In any case, the refined version of that admission - the deliberate porcelain/plumbing distinction - is still best explained in the git docs and I wish more too

In any case, the refined version of that admission - the deliberate porcelain/plumbing distinction - is still best explained in the git docs and I wish more tools would copy it. apt(-get) has cautiously started that process, while GnuPG sadly remains a box shock full of surprises in both API and CLI.