fetch: stop clobbering existing tags without --force

Change "fetch" to treat "+" in refspecs (aka --force) to mean we
should clobber a local tag of the same name.

This changes the long-standing behavior of "fetch" added in
853a3697dc ("[PATCH] Multi-head fetch.", 2005-08-20). Before this
change, all tag fetches effectively had --force enabled. See the
git-fetch-script code in fast_forward_local() with the comment:

    > Tags need not be pointing at commits so there is no way to
    > guarantee "fast-forward" anyway.

That commit and the rest of the history of "fetch" shows that the
"+" (--force) part of refpecs was only conceived for branch updates,
while tags have accepted any changes from upstream unconditionally and
clobbered the local tag object. Changing this behavior has been
discussed as early as 2011[1].

The current behavior doesn't make sense to me, it easily results in
local tags accidentally being clobbered. We could namespace our tags
per-remote and not locally populate refs/tags/*, but as with my
97716d217c ("fetch: add a --prune-tags option and fetch.pruneTags
config", 2018-02-09) it's easier to work around the current
implementation than to fix the root cause.

So this change implements suggestion #1 from Jeff's 2011 E-Mail[1],
"fetch" now only clobbers the tag if either "+" is provided as part of
the refspec, or if "--force" is provided on the command-line.

This also makes it nicely symmetrical with how "tag" itself works when
creating tags. I.e. we refuse to clobber any existing tags unless
"--force" is supplied. Now we can refuse all such clobbering, whether
it would happen by clobbering a local tag with "tag", or by fetching
it from the remote with "fetch".

Ref updates outside refs/{tags,heads/* are still still not symmetrical
with how "git push" works, as discussed in the recently changed
pull-fetch-param.txt documentation. This change brings the two
divergent behaviors more into line with one another. I don't think
there's any reason "fetch" couldn't fully converge with the behavior
used by "push", but that's a topic for another change.

One of the tests added in 31b808a032 ("clone --single: limit the fetch
refspec to fetched branch", 2012-09-20) is being changed to use
--force where a clone would clobber a tag. This changes nothing about
the existing behavior of the test.

1. https://public-inbox.org/git/20111123221658.GA22313@sigill.intra.peff.net/

Signed-off-by: Ævar Arnfjörð Bjarmason <avarab@gmail.com>
Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
4 files changed
tree: 80fd412c58c28722ed45eca6970b01337b84b50c
  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. alloc.h
  37. apply.c
  38. apply.h
  39. archive-tar.c
  40. archive-zip.c
  41. archive.c
  42. archive.h
  43. argv-array.c
  44. argv-array.h
  45. attr.c
  46. attr.h
  47. base85.c
  48. bisect.c
  49. bisect.h
  50. blame.c
  51. blame.h
  52. blob.c
  53. blob.h
  54. branch.c
  55. branch.h
  56. builtin.h
  57. bulk-checkin.c
  58. bulk-checkin.h
  59. bundle.c
  60. bundle.h
  61. cache-tree.c
  62. cache-tree.h
  63. cache.h
  64. chdir-notify.c
  65. chdir-notify.h
  66. check-builtins.sh
  67. check-racy.c
  68. check_bindir
  69. checkout.c
  70. checkout.h
  71. color.c
  72. color.h
  73. column.c
  74. column.h
  75. combine-diff.c
  76. command-list.txt
  77. commit-graph.c
  78. commit-graph.h
  79. commit-slab-decl.h
  80. commit-slab-impl.h
  81. commit-slab.h
  82. commit.c
  83. commit.h
  84. common-main.c
  85. config.c
  86. config.h
  87. config.mak.dev
  88. config.mak.in
  89. config.mak.uname
  90. configure.ac
  91. connect.c
  92. connect.h
  93. connected.c
  94. connected.h
  95. convert.c
  96. convert.h
  97. copy.c
  98. COPYING
  99. credential-cache--daemon.c
  100. credential-cache.c
  101. credential-store.c
  102. credential.c
  103. credential.h
  104. csum-file.c
  105. csum-file.h
  106. ctype.c
  107. daemon.c
  108. date.c
  109. decorate.c
  110. decorate.h
  111. delta.h
  112. detect-compiler
  113. diff-delta.c
  114. diff-lib.c
  115. diff-no-index.c
  116. diff.c
  117. diff.h
  118. diffcore-break.c
  119. diffcore-delta.c
  120. diffcore-order.c
  121. diffcore-pickaxe.c
  122. diffcore-rename.c
  123. diffcore.h
  124. dir-iterator.c
  125. dir-iterator.h
  126. dir.c
  127. dir.h
  128. editor.c
  129. entry.c
  130. environment.c
  131. exec-cmd.c
  132. exec-cmd.h
  133. fast-import.c
  134. fetch-object.c
  135. fetch-object.h
  136. fetch-pack.c
  137. fetch-pack.h
  138. fmt-merge-msg.h
  139. fsck.c
  140. fsck.h
  141. fsmonitor.c
  142. fsmonitor.h
  143. generate-cmdlist.sh
  144. gettext.c
  145. gettext.h
  146. git-add--interactive.perl
  147. git-archimport.perl
  148. git-bisect.sh
  149. git-compat-util.h
  150. git-cvsexportcommit.perl
  151. git-cvsimport.perl
  152. git-cvsserver.perl
  153. git-difftool--helper.sh
  154. git-filter-branch.sh
  155. git-instaweb.sh
  156. git-merge-octopus.sh
  157. git-merge-one-file.sh
  158. git-merge-resolve.sh
  159. git-mergetool--lib.sh
  160. git-mergetool.sh
  161. git-p4.py
  162. git-parse-remote.sh
  163. git-quiltimport.sh
  164. git-rebase--am.sh
  165. git-rebase--interactive.sh
  166. git-rebase--merge.sh
  167. git-rebase--preserve-merges.sh
  168. git-rebase.sh
  169. git-remote-testgit.sh
  170. git-request-pull.sh
  171. git-send-email.perl
  172. git-sh-i18n.sh
  173. git-sh-setup.sh
  174. git-stash.sh
  175. git-submodule.sh
  176. git-svn.perl
  177. GIT-VERSION-GEN
  178. git-web--browse.sh
  179. git.c
  180. git.rc
  181. gpg-interface.c
  182. gpg-interface.h
  183. graph.c
  184. graph.h
  185. grep.c
  186. grep.h
  187. hash.h
  188. hashmap.c
  189. hashmap.h
  190. help.c
  191. help.h
  192. hex.c
  193. http-backend.c
  194. http-fetch.c
  195. http-push.c
  196. http-walker.c
  197. http.c
  198. http.h
  199. ident.c
  200. imap-send.c
  201. INSTALL
  202. iterator.h
  203. khash.h
  204. kwset.c
  205. kwset.h
  206. levenshtein.c
  207. levenshtein.h
  208. LGPL-2.1
  209. line-log.c
  210. line-log.h
  211. line-range.c
  212. line-range.h
  213. list-objects-filter-options.c
  214. list-objects-filter-options.h
  215. list-objects-filter.c
  216. list-objects-filter.h
  217. list-objects.c
  218. list-objects.h
  219. list.h
  220. ll-merge.c
  221. ll-merge.h
  222. lockfile.c
  223. lockfile.h
  224. log-tree.c
  225. log-tree.h
  226. ls-refs.c
  227. ls-refs.h
  228. mailinfo.c
  229. mailinfo.h
  230. mailmap.c
  231. mailmap.h
  232. Makefile
  233. match-trees.c
  234. mem-pool.c
  235. mem-pool.h
  236. merge-blobs.c
  237. merge-blobs.h
  238. merge-recursive.c
  239. merge-recursive.h
  240. merge.c
  241. mergesort.c
  242. mergesort.h
  243. name-hash.c
  244. notes-cache.c
  245. notes-cache.h
  246. notes-merge.c
  247. notes-merge.h
  248. notes-utils.c
  249. notes-utils.h
  250. notes.c
  251. notes.h
  252. object-store.h
  253. object.c
  254. object.h
  255. oidmap.c
  256. oidmap.h
  257. oidset.c
  258. oidset.h
  259. pack-bitmap-write.c
  260. pack-bitmap.c
  261. pack-bitmap.h
  262. pack-check.c
  263. pack-objects.c
  264. pack-objects.h
  265. pack-revindex.c
  266. pack-revindex.h
  267. pack-write.c
  268. pack.h
  269. packfile.c
  270. packfile.h
  271. pager.c
  272. parse-options-cb.c
  273. parse-options.c
  274. parse-options.h
  275. patch-delta.c
  276. patch-ids.c
  277. patch-ids.h
  278. path.c
  279. path.h
  280. pathspec.c
  281. pathspec.h
  282. pkt-line.c
  283. pkt-line.h
  284. preload-index.c
  285. pretty.c
  286. pretty.h
  287. prio-queue.c
  288. prio-queue.h
  289. progress.c
  290. progress.h
  291. prompt.c
  292. prompt.h
  293. protocol.c
  294. protocol.h
  295. quote.c
  296. quote.h
  297. reachable.c
  298. reachable.h
  299. read-cache.c
  300. README.md
  301. ref-filter.c
  302. ref-filter.h
  303. reflog-walk.c
  304. reflog-walk.h
  305. refs.c
  306. refs.h
  307. refspec.c
  308. refspec.h
  309. remote-curl.c
  310. remote-testsvn.c
  311. remote.c
  312. remote.h
  313. replace-object.c
  314. replace-object.h
  315. repository.c
  316. repository.h
  317. rerere.c
  318. rerere.h
  319. resolve-undo.c
  320. resolve-undo.h
  321. revision.c
  322. revision.h
  323. run-command.c
  324. run-command.h
  325. send-pack.c
  326. send-pack.h
  327. sequencer.c
  328. sequencer.h
  329. serve.c
  330. serve.h
  331. server-info.c
  332. setup.c
  333. sh-i18n--envsubst.c
  334. sha1-array.c
  335. sha1-array.h
  336. sha1-file.c
  337. sha1-lookup.c
  338. sha1-lookup.h
  339. sha1-name.c
  340. sha1dc_git.c
  341. sha1dc_git.h
  342. shallow.c
  343. shell.c
  344. shortlog.h
  345. sideband.c
  346. sideband.h
  347. sigchain.c
  348. sigchain.h
  349. split-index.c
  350. split-index.h
  351. strbuf.c
  352. strbuf.h
  353. streaming.c
  354. streaming.h
  355. string-list.c
  356. string-list.h
  357. sub-process.c
  358. sub-process.h
  359. submodule-config.c
  360. submodule-config.h
  361. submodule.c
  362. submodule.h
  363. symlinks.c
  364. tag.c
  365. tag.h
  366. tar.h
  367. tempfile.c
  368. tempfile.h
  369. thread-utils.c
  370. thread-utils.h
  371. tmp-objdir.c
  372. tmp-objdir.h
  373. trace.c
  374. trace.h
  375. trailer.c
  376. trailer.h
  377. transport-helper.c
  378. transport-internal.h
  379. transport.c
  380. transport.h
  381. tree-diff.c
  382. tree-walk.c
  383. tree-walk.h
  384. tree.c
  385. tree.h
  386. unicode-width.h
  387. unimplemented.sh
  388. unix-socket.c
  389. unix-socket.h
  390. unpack-trees.c
  391. unpack-trees.h
  392. upload-pack.c
  393. upload-pack.h
  394. url.c
  395. url.h
  396. urlmatch.c
  397. urlmatch.h
  398. usage.c
  399. userdiff.c
  400. userdiff.h
  401. utf8.c
  402. utf8.h
  403. varint.c
  404. varint.h
  405. version.c
  406. version.h
  407. versioncmp.c
  408. walker.c
  409. walker.h
  410. wildmatch.c
  411. wildmatch.h
  412. worktree.c
  413. worktree.h
  414. wrap-for-bin.sh
  415. wrapper.c
  416. write-or-die.c
  417. ws.c
  418. wt-status.c
  419. wt-status.h
  420. xdiff-interface.c
  421. xdiff-interface.h
  422. 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.

Issues which are security relevant should be disclosed privately to the Git Security mailing list git-security@googlegroups.com.

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