git-nez

A simple alternative to git submodules and npm linking.

Current version

0.0.2

Pending functionality

• push across all nested repos with commits pending
• pull across all repos

Install

sudo npm install git-nez -g

Usage

Step 0

git nez -h

Step 1 - init

• This recurses for nested git repos starting at . or --root /home/me/git/faraway_tree.
• It generates a control file .nez_tree containing details of the found repos.
• The .nez_tree should be committed.
• It enables others in the team to generate an identical tree of cloned repos.

> git nez init
(init) scanning for git repositories in . 

(found) ./.git
(found) ./node/node_modules/brix/.git
(found) ./node/node_modules/brix/node_modules/trix/.git
(found) ./node_modules/nez/.git
(found) ./root/node_modules/elix/.git
(write) ./.nez_tree

> 

Step 2 - status

• This step is being performed at another workstation
• Only the root repo has been checked out there.
• It uses the .nez_tree control file to report on the status across all nested repositories that should be and/or are present.

> git nez status
(status) for all expected repositories in . 

(skip) no change at .
(MISSING) repo: ./node/node_modules/brix
(MISSING) repo: ./node/node_modules/brix/node_modules/trix
(MISSING) repo: ./node_modules/nez
(MISSING) repo: ./root/node_modules/elix

>

Step 3 - clone

• This clones all the missing repositories.
• It also checkouts the branches as specified in the .nez_tree control file

> git nez clone
(clone) all missing repositories in . 

(skip) already cloned .
(run) mkdir -p ./node/node_modules/brix
(run) git clone [email protected]:nomilous/brix.git ./node/node_modules/brix
Cloning into './node/node_modules/brix'...
(run) mkdir -p ./node/node_modules/brix/node_modules/trix
(run) git clone [email protected]:nomilous/trix.git ./node/node_modules/brix/node_modules/trix
Cloning into './node/node_modules/brix/node_modules/trix'...
(run) git --git-dir=./node/node_modules/brix/node_modules/trix/.git --work-tree=./node/node_modules/brix/node_modules/trix checkout feature/test
Switched to a new branch 'feature/test'
Branch feature/test set up to track remote branch feature/test from origin.
(run) mkdir -p ./node_modules/nez
(run) git clone [email protected]:nomilous/nez.git ./node_modules/nez
Cloning into './node_modules/nez'...
(run) git --git-dir=./node_modules/nez/.git --work-tree=./node_modules/nez checkout develop
Branch develop set up to track remote branch develop from origin.
Switched to a new branch 'develop'
(run) mkdir -p ./root/node_modules/elix
(run) git clone [email protected]:nomilous/elix.git ./root/node_modules/elix
Cloning into './root/node_modules/elix'...
(run) git --git-dir=./root/node_modules/elix/.git --work-tree=./root/node_modules/elix checkout develop
Switched to a new branch 'develop'
Branch develop set up to track remote branch develop from origin.

>

#
# doing it again has the expected result
#

> git nez clone
(clone) all missing repositories in . 

(skip) already cloned .
(skip) already cloned ./node/node_modules/brix
(skip) already cloned ./node/node_modules/brix/node_modules/trix
(skip) already cloned ./node_modules/nez
(skip) already cloned ./root/node_modules/elix

>

Important point

• The .nez_tree control file specifies the branch that each repo should be on.
• Running a clone will checkout that branch

> cd ./node/node_modules/brix/node_modules/trix
> git checkout master
> cd -
> git nez clone
(clone) all missing repositories in . 

(skip) already cloned .
(skip) already cloned ./node/node_modules/brix
(skip) already cloned ./node/node_modules/brix/node_modules/trix
(run) git --git-dir=./node/node_modules/brix/node_modules/trix/.git --work-tree=./node/node_modules/brix/node_modules/trix checkout feature/test
Switched to branch 'feature/test'
(skip) already cloned ./node_modules/nez
(skip) already cloned ./root/node_modules/elix

Step 4 - status

• After modification in one of the nested modules

> git nez status
(status) for all expected repositories in . 

(skip) no change at .
(skip) no change at ./node/node_modules/brix
(skip) no change at ./node/node_modules/brix/node_modules/trix
(skip) no change at ./node_modules/nez

(change) ./root/node_modules/elix
# On branch master
# Changes not staged for commit:
#   (use "git add <file>..." to update what will be committed)
#   (use "git checkout -- <file>..." to discard changes in working directory)
#
#   modified:   requirements/manageability.coffee
#
no changes added to commit (use "git add" and/or "git commit -a")

>

Step 5 - commit

• First it should be pointed out that this commit will enact a commit across all repos that have pending files staged (ie. files that were git add <file>ed)
• This global commit may therefore not be ideal because it commits with a common log message for all.
• It is suggested that in most cases commits should be done manually in each repo

> cd ./root/node_modules/elix
> git add requirements/manageability.coffee 
> cd ../../ 
> git nez commit -m 'it propagates a config hup into the tree'
(commit) on all repositories with staged changes in . 

(skip) no staged changes in .
(skip) no staged changes in ./node/node_modules/brix
(skip) no staged changes in ./node/node_modules/brix/node_modules/trix
(skip) no staged changes in ./node_modules/nez
(run) git --git-dir=./root/node_modules/elix/.git --work-tree=./root/node_modules/elix commit -m it propagates a config hup into the tree
[develop 74d5db8] it propagates a config hup into the tree
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+)

>

#
# the new status as expected
#

> git nez status
(status) for all expected repositories in . 

(skip) no change at .
(skip) no change at ./node/node_modules/brix
(skip) no change at ./node/node_modules/brix/node_modules/trix
(skip) no change at ./node_modules/nez

(change) ./root/node_modules/elix
# On branch develop
# Your branch is ahead of 'origin/develop' by 1 commit.
#
nothing to commit (working directory clean)

>

Important point

• It may be that one of your repos has forgetccidentally been left checkedout on the wrong branch (according to the .nez_tree control file)
• The commit run will report this case of affairs and take no further action for that repo.

> cd ./root/node_modules/elix
> git checkout master
> cd -
> git nez commit -m 'shared commit log message'
(commit) on all repositories with staged changes in . 

(skip) no staged changes in .
(skip) no staged changes in ./node/node_modules/brix
(skip) no staged changes in ./node/node_modules/brix/node_modules/trix
(skip) no staged changes in ./node_modules/nez
( SKIPPED ) ./root/node_modules/elix SHOULD BE ON BRANCH refs/heads/develop NOT refs/heads/master