* Emphasize "contents" more than "files" in the introduction * Delete the terminology note, and just keep a single parenthetical "(also known as "staging area")" * Be more explicit about what "By default" means * Don't mention git diff --cached, mentioning more and more related commands felt like it was starting to get messy (what about git diff? what about git reset? what about git rm?). * Leave the "This command can be performed multiple times before a commit"... paragraph alone since the only 2 users who commented on it said it was clear and helpful already. * Move "Please see linkgit:git-commit[1].." back to the end, where it used to be Julia Evans (2): doc: git-add: clarify intro & add an example doc: git-add: simplify discussion of ignored files Junio C Hamano (1): Git 2.51 Documentation/git-add.adoc | 34 ++++++++++++++++------------------ GIT-VERSION-GEN | 2 +- 2 files changed, 17 insertions(+), 19 deletions(-) base-commit: e5ab6b3e5a3f0a94a429526e0fe6f491955ac053 Published-As: https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/releases/tag/pr-1952%2Fjvns%2Fclarify-add-v3 Fetch-It-Via: git fetch https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git pr-1952/jvns/clarify-add-v3 Pull-Request: https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/pull/1952 Range-diff vs v2: -: ----------- > 1: c44beea485f Git 2.51 1: d041d09589b ! 2: 080720c0599 doc: git-add: start man page with an example @@ Metadata Author: Julia Evans <julia@xxxxxxx> ## Commit message ## - doc: git-add: start man page with an example + doc: git-add: clarify intro & add an example - - Replace the intro paragraph of the `git-add` man page with an - example to try to clarify it for new users. The goal here is use less - jargon but communicate essentially the same information. - - Give an example of how to add only part of the changes to the file - - Remove the snapshot-based explanation of the index and replace it with - a diff-based explanation because I don't feel that it's useful in this - context to emphasize that git uses a snapshot-based model: the main - way most git users interact with the index is through `git diff` or - `git status`, which is a completely diff-based view of the index. + - Add a basic example of how "git add" is normally used + - It's not technically true that you *must* use the `add` command to + add changes before running `git commit`, because `git commit -a` + exists. Instead say that you *can* use the `add` command. + - Mention early on that "index" is another word for "staging area", + since Git very rarely uses the word "index" in its output + (`git status`) uses the term "staged", and many Git users are + unfamiliar with the term "index" + - Remove "It typically adds" (it's not clear what "typically" means), + and instead mention that `git add -p` can be used to add + partial contents + - Currently the introduction is somewhat repetitive ("to prepare the + content staged for the next commit" ... "this snapshot that is taken + as the contents of the next commit."), replace with a single sentence + ("The "index" [...] is where Git stores the contents of the next + commit.") Signed-off-by: Julia Evans <julia@xxxxxxx> ## Documentation/git-add.adoc ## -@@ Documentation/git-add.adoc: git-add(1) - - NAME - ---- --git-add - Add file contents to the index -+git-add - Add new or changed files to the index - - SYNOPSIS - -------- @@ Documentation/git-add.adoc: git add [--verbose | -v] [--dry-run | -n] [--force | -f] [--interactive | -i] [- DESCRIPTION @@ Documentation/git-add.adoc: git add [--verbose | -v] [--dry-run | -n] [--force | -after making any changes to the working tree, and before running -the commit command, you must use the `add` command to add any new or -modified files to the index. -+Add new or changed files to the index to prepare for a commit. The -+"index" (also known as "staging area") is where Git stores the changes -+that will be in the next commit. ++Add contents of new or changed files to the index. The "index" (also ++known as "staging area") is where Git stores the contents of the next ++commit. + -+By default, `git commit` only commits changes that you've added to the -+index. For example, if you've edited `file.c` and want to commit your -+changes, you can run: ++When you run `git commit` without any other arguments, it will only ++commit staged changes. For example, if you've edited `file.c` and want ++to commit your changes to that file, you can run: + + git add file.c + git commit + +You can also add only part of your changes to a file with `git add -p`. -+Please see linkgit:git-commit[1] for alternative ways to add content to -+a commit. This command can be performed multiple times before a commit. It only adds the content of the specified file(s) at the time the add command is -@@ Documentation/git-add.adoc: directory recursion or filename globbing performed by Git (quote your - globs before the shell) will be silently ignored. The `git add` command can - be used to add ignored files with the `-f` (force) option. - --Please see linkgit:git-commit[1] for alternative ways to add content to a --commit. -- -- - OPTIONS - ------- - `<pathspec>...`:: 2: 63c9e0361dc ! 3: fc2ec305a9e doc: git-add: simplify discussion of ignored files @@ Commit message - Mention the --force option earlier - Remove the explanation of shell globbing vs git's internal glob - system, it's a common gotcha but I don't think this is an appropriate - place to explain that concept. There's some discussion of the gotchas - around globbing and `git add` in the EXAMPLES section which I think - is clearer. + system, since users are confused by it and there's a clearer + discussion in the EXAMPLES section. Signed-off-by: Julia Evans <julia@xxxxxxx> @@ Documentation/git-add.adoc: you must run `git add` again to add the new content -directory recursion or filename globbing performed by Git (quote your -globs before the shell) will be silently ignored. The `git add` command can -be used to add ignored files with the `-f` (force) option. -+`git add` will not add ignored files by default. You can use the -+`--force` option to add ignored files. If you explicitly specify the -+exact filename of an ignored file (e.g. `git add ignored.txt`), `git -+add` will fail with a list of ignored files. Otherwise it will silently -+ignore the file. ++The `git add` command will not add ignored files by default. You can ++use the `--force` option to add ignored files. If you specify the exact ++filename of an ignored file, `git add` will fail with a list of ignored ++files. Otherwise it will silently ignore the file. - OPTIONS - ------- + Please see linkgit:git-commit[1] for alternative ways to add content to a + commit. 3: ce1eafb0286 < -: ----------- doc: git-add: make explanation less dry 4: 9e595f9ad59 < -: ----------- doc: git-add: explain inconsistent terminology -- gitgitgadget
