# Re: \[PATCH v2 3/5\] doc: stop calling root refs pseudorefs

- From: Patrick Steinhardt \<hidden\>
- Date: 2026-11-03 11:30:06 
- List: git
- Page: https://ratatoskr.run/git/2026/11/17852001
- Thread: https://ratatoskr.run/git/2026/10/17790021/t.md

```text
On Sun, Nov 01, 2026 at 11:03:21PM +0000, Andy Koppe wrote:
> diff --git a/Documentation/gitdatamodel.adoc b/Documentation/gitdatamodel.adoc
> index 8d9be02036..6958ac033c 100644
> --- a/Documentation/gitdatamodel.adoc
> +++ b/Documentation/gitdatamodel.adoc
> @@ -211,15 +211,25 @@ remote-tracking branches: `refs/remotes/<remote>/<branch>`::
>  default branch. This is the branch that `git clone` checks out by default.
>  
>  [[other-refs]]
> -Other references::
> +other references::
>      Git tools may create references anywhere under `refs/`.
>      For example, linkgit:git-stash[1], linkgit:git-bisect[1],
>      and linkgit:git-notes[1] all create their own references
>      in `refs/stash`, `refs/bisect`, etc.
>      Third-party Git tools may also create their own references.
> -+
> -Git may also create references other than `HEAD` at the base of the
> -hierarchy, like `ORIG_HEAD`.
> +
> +[[root-refs]]
> +root refs::
> +    Git may also create references other than `HEAD` at the root of the

Nit: I'd drop the "also" here. It made sense before, but it doesn't
anymore now that this is its own list entry.

> +    hierarchy, for example `ORIG_HEAD` or `REBASE_HEAD`.
> +
> +[[pseudorefs]]
> +pseudorefs::
> +    linkgit:git-fetch[1] and linkgit:git-merge[1] create the so-called
> +    pseudorefs `FETCH_HEAD` and `MERGE_HEAD`. They are not references as
> +    such, as they are not stored in the same way, but they can nevertheless
> +    be used to refer to objects in commands such as linkgit:git-log[1] and
> +    linkgit:git-diff[1].

Do we maybe want to provide pointers to the glossary for those two
entries?

Patrick
```