The git-clone(1) command has the option `--branch` that allows the user
to select the branch they want HEAD to point to. In a non-bare
repository this also checks out that branch.
Option `--branch` also accepts a tag. When a tag name is provided, the
commit this tag points to is checked out and HEAD is detached. Thus
`--branch` can be used to clone a repository and check out a ref kept
under `refs/heads` or `refs/tags`. But some other refs might be in use
as well. For example Git forges might use refs like `refs/pull/<id>` and
`refs/merge-requests/<id>` to track pull/merge requests. These refs
cannot be selected upon git-clone(1).
Add option `--revision` to git-clone(1). This option accepts a fully
qualified reference, or a hexadecimal commit ID. This enables the user
to clone and check out any revision they want. `--revision` can be used
in conjunction with `--depth` to do a minimal clone that only contains
the blob and tree for a single revision. This can be useful for
automated tests running in CI systems.
Using option `--branch` and `--single-branch` together is a similar
scenario, but serves a different purpose. Using these two options, a
singlet remote tracking branch is created and the fetch refspec is set
up so git-fetch(1) will receive updates on that branch from the remote.
This allows the user work on that single branch.
Option `--revision` on contrary detaches HEAD, creates no tracking
branches, and writes no fetch refspec.
Signed-off-by: Toon Claes <toon@iotcl.com>
Acked-by: Patrick Steinhardt <ps@pks.im>
[jc: removed unnecessary TEST_PASSES_SANITIZE_LEAK from the test]
Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Toon Claes