Re: [PATCH v3 0/5] push: update remote tags only with force

Chris Rorvick [off-list ref] writes:

Minor changes since from v2 set.  Reposting primarily because I mucked
up the Cc: list (again) and hoping to route feedback to the appropriate
audience.

This patch set can be divided into two sets:

  1. Provide useful advice for rejected tag references.

     push: return reject reasons via a mask
     push: add advice for rejected tag reference

     Recommending a merge to resolve a rejected tag update seems
     nonsensical since the tag does not come along for the ride.  These
     patches change the advice for rejected tags to suggest using
     "push -f".

Below, I take that you mean by "tag reference" everything under
refs/tags/ (not limited to "annotated tag objects", but also
lightweight tags).

Given that the second point below is to strongly discourage updating
of existing any tag, it might be even better to advise *not* to push
tags in the first place, instead of destructive "push -f", no?

  2. Require force when updating tag references, even on a fast-forward.

     push: flag updates
     push: flag updates that require force
     push: update remote tags only with force

     An email thread initiated by Angelo Borsotti did not come to a
     consensus on how push should behave with regard to tag references.

I think the original motivation of allowing fast-forward updates to
tags was for people who wanted to have "today's recommended version"
tag that can float from day to day. I tend to think that was a
misguided notion and it is better implemented with a tip of a
branch (iow, I personally am OK with the change to forbid tag
updates altogether, without --force).

     I think a key point is that you currently cannot be sure your push
     will not clobber a tag (lightweight or not) in the remote.

"Do not update, only add new" may be a good feature, but at the same
time I have this suspicion that its usefulness may not necessarily
be limited to refs/tags/* hierarchy.

I dunno.