5

Git configuration branch.<name>.fetch is mentioned in the first git-fetch example1:

  • Update the remote-tracking branches:

    $ git fetch origin

    The above command copies all branches from the remote refs/heads/ namespace and stores them to the local refs/remotes/origin/ namespace, unless the branch..fetch option is used to specify a non-default refspec.

But I can't find its doc in git-config's doc. Did branch.<name>.fetch ever exist?

Searching in git-config's doc for configs starting with branch. or ending with .fetch, it seems branch.<name>.fetch is a typo of remote.<name>.fetch.

1 This example was added in commit d504f69 in 2009.

muzimuzhi Z
  • 187
  • 10
  • 1
    "*it seems `branch..fetch` is a typo of `remote..fetch`*" Seems you nailed it! Please report to git@vger.kernel.org; see https://github.com/git/git#readme – phd Jan 07 '23 at 12:43
  • 1
    The typo fix has been contributed to `git`, currently on `next` branch only, see [a3ca60840b](https://github.com/git/git/commit/a3ca60840b2a352e3dc02078e733219d0e4f080d). Also see the corresponding [thread](https://lore.kernel.org/git/CAEg0tHSLyaewkgGs0dEXfwQhKmbiO65bXZVU8t7Kn4WwJ1p0Fw@mail.gmail.com/T/#u) in `git.@vger.kernel.org`. I'll vote to close this question. – muzimuzhi Z Jan 15 '23 at 20:31
  • emm, I can see no "Close" button. It seems I don't have enough reputation (3,000 according to [Stack Overflow > Help center > Privileges#flag-posts](https://stackoverflow.com/help/privileges/flag-posts)) to cast a close vote. – muzimuzhi Z Jan 15 '23 at 22:40
  • IMO you should create an answer and accept it instead of providing the link to the patch and close. – phd Jan 16 '23 at 00:24

1 Answers1

3

Confirmed by both @phd in comment and Junio C Hamano in git mailing list (see the full thread), Git configuration branch.<name>.fetch is indeed a typo.

On Jan 16, 2023, the commit that corrects it to remote.<repository>.fetch is merged to "the" git repo, currently only on next branch, see merge commit a3ca60840b.

According to git config doc, remote.<repository>.fetch sets the default <refspec> for git fetch. You can find doc for <refspec> in git fetch doc, "Configured Remote-Tracking Branches".

Since the typo has lasted from 2009 to 2023 (suppose next git release will happen in 2023), there're many copies of full or excerpted git fetch docs containing that typo all over the web. I will try to fix some of them found on Stack Overflow and Stack Exchange Network, after the next git release hence the official git-fetch doc adapts the typo fix.

Git 2.40 (Q1 2023) includes this doc fix:

See commit ca554bf (14 Jan 2023) by Yukai Chou (muzimuzhi).
(Merged by Junio C Hamano -- gitster -- in commit 86ccd39, 21 Jan 2023)

doc: fix non-existent config name

Signed-off-by: Yukai Chou

Replace non-existent branch.<name>.fetch to remote.<repository>.fetch, in the first example in git-fetch doc, which was introduced in d504f69 ("modernize fetch/merge/pull examples", 2009-10-21, Git v1.6.6-rc0 -- merge).

Rename placeholder <name> to <repository>, to be consistent with all other uses in git docs, except that git-config.txt uses remote.<name>.fetch in its "Variables" section.

Also add missing monospace markups.

git fetch now includes in its man page:

The above command copies all branches from the remote refs/heads/ namespace and stores them to the local refs/remotes/origin/ namespace, unless the remote.<repository>.fetch option is used to specify a non-default refspec.

VonC
  • 1,262,500
  • 529
  • 4,410
  • 5,250
muzimuzhi Z
  • 187
  • 10