
-	if test -n "$err"
-	then
-		OIFS=$IFS
-		IFS=';'
-		for e in $err
-		do
-			if test -n "$e"
-			then
-				echo >&2 "$e"
-			fi
-		done
-		IFS=$OIFS
-		exit 1
-	fi
-	}
+		"$@"
 }
 
 #