checkout & worktree: introduce checkout.defaultRemote

Introduce a checkout.defaultRemote setting which can be used to
designate a remote to prefer (via checkout.defaultRemote=origin) when
running e.g. "git checkout master" to mean origin/master, even though
there's other remotes that have the "master" branch.

I want this because it's very handy to use this workflow to checkout a
repository and create a topic branch, then get back to a "master" as
retrieved from upstream:

    (
        cd /tmp &&
        rm -rf tbdiff &&
        git clone git@github.com:trast/tbdiff.git &&
        cd tbdiff &&
        git branch -m topic &&
        git checkout master
    )

That will output:

    Branch 'master' set up to track remote branch 'master' from 'origin'.
    Switched to a new branch 'master'

But as soon as a new remote is added (e.g. just to inspect something
from someone else) the DWIMery goes away:

    (
        cd /tmp &&
        rm -rf tbdiff &&
        git clone git@github.com:trast/tbdiff.git &&
        cd tbdiff &&
        git branch -m topic &&
        git remote add avar git@github.com:avar/tbdiff.git &&
        git fetch avar &&
        git checkout master
    )

Will output (without the advice output added earlier in this series):

    error: pathspec 'master' did not match any file(s) known to git.

The new checkout.defaultRemote config allows me to say that whenever
that ambiguity comes up I'd like to prefer "origin", and it'll still
work as though the only remote I had was "origin".

Also adjust the advice.checkoutAmbiguousRemoteBranchName message to
mention this new config setting to the user, the full output on my
git.git is now (the last paragraph is new):

    $ ./git --exec-path=$PWD checkout master
    error: pathspec 'master' did not match any file(s) known to git.
    hint: 'master' matched more than one remote tracking branch.
    hint: We found 26 remotes with a reference that matched. So we fell back
    hint: on trying to resolve the argument as a path, but failed there too!
    hint:
    hint: If you meant to check out a remote tracking branch on, e.g. 'origin',
    hint: you can do so by fully qualifying the name with the --track option:
    hint:
    hint:     git checkout --track origin/<name>
    hint:
    hint: If you'd like to always have checkouts of an ambiguous <name> prefer
    hint: one remote, e.g. the 'origin' remote, consider setting
    hint: checkout.defaultRemote=origin in your config.

I considered splitting this into checkout.defaultRemote and
worktree.defaultRemote, but it's probably less confusing to break our
own rules that anything shared between config should live in core.*
than have two config settings, and I couldn't come up with a short
name under core.* that made sense (core.defaultRemoteForCheckout?).

See also 70c9ac2f19 ("DWIM "git checkout frotz" to "git checkout -b
frotz origin/frotz"", 2009-10-18) which introduced this DWIM feature
to begin with, and 4e85333197 ("worktree: make add <path> <branch>
dwim", 2017-11-26) which added it to git-worktree.

Signed-off-by: Ævar Arnfjörð Bjarmason <avarab@gmail.com>
Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
7 files changed
tree: 2ef11545322a2d1de527588e2d5a2a41e2e47ddd
  1. .github/
  2. block-sha1/
  3. builtin/
  4. ci/
  5. compat/
  6. contrib/
  7. Documentation/
  8. ewah/
  9. git-gui/
  10. gitk-git/
  11. gitweb/
  12. mergetools/
  13. perl/
  14. po/
  15. ppc/
  16. refs/
  17. sha1dc/
  18. t/
  19. templates/
  20. vcs-svn/
  21. xdiff/
  22. .clang-format
  23. .gitattributes
  24. .gitignore
  25. .gitmodules
  26. .mailmap
  27. .travis.yml
  28. .tsan-suppressions
  29. abspath.c
  30. aclocal.m4
  31. advice.c
  32. advice.h
  33. alias.c
  34. alias.h
  35. alloc.c
  36. apply.c
  37. apply.h
  38. archive-tar.c
  39. archive-zip.c
  40. archive.c
  41. archive.h
  42. argv-array.c
  43. argv-array.h
  44. attr.c
  45. attr.h
  46. base85.c
  47. bisect.c
  48. bisect.h
  49. blame.c
  50. blame.h
  51. blob.c
  52. blob.h
  53. branch.c
  54. branch.h
  55. builtin.h
  56. bulk-checkin.c
  57. bulk-checkin.h
  58. bundle.c
  59. bundle.h
  60. cache-tree.c
  61. cache-tree.h
  62. cache.h
  63. chdir-notify.c
  64. chdir-notify.h
  65. check-builtins.sh
  66. check-racy.c
  67. check_bindir
  68. checkout.c
  69. checkout.h
  70. color.c
  71. color.h
  72. column.c
  73. column.h
  74. combine-diff.c
  75. command-list.txt
  76. commit-graph.c
  77. commit-graph.h
  78. commit-slab.h
  79. commit.c
  80. commit.h
  81. common-main.c
  82. config.c
  83. config.h
  84. config.mak.dev
  85. config.mak.in
  86. config.mak.uname
  87. configure.ac
  88. connect.c
  89. connect.h
  90. connected.c
  91. connected.h
  92. convert.c
  93. convert.h
  94. copy.c
  95. COPYING
  96. credential-cache--daemon.c
  97. credential-cache.c
  98. credential-store.c
  99. credential.c
  100. credential.h
  101. csum-file.c
  102. csum-file.h
  103. ctype.c
  104. daemon.c
  105. date.c
  106. decorate.c
  107. decorate.h
  108. delta.h
  109. detect-compiler
  110. diff-delta.c
  111. diff-lib.c
  112. diff-no-index.c
  113. diff.c
  114. diff.h
  115. diffcore-break.c
  116. diffcore-delta.c
  117. diffcore-order.c
  118. diffcore-pickaxe.c
  119. diffcore-rename.c
  120. diffcore.h
  121. dir-iterator.c
  122. dir-iterator.h
  123. dir.c
  124. dir.h
  125. editor.c
  126. entry.c
  127. environment.c
  128. exec-cmd.c
  129. exec-cmd.h
  130. fast-import.c
  131. fetch-object.c
  132. fetch-object.h
  133. fetch-pack.c
  134. fetch-pack.h
  135. fmt-merge-msg.h
  136. fsck.c
  137. fsck.h
  138. fsmonitor.c
  139. fsmonitor.h
  140. generate-cmdlist.sh
  141. gettext.c
  142. gettext.h
  143. git-add--interactive.perl
  144. git-archimport.perl
  145. git-bisect.sh
  146. git-compat-util.h
  147. git-cvsexportcommit.perl
  148. git-cvsimport.perl
  149. git-cvsserver.perl
  150. git-difftool--helper.sh
  151. git-filter-branch.sh
  152. git-instaweb.sh
  153. git-merge-octopus.sh
  154. git-merge-one-file.sh
  155. git-merge-resolve.sh
  156. git-mergetool--lib.sh
  157. git-mergetool.sh
  158. git-p4.py
  159. git-parse-remote.sh
  160. git-quiltimport.sh
  161. git-rebase--am.sh
  162. git-rebase--interactive.sh
  163. git-rebase--merge.sh
  164. git-rebase.sh
  165. git-remote-testgit.sh
  166. git-request-pull.sh
  167. git-send-email.perl
  168. git-sh-i18n.sh
  169. git-sh-setup.sh
  170. git-stash.sh
  171. git-submodule.sh
  172. git-svn.perl
  173. GIT-VERSION-GEN
  174. git-web--browse.sh
  175. git.c
  176. git.rc
  177. gpg-interface.c
  178. gpg-interface.h
  179. graph.c
  180. graph.h
  181. grep.c
  182. grep.h
  183. hash.h
  184. hashmap.c
  185. hashmap.h
  186. help.c
  187. help.h
  188. hex.c
  189. http-backend.c
  190. http-fetch.c
  191. http-push.c
  192. http-walker.c
  193. http.c
  194. http.h
  195. ident.c
  196. imap-send.c
  197. INSTALL
  198. iterator.h
  199. khash.h
  200. kwset.c
  201. kwset.h
  202. levenshtein.c
  203. levenshtein.h
  204. LGPL-2.1
  205. line-log.c
  206. line-log.h
  207. line-range.c
  208. line-range.h
  209. list-objects-filter-options.c
  210. list-objects-filter-options.h
  211. list-objects-filter.c
  212. list-objects-filter.h
  213. list-objects.c
  214. list-objects.h
  215. list.h
  216. ll-merge.c
  217. ll-merge.h
  218. lockfile.c
  219. lockfile.h
  220. log-tree.c
  221. log-tree.h
  222. ls-refs.c
  223. ls-refs.h
  224. mailinfo.c
  225. mailinfo.h
  226. mailmap.c
  227. mailmap.h
  228. Makefile
  229. match-trees.c
  230. mem-pool.c
  231. mem-pool.h
  232. merge-blobs.c
  233. merge-blobs.h
  234. merge-recursive.c
  235. merge-recursive.h
  236. merge.c
  237. mergesort.c
  238. mergesort.h
  239. name-hash.c
  240. notes-cache.c
  241. notes-cache.h
  242. notes-merge.c
  243. notes-merge.h
  244. notes-utils.c
  245. notes-utils.h
  246. notes.c
  247. notes.h
  248. object-store.h
  249. object.c
  250. object.h
  251. oidmap.c
  252. oidmap.h
  253. oidset.c
  254. oidset.h
  255. pack-bitmap-write.c
  256. pack-bitmap.c
  257. pack-bitmap.h
  258. pack-check.c
  259. pack-objects.c
  260. pack-objects.h
  261. pack-revindex.c
  262. pack-revindex.h
  263. pack-write.c
  264. pack.h
  265. packfile.c
  266. packfile.h
  267. pager.c
  268. parse-options-cb.c
  269. parse-options.c
  270. parse-options.h
  271. patch-delta.c
  272. patch-ids.c
  273. patch-ids.h
  274. path.c
  275. path.h
  276. pathspec.c
  277. pathspec.h
  278. pkt-line.c
  279. pkt-line.h
  280. preload-index.c
  281. pretty.c
  282. pretty.h
  283. prio-queue.c
  284. prio-queue.h
  285. progress.c
  286. progress.h
  287. prompt.c
  288. prompt.h
  289. protocol.c
  290. protocol.h
  291. quote.c
  292. quote.h
  293. reachable.c
  294. reachable.h
  295. read-cache.c
  296. README.md
  297. ref-filter.c
  298. ref-filter.h
  299. reflog-walk.c
  300. reflog-walk.h
  301. refs.c
  302. refs.h
  303. refspec.c
  304. refspec.h
  305. remote-curl.c
  306. remote-testsvn.c
  307. remote.c
  308. remote.h
  309. replace-object.c
  310. replace-object.h
  311. repository.c
  312. repository.h
  313. rerere.c
  314. rerere.h
  315. resolve-undo.c
  316. resolve-undo.h
  317. revision.c
  318. revision.h
  319. run-command.c
  320. run-command.h
  321. send-pack.c
  322. send-pack.h
  323. sequencer.c
  324. sequencer.h
  325. serve.c
  326. serve.h
  327. server-info.c
  328. setup.c
  329. sh-i18n--envsubst.c
  330. sha1-array.c
  331. sha1-array.h
  332. sha1-file.c
  333. sha1-lookup.c
  334. sha1-lookup.h
  335. sha1-name.c
  336. sha1dc_git.c
  337. sha1dc_git.h
  338. shallow.c
  339. shell.c
  340. shortlog.h
  341. show-index.c
  342. sideband.c
  343. sideband.h
  344. sigchain.c
  345. sigchain.h
  346. split-index.c
  347. split-index.h
  348. strbuf.c
  349. strbuf.h
  350. streaming.c
  351. streaming.h
  352. string-list.c
  353. string-list.h
  354. sub-process.c
  355. sub-process.h
  356. submodule-config.c
  357. submodule-config.h
  358. submodule.c
  359. submodule.h
  360. symlinks.c
  361. tag.c
  362. tag.h
  363. tar.h
  364. tempfile.c
  365. tempfile.h
  366. thread-utils.c
  367. thread-utils.h
  368. tmp-objdir.c
  369. tmp-objdir.h
  370. trace.c
  371. trace.h
  372. trailer.c
  373. trailer.h
  374. transport-helper.c
  375. transport-internal.h
  376. transport.c
  377. transport.h
  378. tree-diff.c
  379. tree-walk.c
  380. tree-walk.h
  381. tree.c
  382. tree.h
  383. unicode-width.h
  384. unimplemented.sh
  385. unix-socket.c
  386. unix-socket.h
  387. unpack-trees.c
  388. unpack-trees.h
  389. upload-pack.c
  390. upload-pack.h
  391. url.c
  392. url.h
  393. urlmatch.c
  394. urlmatch.h
  395. usage.c
  396. userdiff.c
  397. userdiff.h
  398. utf8.c
  399. utf8.h
  400. varint.c
  401. varint.h
  402. version.c
  403. version.h
  404. versioncmp.c
  405. walker.c
  406. walker.h
  407. wildmatch.c
  408. wildmatch.h
  409. worktree.c
  410. worktree.h
  411. wrap-for-bin.sh
  412. wrapper.c
  413. write-or-die.c
  414. ws.c
  415. wt-status.c
  416. wt-status.h
  417. xdiff-interface.c
  418. xdiff-interface.h
  419. zlib.c
README.md

Git - fast, scalable, distributed revision control system

Git is a fast, scalable, distributed revision control system with an unusually rich command set that provides both high-level operations and full access to internals.

Git is an Open Source project covered by the GNU General Public License version 2 (some parts of it are under different licenses, compatible with the GPLv2). It was originally written by Linus Torvalds with help of a group of hackers around the net.

Please read the file INSTALL for installation instructions.

Many Git online resources are accessible from https://git-scm.com/ including full documentation and Git related tools.

See Documentation/gittutorial.txt to get started, then see Documentation/giteveryday.txt for a useful minimum set of commands, and Documentation/git-.txt for documentation of each command. If git has been correctly installed, then the tutorial can also be read with man gittutorial or git help tutorial, and the documentation of each command with man git-<commandname> or git help <commandname>.

CVS users may also want to read Documentation/gitcvs-migration.txt (man gitcvs-migration or git help cvs-migration if git is installed).

The user discussion and development of Git take place on the Git mailing list -- everyone is welcome to post bug reports, feature requests, comments and patches to git@vger.kernel.org (read Documentation/SubmittingPatches for instructions on patch submission). To subscribe to the list, send an email with just “subscribe git” in the body to majordomo@vger.kernel.org. The mailing list archives are available at https://public-inbox.org/git/, http://marc.info/?l=git and other archival sites.

The maintainer frequently sends the “What's cooking” reports that list the current status of various development topics to the mailing list. The discussion following them give a good reference for project status, development direction and remaining tasks.

The name “git” was given by Linus Torvalds when he wrote the very first version. He described the tool as “the stupid content tracker” and the name as (depending on your mood):

  • random three-letter combination that is pronounceable, and not actually used by any common UNIX command. The fact that it is a mispronunciation of “get” may or may not be relevant.
  • stupid. contemptible and despicable. simple. Take your pick from the dictionary of slang.
  • “global information tracker”: you're in a good mood, and it actually works for you. Angels sing, and a light suddenly fills the room.
  • “goddamn idiotic truckload of sh*t”: when it breaks