Re: [BUG] git config --global: doc and behaviour disagree when ~/.gitconfig and XDG config file coexist

[Delilah Ashley Wu <delilahwu@linux.microsoft.com>]

On Fri, Jul 31, 2026 at 09:14:07AM +1000, Ben Knoble wrote:
>> Le 31 juil. 2026 à 05:35, Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> a écrit :
>> Nils Fahldieck <nils@fahldieck.de> writes:
>>> 2. The reading claim is outright wrong.
>>> 
>>>   The docs say --global reads from BOTH files.  The code reads from
>>>   ONE.  git_global_config() selects a winner and frees the other
>>>   path.  There is no code path under --global that reads both files.
>> 
>> The documentation needs to be corrected, I think.
> 
> Agreed based on recent thread <20260720113402.0dc16abe@frustcomp.hnjs.home.arpa>
> (subject « git config: unintuitive behavior with - -global and - -no-includes »

A previous thread [1] said this behavior could be a bug. So, last year,
I submitted a patch series [2] to align behavior with documentation,
changing `git config` to read from both files. We gave time for the
community to comment on whether we should change the behavior or the
documentation, but there weren't any strong opinions [3]. The only
responses were a correction to my cover letter and a technical review of
my patches.

Since then, I've addressed most of the review feedback. I have a draft
v2 series [4] almost ready for reroll. I only work on it during "side
project time" [5] at my workplace, but I'll try to have v2 ready soon
for further discussion/review.

[1] https://lore.kernel.org/git/xmqqmt5lezi3.fsf@gitster.g/
[2] https://lore.kernel.org/git/pull.1938.git.1760058849.gitgitgadget@gmail.com/
[3] https://lore.kernel.org/git/xmqqtsysfakt.fsf@gitster.g/
[4] https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/pull/2196
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Side_project_time