Re: git-submodule is missing --dissociate option

[Stefan Beller <sbeller@google.com>]

On Mon, Apr 30, 2018 at 1:29 AM, Casey Fitzpatrick <kcghost@gmail.com> wrote:
> This seems to be a hole in the git feature set. I believe it is fairly
> easily worked around, but it would be best to provide the option for
> ease of use (and maybe performance?).
>
> git clone has both a --reference feature and a --dissociate option,
> with dissociate allowing for a reference to *only* speed up network
> transfers rather than have the resulting clone rely upon the reference
> always being there (creates an independent repo).

With the advent of git-worktree, I claim that --reference without further
--dissociate is dangerous, such that the combination of these two are
not the best UX, you could wish for.

> But git submodule only allows for --reference, so there isn't a an
> option to make a speedy independent submodule clone in one shot:
> https://git-scm.com/docs/git-submodule
> I checked the latest online documentation (currently at 2.16.3) and
> the documentation in the latest sources (almost 2.18):
> https://github.com/git/git/blob/next/Documentation/git-submodule.txt
>
> As far as I am aware this can be worked around with 'git repack -a'
> and manual removal of the objects/info/alternates file afterward.
> Though I don't know if this results in a less speedy clone than
> dissociate would.

That is an interesting workaround!
I agree we should have the --dissociate option available for submodules.
Care to implement it?

Thanks,
Stefan