Junio C Hamano [off-list ref] writes:

Ævar Arnfjörð Bjarmason  [off-list ref] writes:

quoted

  Optional parts are enclosed in square brackets:
-   [<extra>]
-   (Zero or one <extra>.)
+   [<file>...]
+   (Zero or more of <file>.)

OK.

quoted

+ Use spacing around "|" token(s), but not immediately after opening or
+ before closing a [] or () pair:
+   Do: [-q | --quiet]
+   Don't: [-q|--quiet]
+
+ Don't use spacing around "|" tokens when they're used to seperate the
+ alternate arguments of an option:
+    Do: --track[=(direct|inherit)]
+    Don't: --track[=(direct | inherit)]
+

Hmph, that sounds inconsistent; I would have expected the same use
(or omission) of space around the vertical bar.  But if that is the
prevailing style, I won't complain about writing it down.

Perhaps in order to avoid "Huh? isn't that inconsistent?" knee-jerk
reaction, it may be a good idea to explain the reason why?

I am guessing that the difference between the two has something to
do with the desire to make it compact when it appears as a "value"
for something (signalled after a "=" sign), but (1) I am not sure if
you share the reasoning, and more importantly (2) I am failing to
come up with a concise way to phrase it.

Thanks.