4 ms·

When the entire structure of commits is called a tree, I find the name "branch" fitting. The branch is identified by its head commit, so the path from head to r

When the entire structure of commits is called a tree, I find the name "branch" fitting. The branch is identified by its head commit, so the path from head to root is uniquely defined and that's the branch. (Disregarding merges for now.)

cpeterso 3y ago
Leaning into the tree metaphor (and following the precedent of other version control systems), git should have used the term trunk instead of master or main.
- hnarn 3y ago
  Why? That would heavily imply that master/main is somehow technically different from all other branches (since a trunk is certainly not a branch), which to my knowledge is not true.
  - cpeterso 3y ago
    I see what you mean, but don't "master" and "main" also imply some special authority? Trunk-based development with branches forking off and merging back into the trunk (a DAG, unlike a real tree! :) is an extremely common workflow. https://trunkbaseddevelopment.com/ https://trunkbaseddevelopment.com/
- Kuraj 3y ago
  By following this metaphor, a trunk would be the original commit, whereas branches are the tree branch tips.
  - galaxyLogic 3y ago
    And consider that because every folder can have its own .git subfolder, we can have several paralle trunks/repositories at the same time, meaning we have a forest. I haven't really seen specific guidelines as to when and why should anyone start a new repo. Are there some? Or is "mono-repo" the best solution, and when and for whom. Surely we need more than one git-repo in the whole world?!
TeMPOraL 3y ago
> Disregarding merges for now. Without disregarding them, it's not a tree, but a DAG.
- dayjaby 3y ago
  It is a tree. What makes you think it's just a DAG? Are there commits with multiple parent commits or what?
  - imron 3y ago
    Yes. Merge commits have two parents.
    - Izkata 3y ago
      Two or more. I'm not sure there's a limit. Try not to do this (imagine a 5-way merge conflict).
  - zaphar 3y ago
    There absolutely can be. Merge commits have multiple parent commits for example. It's definitely a graph not just a tree.
    - dayjaby 3y ago
      Parent comment was about disregarding merge commits.
      - zaphar 3y ago
        You can't disregard merge commits. It's part of the structure.
skrebbel 3y ago
FWIW “tree” has a specific, different meaning in Git. It’s a file tracking the contents of a directory.
lmm 3y ago
Well yes if you disregard the thing that makes it not a tree then it is a tree. But you can't disregard that!

cpeterso 3y ago

Leaning into the tree metaphor (and following the precedent of other version control systems), git should have used the term trunk instead of master or main.

hnarn 3y ago
Why? That would heavily imply that master/main is somehow technically different from all other branches (since a trunk is certainly not a branch), which to my knowledge is not true.
- cpeterso 3y ago
  I see what you mean, but don't "master" and "main" also imply some special authority? Trunk-based development with branches forking off and merging back into the trunk (a DAG, unlike a real tree! :) is an extremely common workflow. https://trunkbaseddevelopment.com/ https://trunkbaseddevelopment.com/
Kuraj 3y ago
By following this metaphor, a trunk would be the original commit, whereas branches are the tree branch tips.
- galaxyLogic 3y ago
  And consider that because every folder can have its own .git subfolder, we can have several paralle trunks/repositories at the same time, meaning we have a forest. I haven't really seen specific guidelines as to when and why should anyone start a new repo. Are there some? Or is "mono-repo" the best solution, and when and for whom. Surely we need more than one git-repo in the whole world?!

TeMPOraL 3y ago

> Disregarding merges for now. Without disregarding them, it's not a tree, but a DAG.

dayjaby 3y ago
It is a tree. What makes you think it's just a DAG? Are there commits with multiple parent commits or what?
- imron 3y ago
  Yes. Merge commits have two parents.
  - Izkata 3y ago
    Two or more. I'm not sure there's a limit. Try not to do this (imagine a 5-way merge conflict).
- zaphar 3y ago
  There absolutely can be. Merge commits have multiple parent commits for example. It's definitely a graph not just a tree.
  - dayjaby 3y ago
    Parent comment was about disregarding merge commits.
    - zaphar 3y ago
      You can't disregard merge commits. It's part of the structure.

skrebbel 3y ago

FWIW “tree” has a specific, different meaning in Git. It’s a file tracking the contents of a directory.

lmm 3y ago

Well yes if you disregard the thing that makes it not a tree then it is a tree. But you can't disregard that!