Stefan Beller [off-list ref] writes:
On OSX `wc` prefixes the output of numbers with whitespace, such that
the `commit_count` would be "SP <NUMBER>". When using that in
git submodule update --init --depth=$commit_count
the depth would be empty and the number is interpreted as the pathspec.
Fix this by not using `wc` and rather instruct rev-list to count.
Another way to fix this is to remove the `=` sign after the `--depth`
argument as then we are allowed to have more than just one whitespace
between `--depth` and the actual number. Prefer the solution of rev-list
counting as that is expected to be slightly faster and more self-sustained
within Git.
You meant self-contained, I would guess.
There are a couple of "log --oneline | wc -l" remaining that are
currently safe but they may be a time-bomb waiting to go off.
Thanks.