Re: Reference a submodule branch instead of a commit

Stefan Beller [off-list ref] writes:

quoted

We already have options to support these kinds of workflows. Look at the
option '--remote' for 'git submodule update'.

You then only have to commit the submodule if you do not want to see it
as dirty locally, but you will always get the tip of a remote tracking
branch when updating.

I wonder if we could make that convenient for users by not tracking
the submodule,
i.e.
* we have the information in the .gitmodules file
* the path itself is in the .gitignore
* no tree entry

Then you can update to the remote latest branch, without Git reporting
a dirty submodule locally, in fact it reports nothing for the submodule.

It sounds like a hack, but maybe it's worth looking into that when
people want to see that workflow.

It IS a hack.  

But if you do not touch .git<anything> file and instead say "clone
this other project at that path yourself" in README, that would
probably be sufficient.