Re: [RFC/PATCH] worktree: replace "checkout --to" with "worktree new"

On Tue, Jun 30, 2015 at 5:23 AM, Duy Nguyen [off-list ref] wrote:

On Tue, Jun 30, 2015 at 11:56 AM, Eric Sunshine [off-list ref] wrote:

quoted

The command "git checkout --to <path>" is something of an anachronism,
encompassing functionality somewhere between "checkout" and "clone".
The introduction of the git-worktree command, however, provides a proper
and intuitive place to house such functionality. Consequently,
re-implement "git checkout --to" as "git worktree new".

I think this is like "git checkout -b" vs "git branch". We pack so
many things in 'checkout' that it's a source of both convenience and
confusion. I never use "git branch" to create a new branch [...]
 "--to" is another "-b" in this sense.

I too always use "git checkout -b", but, like Junio, I don't think
this is an apt analogy. "git checkout -b" is shorthand for two
commands "git branch" and "git checkout", whereas "git checkout --to"
is not.

"git worktree new" definitely makes sense (maybe stick with verbs like
"create", I'm not sure if we have some convention in existing
commands), but should we remove "git checkout --to"? I could do "git
co -b foo --to bar" for example.

You can still do that with "git worktree new bar -b foo", which is
effectively the same as "git checkout --to bar -b foo" (with
s/checkout/worktree/ and s/--to/new/ applied), though perhaps you
don't find it as obvious or natural.

If we are not sure about "--to" (I'm not), I think we just remove it
now because we can always add it back later.

I'm not excited about keeping "git checkout --to" as an alias for "git
worktree new", however, removing it now should not harm us since, as
you say, it can be added back later if needed.

quoted

 SYNOPSIS
 --------
+'git worktree new' [-f] <path> [<checkout-options>] <branch>

Should we follow clone syntax and put the <path> (as destination)
after <branch> ("source")? Maybe not, because in the clone case,
explicit destination is optional, not like this.. Or.. maybe <branch>
could be optional in this case. 'git worktree new' without a branch
will create a new branch, named closely after the destination.
Existing branch can be specified via an option..

I'm not wedded to this particular argument order, though it does have
the advantage that it's clear which options belong to "worktree new"
and which to "checkout".

As for making <branch> optional and auto-vivifying a new branch named
after <path>, that's something we can consider later (I think).