Re: [PATCH v2] builtin/ident: add new 'ident' command

Jeff King [off-list ref] writes:

On Mon, Aug 31, 2026 at 11:59:06PM +0000, Andrew Pleeter via GitGitGadget wrote:

quoted

While existing plumbing commands like 'git var' and 'git config' expose
individual pieces of identity and configuration, discovering what identity
and signing key will actually be attached to a new commit requires multiple
independent queries and manual correlation. 'git config' only reads raw
values without performing environment overrides or GECOS detection, while
'git var' returns full ident strings with timestamps without exposing
commit signing status.

This is just my gut reaction, but: would it be simpler to teach git var
to provide those broken-down pieces than to introduce a whole new
command?

We long timers among our reviewer base already expressed the same
sentiment.

My main feeling on suggesting this is that:

  1. We already have a lot of commands, and this one feels very
     specialized.

  2. Most of these suggestions could make git-var better for reading
     idents _and_ for reading its other variables.

And you said it the best among our responses, I think.

Thanks.