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diff --git a/_tils/2020-09-05-pull-requests-with-git-the-oldschool-way.md b/_tils/2020-09-05-pull-requests-with-git-the-oldschool-way.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1ad7e8e --- /dev/null +++ b/_tils/2020-09-05-pull-requests-with-git-the-oldschool-way.md @@ -0,0 +1,108 @@ +--- +title: Pull requests with Git, the old school way +date: 2020-09-05 +layout: til +lang: en +ref: pull-requests-with-git-the-oldschool-way +--- +It might be news to you, as it was to me, that "pull requests" that you can +create on a Git hosting provider's web UI[^pr-webui] like +GitLab/Bitbucket/GitHub actually comes from Git itself: `git request-pull`. + +[^pr-webui]: And maybe even using the Git hosting provider's API from the + command line! + +At the very core, they accomplish the same thing: both the original and the web +UI ones are ways for you to request the project maintainers to pull in your +changes from your fork. It's like saying: "hi there, I did some changes on my +clone of the repository, what do you think about bringing those in?". + +The only difference is that you're working with only Git itself, so you're not +tied to any Git hosting provider: you can send pull requests across them +transparently! You could even use your own [cgit][cgit] installation. No need to +be locked in by any of them, putting the "D" back in "DVCS": it's a +**distributed** version control system. + +[cgit]: https://git.zx2c4.com/cgit/about/ + +## `git request-pull` introduction + +Here's the raw output of a `git request-pull`: + +```shell +$ git request-pull HEAD public-origin +The following changes since commit 302c9f2f035c0360acd4e13142428c100a10d43f: + + db post: Add link to email exchange (2020-09-03 21:23:55 -0300) + +are available in the Git repository at: + + https://git.euandreh.xyz/website/ + +for you to fetch changes up to 524c646cdac4153e54f2163e280176adbc4873fa: + + db post: better pinpoint sqlite unsuitability (2020-09-03 22:08:56 -0300) + +---------------------------------------------------------------- +EuAndreh (1): + db post: better pinpoint sqlite unsuitability + + _posts/2020-08-31-the-database-i-wish-i-had.md | 12 ++++++------ + 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-) +``` + +That very first line is saying: "create me a pull request with only a single +commit, defined by `HEAD`, and use the URL defined by `public-origin`". + +Here's a pitfall: you may try using your `origin` remote at first where I put +`public-origin`, but that is many times pointing to something like +`git@example.com`, or `git.example.com:repo.git` (check that with +`git remote -v | grep origin`). On both cases those are addresses available for +interaction via SSH, and it would be better if your pull requests used an +address ready for public consumption. + +A simple solution for that is for you to add the `public-origin` alias as the +HTTPS alternative to the SSH version: + +```shell +$ git remote add public-origin https://example.com/user/repo +``` + +Every Git hosting provider exposes repositories via HTTPS. + +Experiment it yourself, and get acquainted with the CLI. + +## Delivering decentralized pull requests + +Now that you can create the content of a pull request, you can just +[deliver it][cli-email] to the interested parties email: + +```shell +# send a PR with your last commit to the author's email +git request-pull HEAD public-origin | mail author@example.com -s "PR: Add thing to repo" + +# send a PR with your last 5 commits to the project's mailing +# list, including the patch +git request-pull HEAD~5 public-origin -p | mail list@example.com -s "PR: Add another thing to repo" + +# send every commit that is new in "other-branch" +git request-pull master public-origin other-branch | mail list@example.com -s 'PR: All commits from my "other-brach"' +``` + +[cli-email]: {% link _tils/2020-09-04-send-emails-using-the-command-line-for-fun-and-profit.md %} + +## Conclusion + +In practice, I've never used or seen anyone use pull requests this way: +everybody is just [sending patches via email][decentralized-git]. + +If you stop to think about this model, the problem of "Git hosting providers +becoming too centralized" is a non-issue, and "Git federation" is a less +attractive as it may sound initially. + +Using Git this way is not scary or so weird as the first impression may suggest. +It is actually how Git was designed to be used. + +Check `git help request-pull` for more info. + +[decentralized-git]: https://drewdevault.com/2018/07/23/Git-is-already-distributed.html diff --git a/spelling/international.txt b/spelling/international.txt index 127ebd7..1bbaa3f 100644 --- a/spelling/international.txt +++ b/spelling/international.txt @@ -11,9 +11,12 @@ BN BSON BY BY-SA +Bitbucket CI +CLI Cantrill CouchDB +DVCS Datomic EuAndreh F @@ -27,6 +30,7 @@ GitLab Gmail GuixSD HN +HTTPS Halloway IndexedDB JS @@ -56,6 +60,8 @@ StackOverflow Staltz TAB TBs +UI +URL VPN WebAssembly Yandex |