Volume XXII, number 280Wednesday, October 7, 2026Latest message 2 hours ago

The Git List

News and archive of git@vger.kernel.org, since April 2005

patchrepo: add paths.git_dir repo info key

3 messages between Mar 17, 2026 and Mar 22, 2026, from Jayesh Daga via GitGitGadget, Karthik Nayak, Tian Yuchen.

Plain Markdown or JSON for tools and agents. Diffs are folded; open one to read it.

Jayesh Daga via GitGitGadgetMar 17, 2026, 16:55 UTC on lore
From: jayesh0104 <jayeshdaga99@gmail.com>

Introduce a new repo info key `paths.git_dir` to expose the repository's gitdir path, equivalent to `git rev-parse --git-dir`.

This improves consistency and allows tools to retrieve the gitdir path without invoking external commands.

The implementation adds support in repo.c and integrates it into the repo info reporting mechanism. Documentation is updated to describe the new key, and tests are added to verify that the value matches the output of `git rev-parse --git-dir`.

Signed-off-by: jayesh0104 <jayeshdaga99@gmail.com>
---
    repo: add paths.git_dir to 'git repo info'
    
    Teach git repo info a new key, paths.git_dir, which reports the
    repository’s gitdir path (equivalent to git rev-parse --git-dir).
    
    Documentation and tests are included.
    
    Tests:
    
     * make test T=t1900-repo-info.sh
Published-As: https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/releases/tag/pr-git-2242%2Fjayesh0104%2Fmaster-v1
Fetch-It-Via: git fetch https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git pr-git-2242/jayesh0104/master-v1
Pull-Request: https://github.com/git/git/pull/2242
 Documentation/git-repo.adoc |  5 +++++
 builtin/repo.c              |  7 +++++++
 t/t1900-repo-info.sh        | 10 ++++++++++
 3 files changed, 22 insertions(+)
Show changes to 3 files +22 −0

Documentation/git-repo.adoc, builtin/repo.c, t/t1900-repo-info.sh

diff --git a/Documentation/git-repo.adoc b/Documentation/git-repo.adoc
index 42262c1983..d17d911ec6 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-repo.adoc
+++ b/Documentation/git-repo.adoc
@@ -95,6 +95,11 @@ In order to obtain a set of values from `git repo info`, you should provide
 the keys that identify them. Here's a list of the available keys and the
 values that they return:
 
+`paths.git_dir`::
+	The path to the Git directory for the repository (equivalent to
+	`git rev-parse --git-dir`).
+
+
 `layout.bare`::
 	`true` if this is a bare repository, otherwise `false`.
 
diff --git a/builtin/repo.c b/builtin/repo.c
index 55f9b9095c..3067107cad 100644
--- a/builtin/repo.c
+++ b/builtin/repo.c
@@ -66,11 +66,18 @@ static int get_references_format(struct repository *repo, struct strbuf *buf)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static int get_paths_git_dir(struct repository *repo, struct strbuf *buf)
+{
+	strbuf_addstr(buf, repo_get_git_dir(repo));
+	return 0;
+}
+
 /* repo_info_field keys must be in lexicographical order */
 static const struct repo_info_field repo_info_field[] = {
 	{ "layout.bare", get_layout_bare },
 	{ "layout.shallow", get_layout_shallow },
 	{ "object.format", get_object_format },
+	{ "paths.git_dir", get_paths_git_dir },
 	{ "references.format", get_references_format },
 };
 
diff --git a/t/t1900-repo-info.sh b/t/t1900-repo-info.sh
index a9eb07abe8..63be0849c4 100755
--- a/t/t1900-repo-info.sh
+++ b/t/t1900-repo-info.sh
@@ -149,4 +149,14 @@ test_expect_success 'git repo info --keys uses lines as its default output forma
 	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'paths.git_dir matches rev-parse --git-dir' '
+	git init repo &&
+	(
+		cd repo &&
+		git repo info paths.git_dir >actual &&
+		echo "paths.git_dir=$(git rev-parse --git-dir)" >expect &&
+		test_cmp expect actual
+	)
+'
+
 test_done

base-commit: ca1db8a0f7dc0dbea892e99f5b37c5fe5861be71
-- 
gitgitgadget
Karthik NayakMar 19, 2026, 14:00 UTC in reply to Jayesh Daga via GitGitGadget on lore

Re: [PATCH] repo: add paths.git_dir repo info key

"Jayesh Daga via GitGitGadget" <gitgitgadget@gmail.com> writes:
Show 13 quoted lines
> From: jayesh0104 <jayeshdaga99@gmail.com>
>
> Introduce a new repo info key `paths.git_dir` to expose the
> repository's gitdir path, equivalent to `git rev-parse --git-dir`.
>
> This improves consistency and allows tools to retrieve the gitdir
> path without invoking external commands.
>
> The implementation adds support in repo.c and integrates it into
> the repo info reporting mechanism. Documentation is updated to
> describe the new key, and tests are added to verify that the value
> matches the output of `git rev-parse --git-dir`.
>
Hello Jayesh,

Seeing from the people CC'd I'm assuming that you're interested in applying for the GSoC.

As such, we encourage GSoC contributors to work on micro-projects as listed on our GSoC website and also to read the guidelines we've laid out [1] [2].

I would also mention that we do not recommend getting started on a project, unless you're selected.

Now specifically for this project, there is still no decision made about using relative paths vs absolute paths, I've highlighted this in one of the candidates proposals [3]. I would suggest getting involved in that discussion and coming to a conclusion before starting work on it.

[1]: https://git.github.io/General-Microproject-Information/ [2]: https://git.github.io/General-Application-Information/ [3]: https://lore.kernel.org/git/CAOLa=ZTtNSZ904v0-SN16jAis7gK4=MVj1g_5CGdbmaBopeZkg@mail.gmail.com/#t

Regards, Karthik

[snip]
Tian YuchenMar 22, 2026, 03:27 UTC in reply to Jayesh Daga via GitGitGadget on lore

Re: [PATCH] repo: add paths.git_dir repo info key

Hi Jayesh,
On 3/18/26 00:55, Jayesh Daga via GitGitGadget wrote:
> From: jayesh0104 <jayeshdaga99@gmail.com>
> 
> Introduce a new repo info key `paths.git_dir` to expose the
> repository's gitdir path, equivalent to `git rev-parse --git-dir`.

Here you promise in the commit message that paths.git_dir and git rev-parse --git-dir are equivalent...

Show 54 quoted lines
> > This improves consistency and allows tools to retrieve the gitdir
> path without invoking external commands.
> 
> The implementation adds support in repo.c and integrates it into
> the repo info reporting mechanism. Documentation is updated to
> describe the new key, and tests are added to verify that the value
> matches the output of `git rev-parse --git-dir`.
> 
> Signed-off-by: jayesh0104 <jayeshdaga99@gmail.com>
> ---
>      repo: add paths.git_dir to 'git repo info'
>      
>      Teach git repo info a new key, paths.git_dir, which reports the
>      repository’s gitdir path (equivalent to git rev-parse --git-dir).
>      
>      Documentation and tests are included.
>      
>      Tests:
>      
>       * make test T=t1900-repo-info.sh
> 
> Published-As: https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/releases/tag/pr-git-2242%2Fjayesh0104%2Fmaster-v1
> Fetch-It-Via: git fetch https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git pr-git-2242/jayesh0104/master-v1
> Pull-Request: https://github.com/git/git/pull/2242
> 
>   Documentation/git-repo.adoc |  5 +++++
>   builtin/repo.c              |  7 +++++++
>   t/t1900-repo-info.sh        | 10 ++++++++++
>   3 files changed, 22 insertions(+)
> 
> diff --git a/Documentation/git-repo.adoc b/Documentation/git-repo.adoc
> index 42262c1983..d17d911ec6 100644
> --- a/Documentation/git-repo.adoc
> +++ b/Documentation/git-repo.adoc
> @@ -95,6 +95,11 @@ In order to obtain a set of values from `git repo info`, you should provide
>   the keys that identify them. Here's a list of the available keys and the
>   values that they return:
>   
> +`paths.git_dir`::
> +	The path to the Git directory for the repository (equivalent to
> +	`git rev-parse --git-dir`).
> +
> +
>   `layout.bare`::
>   	`true` if this is a bare repository, otherwise `false`.
>   
> diff --git a/builtin/repo.c b/builtin/repo.c
> index 55f9b9095c..3067107cad 100644
> --- a/builtin/repo.c
> +++ b/builtin/repo.c
> @@ -66,11 +66,18 @@ static int get_references_format(struct repository *repo, struct strbuf *buf)
>   	return 0;
>   }
>  
...
Show 6 quoted lines
> +static int get_paths_git_dir(struct repository *repo, struct strbuf *buf)
> +{
> +	strbuf_addstr(buf, repo_get_git_dir(repo));
> +	return 0;
> +}
> +

...But your implementation here doesn't quite feel right. Check the git-rev-parse documentation: the output of the --git-dir argument is context-aware and depends on your current directory.

If you are in the root directory of the repository, it gives '.git'; And if you are in some subdirectory of the repository , it gives '/home/user/.../repo-root/.../.git'. I don't think simply calling 'repo_get_git_dir(repo)' will achieve this functionality.

Show 17 quoted lines
>   /* repo_info_field keys must be in lexicographical order */
>   static const struct repo_info_field repo_info_field[] = {
>   	{ "layout.bare", get_layout_bare },
>   	{ "layout.shallow", get_layout_shallow },
>   	{ "object.format", get_object_format },
> +	{ "paths.git_dir", get_paths_git_dir },
>   	{ "references.format", get_references_format },
>   };
>   
> diff --git a/t/t1900-repo-info.sh b/t/t1900-repo-info.sh
> index a9eb07abe8..63be0849c4 100755
> --- a/t/t1900-repo-info.sh
> +++ b/t/t1900-repo-info.sh
> @@ -149,4 +149,14 @@ test_expect_success 'git repo info --keys uses lines as its default output forma
>   	test_cmp expect actual
>   '
>   
...
Show 11 quoted lines
> +test_expect_success 'paths.git_dir matches rev-parse --git-dir' '
> +	git init repo &&
> +	(
> +		cd repo &&
> +		git repo info paths.git_dir >actual &&
> +		echo "paths.git_dir=$(git rev-parse --git-dir)" >expect &&
> +		test_cmp expect actual
> +	)
> +'
> +
>   test_done

And you’ve only provided tests for the root directory here, which I don’t think is sufficient. That said, considering that you’ve likely misunderstood how to use the --git-dir parameter, this is understandable.

Next time you create a similar patch, I think you should take a close look at the documentation and source code first, and try using the existing commands a few times on your own to understand how they work, right? ;)

Regards,
Yuchen

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