Re: [PATCH] [GSoC][PATCH] t9160:modernize test path checking

Hoda Salim· Feb 2, 2026, 13:36 UTC · lore

Hi everyone,

I'm Hoda, and I'm interested in contributing to Git through GSoC 2026. This is my first patch to the project (my microproject), and I'd appreciate any feedback on it. The patch modernizes path checks in t9160 by replacing `test -f`, `test -d`, and `test -s` with Git's dedicated test helpers for better error messages and consistency. I'm happy to make any changes if needed!

Thanks,
Hoda
---
Replace old-style path checks with Git's dedicated test helpers:
- test -f → test_path_is_file
- test -d → test_path_is_dir
- test -s → test_file_not_empty

Found using: git grep "test -[efd]" t/

This improves test readability and provides better error messages when path checks fail.

Signed-off-by: HodaSalim <hoda.s.salim@gmail.com>
---
    [GSoC][PATCH] t9160:modernize test path checking

Published-As: https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/releases/tag/pr-git-2160%2FHodaSalim%2Fmicroproject%2Fmodernize-t9160-v1
Fetch-It-Via: git fetch https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git
pr-git-2160/HodaSalim/microproject/modernize-t9160-v1
Pull-Request: https://github.com/git/git/pull/2160

 t/t9160-git-svn-preserve-empty-dirs.sh | 22 +++++++++++-----------
 1 file changed, 11 insertions(+), 11 deletions(-)

Show changes to t/t9160-git-svn-preserve-empty-dirs.sh +11 −13

diff --git a/t/t9160-git-svn-preserve-empty-dirs.sh
b/t/t9160-git-svn-preserve-empty-dirs.sh
index 36c6b1a12f..b89c1cb93a 100755
--- a/t/t9160-git-svn-preserve-empty-dirs.sh
+++ b/t/t9160-git-svn-preserve-empty-dirs.sh
@@ -61,15 +61,15 @@ test_expect_success 'clone svn repo with
--preserve-empty-dirs' '

 # "$GIT_REPO"/1 should only contain the placeholder file.
 test_expect_success 'directory empty from inception' '
- test -f "$GIT_REPO"/1/.gitignore &&
+ test_path_is_file "$GIT_REPO"/1/.gitignore &&
  test $(find "$GIT_REPO"/1 -type f | wc -l) = "1"
 '

 # "$GIT_REPO"/2 and "$GIT_REPO"/3 should only contain the placeholder file.
 test_expect_success 'directory empty from subsequent svn commit' '
- test -f "$GIT_REPO"/2/.gitignore &&
+ test_path_is_file "$GIT_REPO"/2/.gitignore &&
  test $(find "$GIT_REPO"/2 -type f | wc -l) = "1" &&
- test -f "$GIT_REPO"/3/.gitignore &&
+ test_path_is_file "$GIT_REPO"/3/.gitignore &&
  test $(find "$GIT_REPO"/3 -type f | wc -l) = "1"
 '

@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ test_expect_success 'directory empty from subsequent
svn commit' '
 # generated for every sub-directory at some point in the repo's history.
 test_expect_success 'add entry to previously empty directory' '
  test $(find "$GIT_REPO"/4 -type f | wc -l) = "1" &&
- test -f "$GIT_REPO"/4/a/b/c/foo
+ test_path_is_file "$GIT_REPO"/4/a/b/c/foo
 '

 # The HEAD~2 commit should not have introduced .gitignore placeholder files.
@@ -102,14 +102,14 @@ test_expect_success 'clone svn repo with
--placeholder-file specified' '

 # "$GIT_REPO"/5/.placeholder should be a file, and non-empty.
 test_expect_success 'placeholder namespace conflict with file' '
- test -s "$GIT_REPO"/5/.placeholder
+ test_file_not_empty "$GIT_REPO"/5/.placeholder
 '

 # "$GIT_REPO"/6/.placeholder should be a directory, and the "$GIT_REPO"/6 tree
 # should only contain one file: the placeholder.
 test_expect_success 'placeholder namespace conflict with directory' '
- test -d "$GIT_REPO"/6/.placeholder &&
- test -f "$GIT_REPO"/6/.placeholder/.placeholder &&
+ test_path_is_dir "$GIT_REPO"/6/.placeholder &&
+ test_path_is_file "$GIT_REPO"/6/.placeholder/.placeholder &&
  test $(find "$GIT_REPO"/6 -type f | wc -l) = "1"
 '

@@ -134,18 +134,18 @@ test_expect_success 'second set of svn commits
and rebase' '
 # Check that --preserve-empty-dirs and --placeholder-file flag state
 # stays persistent over multiple invocations.
 test_expect_success 'flag persistence during subsqeuent rebase' '
- test -f "$GIT_REPO"/7/.placeholder &&
+ test_path_is_file "$GIT_REPO"/7/.placeholder &&
  test $(find "$GIT_REPO"/7 -type f | wc -l) = "1"
 '

 # Check that placeholder files are properly removed when unnecessary,
 # even across multiple invocations.
 test_expect_success 'placeholder list persistence during subsqeuent rebase' '
- test -f "$GIT_REPO"/1/file1.txt &&
+ test_path_is_file "$GIT_REPO"/1/file1.txt &&
  test $(find "$GIT_REPO"/1 -type f | wc -l) = "1" &&

- test -f "$GIT_REPO"/5/file1.txt &&
- test -f "$GIT_REPO"/5/.placeholder &&
+ test_path_is_file "$GIT_REPO"/5/file1.txt &&
+ test_path_is_file "$GIT_REPO"/5/.placeholder &&
  test $(find "$GIT_REPO"/5 -type f | wc -l) = "2"
 '


base-commit: 68cb7f9e92a5d8e9824f5b52ac3d0a9d8f653dbe

Pushkar Singh· Feb 2, 2026, 13:46 UTC · re: Hoda Salim · lore

Re: [PATCH] [GSoC][PATCH] t9160: modernize test path checking

Hi Hoda,

Welcome!

I took a quick look. The replacements with test_path_is_file, test_path_is_dir, and test_file_not_empty look appropriate here, and the patch itself seems straightforward.

Minor nits:
- I noticed "subsqeuent" is misspelled in a couple of the existing test descriptions (not introduced by this patch, but might be a nice follow-up cleanup).
- You might also consider dropping the duplicated [PATCH] tag in the subject for cleanliness.

Otherwise, this looks like a reasonable microproject.

Best, Pushkar

patchRe: [PATCH] [GSoC][PATCH] t9160:modernize test path checking