[PATCH] builtin: replace the_repository parameter in is_bare_repository()

[PATCH] builtin: replace the_repository parameter in is_bare_repository()

[Hardik Kumar]

Many functions receive a `struct repository *repo` parameter but do not
use it (marked UNUSED) and instead pass the global `the_repository`
parameter to the `is_bare_repository()` function.

Replace the argument passed to `is_bare_repository()` from the global
`the_repository` parameter to take the unused repository parameter so
that we no longer depend on `the_repository`. Patch covers the sites
that were not updated previously.

The patch leaves some instances of this case that would require
additional changes rather than simply replacing the arguments passed to
the function call.

- Only update sites that do not introduce any functional changes.
- `UNUSED` is dropped from `*repo` parameter to match the changes.

Signed-off-by: Hardik Kumar <hardikxk@gmail.com>
---
 builtin/blame.c | 4 ++--
 builtin/gc.c    | 4 ++--
 builtin/repo.c  | 4 ++--
 builtin/reset.c | 4 ++--
 transport.c     | 4 ++--
 5 files changed, 10 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-)

diff --git a/builtin/blame.c b/builtin/blame.c
index 48d5251c6d..dbf4b4ffc7 100644
--- a/builtin/blame.c
+++ b/builtin/blame.c
@@ -957,7 +957,7 @@ static void build_ignorelist(struct blame_scoreboard *sb,
 int cmd_blame(int argc,
 	      const char **argv,
 	      const char *prefix,
-	      struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	      struct repository *repo)
 {
 	struct rev_info revs;
 	char *path = NULL;
@@ -1187,7 +1187,7 @@ int cmd_blame(int argc,
 
 	revs.disable_stdin = 1;
 	setup_revisions(argc, argv, &revs, NULL);
-	if (!revs.pending.nr && is_bare_repository(the_repository)) {
+	if (!revs.pending.nr && is_bare_repository(repo)) {
 		struct commit *head_commit;
 		struct object_id head_oid;
 
diff --git a/builtin/gc.c b/builtin/gc.c
index de2f9e7fed..8e82cce86b 100644
--- a/builtin/gc.c
+++ b/builtin/gc.c
@@ -582,7 +582,7 @@ static int maintenance_task_odb(struct maintenance_run_opts *opts,
 int cmd_gc(int argc,
 	   const char **argv,
 	   const char *prefix,
-	   struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	   struct repository *repo)
 {
 	int aggressive = 0;
 	int force = 0;
@@ -637,7 +637,7 @@ int cmd_gc(int argc,
 		die(_("failed to parse gc.logExpiry value %s"), cfg.gc_log_expire);
 
 	if (cfg.pack_refs < 0)
-		cfg.pack_refs = !is_bare_repository(the_repository);
+		cfg.pack_refs = !is_bare_repository(repo);
 
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, builtin_gc_options,
 			     builtin_gc_usage, 0);
diff --git a/builtin/repo.c b/builtin/repo.c
index 84e012f83f..0bf3c0a475 100644
--- a/builtin/repo.c
+++ b/builtin/repo.c
@@ -58,9 +58,9 @@ struct repo_info_field {
 	get_value_fn *get_value;
 };
 
-static int get_layout_bare(struct repository *repo UNUSED, struct strbuf *buf)
+static int get_layout_bare(struct repository *repo, struct strbuf *buf)
 {
-	strbuf_addstr(buf, is_bare_repository(the_repository) ? "true" : "false");
+	strbuf_addstr(buf, is_bare_repository(repo) ? "true" : "false");
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/builtin/reset.c b/builtin/reset.c
index 78e69bd84b..e029b7e99a 100644
--- a/builtin/reset.c
+++ b/builtin/reset.c
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ static int git_reset_config(const char *var, const char *value,
 int cmd_reset(int argc,
 	      const char **argv,
 	      const char *prefix,
-	      struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	      struct repository *repo)
 {
 	int reset_type = NONE, update_ref_status = 0, quiet = 0;
 	int no_refresh = 0;
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@ int cmd_reset(int argc,
 	if (reset_type != SOFT && (reset_type != MIXED || repo_get_work_tree(the_repository)))
 		setup_work_tree(the_repository);
 
-	if (reset_type == MIXED && is_bare_repository(the_repository))
+	if (reset_type == MIXED && is_bare_repository(repo))
 		die(_("%s reset is not allowed in a bare repository"),
 		    _(reset_type_names[reset_type]));
 
diff --git a/transport.c b/transport.c
index 25e2c14a7b..82eea3024b 100644
--- a/transport.c
+++ b/transport.c
@@ -1528,7 +1528,7 @@ int transport_push(struct repository *r,
 
 	if ((flags & (TRANSPORT_RECURSE_SUBMODULES_ON_DEMAND |
 		      TRANSPORT_RECURSE_SUBMODULES_ONLY)) &&
-	    !is_bare_repository(the_repository)) {
+	    !is_bare_repository(r)) {
 		struct ref *ref = remote_refs;
 		struct oid_array commits = OID_ARRAY_INIT;
 
@@ -1555,7 +1555,7 @@ int transport_push(struct repository *r,
 	if (((flags & TRANSPORT_RECURSE_SUBMODULES_CHECK) ||
 	     ((flags & (TRANSPORT_RECURSE_SUBMODULES_ON_DEMAND |
 			TRANSPORT_RECURSE_SUBMODULES_ONLY)) &&
-	      !pretend)) && !is_bare_repository(the_repository)) {
+	      !pretend)) && !is_bare_repository(r)) {
 		struct ref *ref = remote_refs;
 		struct string_list needs_pushing = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
 		struct oid_array commits = OID_ARRAY_INIT;

---
base-commit: f78ce2f7b6df702f93d40b85d6bda92a3f65da79
change-id: 20260827-env-is_bare_repo-564917c2d3ab

Re: [PATCH] builtin: replace the_repository parameter in is_bare_repository()

[Junio C Hamano]

Hardik Kumar <hardikxk@gmail.com> writes:

> The patch leaves some instances of this case that would require
> additional changes rather than simply replacing the arguments passed to
> the function call.
>
> - Only update sites that do not introduce any functional changes.

How did you make sure that the places touched by this patch do not?

How do you deal with repo==NULL case in these code paths?

> - `UNUSED` is dropped from `*repo` parameter to match the changes.
>
> Signed-off-by: Hardik Kumar <hardikxk@gmail.com>
> ---
>  builtin/blame.c | 4 ++--
>  builtin/gc.c    | 4 ++--
>  builtin/repo.c  | 4 ++--
>  builtin/reset.c | 4 ++--
>  transport.c     | 4 ++--
>  5 files changed, 10 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/builtin/blame.c b/builtin/blame.c
> index 48d5251c6d..dbf4b4ffc7 100644
> --- a/builtin/blame.c
> +++ b/builtin/blame.c
> @@ -957,7 +957,7 @@ static void build_ignorelist(struct blame_scoreboard *sb,
>  int cmd_blame(int argc,
>  	      const char **argv,
>  	      const char *prefix,
> -	      struct repository *repo UNUSED)
> +	      struct repository *repo)
>  {
>  	struct rev_info revs;
>  	char *path = NULL;
> @@ -1187,7 +1187,7 @@ int cmd_blame(int argc,
>  
>  	revs.disable_stdin = 1;
>  	setup_revisions(argc, argv, &revs, NULL);
> -	if (!revs.pending.nr && is_bare_repository(the_repository)) {
> +	if (!revs.pending.nr && is_bare_repository(repo)) {
>  		struct commit *head_commit;
>  		struct object_id head_oid;
>  
> diff --git a/builtin/gc.c b/builtin/gc.c
> index de2f9e7fed..8e82cce86b 100644
> --- a/builtin/gc.c
> +++ b/builtin/gc.c
> @@ -582,7 +582,7 @@ static int maintenance_task_odb(struct maintenance_run_opts *opts,
>  int cmd_gc(int argc,
>  	   const char **argv,
>  	   const char *prefix,
> -	   struct repository *repo UNUSED)
> +	   struct repository *repo)
>  {
>  	int aggressive = 0;
>  	int force = 0;
> @@ -637,7 +637,7 @@ int cmd_gc(int argc,
>  		die(_("failed to parse gc.logExpiry value %s"), cfg.gc_log_expire);
>  
>  	if (cfg.pack_refs < 0)
> -		cfg.pack_refs = !is_bare_repository(the_repository);
> +		cfg.pack_refs = !is_bare_repository(repo);
>  
>  	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, builtin_gc_options,
>  			     builtin_gc_usage, 0);
> diff --git a/builtin/repo.c b/builtin/repo.c
> index 84e012f83f..0bf3c0a475 100644
> --- a/builtin/repo.c
> +++ b/builtin/repo.c
> @@ -58,9 +58,9 @@ struct repo_info_field {
>  	get_value_fn *get_value;
>  };
>  
> -static int get_layout_bare(struct repository *repo UNUSED, struct strbuf *buf)
> +static int get_layout_bare(struct repository *repo, struct strbuf *buf)
>  {
> -	strbuf_addstr(buf, is_bare_repository(the_repository) ? "true" : "false");
> +	strbuf_addstr(buf, is_bare_repository(repo) ? "true" : "false");
>  	return 0;
>  }
>  
> diff --git a/builtin/reset.c b/builtin/reset.c
> index 78e69bd84b..e029b7e99a 100644
> --- a/builtin/reset.c
> +++ b/builtin/reset.c
> @@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ static int git_reset_config(const char *var, const char *value,
>  int cmd_reset(int argc,
>  	      const char **argv,
>  	      const char *prefix,
> -	      struct repository *repo UNUSED)
> +	      struct repository *repo)
>  {
>  	int reset_type = NONE, update_ref_status = 0, quiet = 0;
>  	int no_refresh = 0;
> @@ -470,7 +470,7 @@ int cmd_reset(int argc,
>  	if (reset_type != SOFT && (reset_type != MIXED || repo_get_work_tree(the_repository)))
>  		setup_work_tree(the_repository);
>  
> -	if (reset_type == MIXED && is_bare_repository(the_repository))
> +	if (reset_type == MIXED && is_bare_repository(repo))
>  		die(_("%s reset is not allowed in a bare repository"),
>  		    _(reset_type_names[reset_type]));
>  
> diff --git a/transport.c b/transport.c
> index 25e2c14a7b..82eea3024b 100644
> --- a/transport.c
> +++ b/transport.c
> @@ -1528,7 +1528,7 @@ int transport_push(struct repository *r,
>  
>  	if ((flags & (TRANSPORT_RECURSE_SUBMODULES_ON_DEMAND |
>  		      TRANSPORT_RECURSE_SUBMODULES_ONLY)) &&
> -	    !is_bare_repository(the_repository)) {
> +	    !is_bare_repository(r)) {
>  		struct ref *ref = remote_refs;
>  		struct oid_array commits = OID_ARRAY_INIT;
>  
> @@ -1555,7 +1555,7 @@ int transport_push(struct repository *r,
>  	if (((flags & TRANSPORT_RECURSE_SUBMODULES_CHECK) ||
>  	     ((flags & (TRANSPORT_RECURSE_SUBMODULES_ON_DEMAND |
>  			TRANSPORT_RECURSE_SUBMODULES_ONLY)) &&
> -	      !pretend)) && !is_bare_repository(the_repository)) {
> +	      !pretend)) && !is_bare_repository(r)) {
>  		struct ref *ref = remote_refs;
>  		struct string_list needs_pushing = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
>  		struct oid_array commits = OID_ARRAY_INIT;
>
> ---
> base-commit: f78ce2f7b6df702f93d40b85d6bda92a3f65da79
> change-id: 20260827-env-is_bare_repo-564917c2d3ab

Re: [PATCH] builtin: replace the_repository parameter in is_bare_repository()

[Junio C Hamano]

Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> writes:

>> - Only update sites that do not introduce any functional changes.
>
> How did you make sure that the places touched by this patch do not?
>
> How do you deal with repo==NULL case in these code paths?

I guess this was a bit too short, so let me explain in a bit more
detail.

>> diff --git a/builtin/blame.c b/builtin/blame.c
>> index 48d5251c6d..dbf4b4ffc7 100644
>> --- a/builtin/blame.c
>> +++ b/builtin/blame.c
>> @@ -957,7 +957,7 @@ static void build_ignorelist(struct blame_scoreboard *sb,
>>  int cmd_blame(int argc,
>>  	      const char **argv,
>>  	      const char *prefix,
>> -	      struct repository *repo UNUSED)
>> +	      struct repository *repo)
>>  {
>>  	struct rev_info revs;
>>  	char *path = NULL;
>> @@ -1187,7 +1187,7 @@ int cmd_blame(int argc,
>>  
>>  	revs.disable_stdin = 1;
>>  	setup_revisions(argc, argv, &revs, NULL);
>> -	if (!revs.pending.nr && is_bare_repository(the_repository)) {
>> +	if (!revs.pending.nr && is_bare_repository(repo)) {
>>  		struct commit *head_commit;
>>  		struct object_id head_oid;

There are a handful of uses of the_repository before the execution
reaches here.  But you left them unmodified.

The original code used to consistently used the_repository.  Here
you changed it to use "repo".  In practice, they are most likely the
same when "repo" is not NULL, so in that sense, this may not be
breaking anything, but you must ask yourself what the point is,
unless you convert all uses of the_repository with "repo".  It does
not help libification effort at all.

In general, builtin/foo.c::cmd_foo() are concrete programs that work
on specific repository (i.e., the_repository), and there is not much
reason to rewrite the use of the_repository to use "repo" given by
the caller which is git potty.  You'd also need to deal with the
case where "repo" is NULL (hint: "cd / && git foo -h").

They are quite different from other parts of the system, things
outside builtin/, many of which are general utility/helper routines,
many of which should be designed to work with given repository.

Re: [PATCH] builtin: replace the_repository parameter in is_bare_repository()

[Hardik Kumar]

On Fri Aug 28, 2026 at 1:21 AM IST, Junio C Hamano wrote:

> I guess this was a bit too short, so let me explain in a bit more
> detail.
>
>>> diff --git a/builtin/blame.c b/builtin/blame.c
>>> index 48d5251c6d..dbf4b4ffc7 100644
>>> --- a/builtin/blame.c
>>> +++ b/builtin/blame.c
>>> @@ -957,7 +957,7 @@ static void build_ignorelist(struct blame_scoreboard *sb,
>>>  int cmd_blame(int argc,
>>>  	      const char **argv,
>>>  	      const char *prefix,
>>> -	      struct repository *repo UNUSED)
>>> +	      struct repository *repo)
>>>  {
>>>  	struct rev_info revs;
>>>  	char *path = NULL;
>>> @@ -1187,7 +1187,7 @@ int cmd_blame(int argc,
>>>  
>>>  	revs.disable_stdin = 1;
>>>  	setup_revisions(argc, argv, &revs, NULL);
>>> -	if (!revs.pending.nr && is_bare_repository(the_repository)) {
>>> +	if (!revs.pending.nr && is_bare_repository(repo)) {
>>>  		struct commit *head_commit;
>>>  		struct object_id head_oid;
>
> There are a handful of uses of the_repository before the execution
> reaches here.  But you left them unmodified.
>
> The original code used to consistently used the_repository.  Here
> you changed it to use "repo".  In practice, they are most likely the
> same when "repo" is not NULL, so in that sense, this may not be
> breaking anything, but you must ask yourself what the point is,
> unless you convert all uses of the_repository with "repo".  It does
> not help libification effort at all.

My main goal here was to start small with by removing the dependence
from `the_repository`. The other instances are obivous left out which
makes the patch seem inconsistent but I suppose those functions are the
ones that require execution before the flow ever checks for the value of
`repo` and so they rely on the global one instead.

> In general, builtin/foo.c::cmd_foo() are concrete programs that work
> on specific repository (i.e., the_repository), and there is not much
> reason to rewrite the use of the_repository to use "repo" given by
> the caller which is git potty.  You'd also need to deal with the
> case where "repo" is NULL (hint: "cd / && git foo -h").

Right, but would safety check be required for single instance or better
to find and work on only the specific ones which could lead to an
exception.

>
> They are quite different from other parts of the system, things
> outside builtin/, many of which are general utility/helper routines,
> many of which should be designed to work with given repository.

Re: [PATCH] builtin: replace the_repository parameter in is_bare_repository()

[Junio C Hamano]

"Hardik Kumar" <hardikxk@gmail.com> writes:

>> In general, builtin/foo.c::cmd_foo() are concrete programs that work
>> on specific repository (i.e., the_repository), and there is not much
>> reason to rewrite the use of the_repository to use "repo" given by
>> the caller which is git potty.  You'd also need to deal with the
>> case where "repo" is NULL (hint: "cd / && git foo -h").
>
> Right, but would safety check be required for single instance or better
> to find and work on only the specific ones which could lead to an
> exception.

I do not quite get what you mean.  In a single function you use
the_repository and repo interchangeably, relying on repo, when it is
not NULL), being the same as the_repository for correctness.  If
they ever refer to different things, then your updated code is less
consistent than the original, which would not be an improvement.

I actually think a good medium size project is to fix the last
parameter given to cmd_foo() built-in command implementations that
is a pointer to "struct repository".  It was a misguided design.

This pointer is either NULL or the_repository; it never takes any
other value.  It is misleading and invites confusion that these
functions can take arbitrary repository instance.  It also invites
people to replace all references in cmd_foo() to "the_repository"
with "repo", which may lead to an error.  Depending on where
parse_options() call appears in the cmd_foo(), "cd / && git foo -h"
will cause segfaults with such a change.

If we change the function signature of cmd_foo() to receive a "bool"
that says "true" if the command was run inside a repository and
"false" otherwise, cmd_foo() can still tell if the command was run
outside a repository, and programmers will not be misled to use
anything other than "the_repository" as the repository to work on.

The utility functions builtin/foo.c borrows from outside builtin/
directory are being "libified" to reduce the hardcoded dependence on
the_repository, and cmd_foo() can call these functions with
the_repository as a parameter.  But we have no reason to waste our
time updating (and also reviewing patches that make such updates)
the built-in implementations themselves to take a pointer to an
arbitrary repository.

Re: [PATCH] builtin: replace the_repository parameter in is_bare_repository()

[Ben Knoble]

> Le 27 août 2026 à 16:30, Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> a écrit :
> 
> "Hardik Kumar" <hardikxk@gmail.com> writes:
> 
>>> In general, builtin/foo.c::cmd_foo() are concrete programs that work
>>> on specific repository (i.e., the_repository), and there is not much
>>> reason to rewrite the use of the_repository to use "repo" given by
>>> the caller which is git potty.  You'd also need to deal with the
>>> case where "repo" is NULL (hint: "cd / && git foo -h").

[snip]

> The utility functions builtin/foo.c borrows from outside builtin/
> directory are being "libified" to reduce the hardcoded dependence on
> the_repository, and cmd_foo() can call these functions with
> the_repository as a parameter.  But we have no reason to waste our
> time updating (and also reviewing patches that make such updates)
> the built-in implementations themselves to take a pointer to an
> arbitrary repository.

Hm. What if a program wants to do « exactly what ‘git switch’ does » sans shelling out? It’d be a maintenance burden to answer « open code it using helpers in libgit and the builtin sources », at least as presented. Many builtin sources seem (at least to me) quite complex! And it’s not immediately obvious how I could recreate the intended effects of, say, « switch branches » with just one or 2 libgit calls. (Maybe that’s just me.)

In other words, the stance « it’s not worth it to libify builtins » only makes sense if we also say « we don’t explicitly support precisely replicating builtin behavior via libgit ».

Which is fine! I’m probably just not aware if there was discussion/consensus on that somewhere. Pointers welcome :)

(I for one think it would be nice to have the ability to call a builtin directly through libgit, or at least think through what organization of code would be necessary to make it feasible to say « to do builtin X, you need only call these 5 lib functions in sequence with your choice of arguments »—since perhaps parseopt’ing isn’t so relevant at that level—but I lack a concrete use case at the moment.)

Re: [PATCH] builtin: replace the_repository parameter in is_bare_repository()

[Junio C Hamano]

Ben Knoble <ben.knoble@gmail.com> writes:

>> Le 27 août 2026 à 16:30, Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> a écrit :
>> 
>> "Hardik Kumar" <hardikxk@gmail.com> writes:
>> 
>>>> In general, builtin/foo.c::cmd_foo() are concrete programs that work
>>>> on specific repository (i.e., the_repository), and there is not much
>>>> reason to rewrite the use of the_repository to use "repo" given by
>>>> the caller which is git potty.  You'd also need to deal with the
>>>> case where "repo" is NULL (hint: "cd / && git foo -h").
>
> [snip]
>
>> The utility functions builtin/foo.c borrows from outside builtin/
>> directory are being "libified" to reduce the hardcoded dependence on
>> the_repository, and cmd_foo() can call these functions with
>> the_repository as a parameter.  But we have no reason to waste our
>> time updating (and also reviewing patches that make such updates)
>> the built-in implementations themselves to take a pointer to an
>> arbitrary repository.

Line wrap to reasonable length.

> Hm. What if a program wants to do « exactly what ‘git switch’ does
> » sans shelling out?

Instead of cheating, properly factor out reusable part from
cmd_checkout() into a set of libified routines, and make both
cmd_checkout() and cmd_switch() to call them

An approach like that would help "libify" things.  libifying is not
just reducing dependence of globals.

Calling main() from something else is not a libification.

Re: [PATCH] builtin: replace the_repository parameter in is_bare_repository()

[D. Ben Knoble]

On Thu, Aug 27, 2026 at 5:39 PM Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> wrote:
>
> Ben Knoble <ben.knoble@gmail.com> writes:
>
> >> Le 27 août 2026 à 16:30, Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> a écrit :
> >>
> >> "Hardik Kumar" <hardikxk@gmail.com> writes:
> >>
> >>>> In general, builtin/foo.c::cmd_foo() are concrete programs that work
> >>>> on specific repository (i.e., the_repository), and there is not much
> >>>> reason to rewrite the use of the_repository to use "repo" given by
> >>>> the caller which is git potty.  You'd also need to deal with the
> >>>> case where "repo" is NULL (hint: "cd / && git foo -h").
> >
> > [snip]
> >
> >> The utility functions builtin/foo.c borrows from outside builtin/
> >> directory are being "libified" to reduce the hardcoded dependence on
> >> the_repository, and cmd_foo() can call these functions with
> >> the_repository as a parameter.  But we have no reason to waste our
> >> time updating (and also reviewing patches that make such updates)
> >> the built-in implementations themselves to take a pointer to an
> >> arbitrary repository.
>
> Line wrap to reasonable length.

Yeah… my iPhone (from which I sometimes reply) supports plaintext if I
do things just right, but it doesn't wrap lines. It's difficult to
judge where to break, but maybe I'll try hardbreaks every so often and
see if that helps.

> > Hm. What if a program wants to do « exactly what ‘git switch’ does
> > » sans shelling out?
>
> Instead of cheating, properly factor out reusable part from
> cmd_checkout() into a set of libified routines, and make both
> cmd_checkout() and cmd_switch() to call them
>
> An approach like that would help "libify" things.  libifying is not
> just reducing dependence of globals.
>
> Calling main() from something else is not a libification.

Sensible. Thanks!

-- 
D. Ben Knoble

Re: [PATCH] builtin: replace the_repository parameter in is_bare_repository()

[Junio C Hamano]

"D. Ben Knoble" <ben.knoble@gmail.com> writes:

>> > Hm. What if a program wants to do « exactly what ‘git switch’ does
>> > » sans shelling out?
>>
>> Instead of cheating, properly factor out reusable part from
>> cmd_checkout() into a set of libified routines, and make both
>> cmd_checkout() and cmd_switch() to call them
>>
>> An approach like that would help "libify" things.  libifying is not
>> just reducing dependence of globals.
>>
>> Calling main() from something else is not a libification.
>
> Sensible. Thanks!

I actually answered a wrong question though ;-) 

The way cmd_switch() and cmd_restore() were introduced by sharing
what used to serve cmd_checkout() was serviceable, but ugly.  Had we
started from separate implementations for 'switch' and 'restore'
that were later merged into 'checkout', we would not have ended up
with a design centered on a single monolithic choke point like
checkout_main().

That is what I meant by "cheating instead of refactoring reusable
parts".  However, that is not directly relevant to your example.

It is an anti-pattern to call the top-level implementation of 'git
foo' in cmd_foo() directly from cmd_bar(), since these cmd_foo()
functions are like main() in ordinary programs, performing one-time
initialization (such as git_config() calls) and finalization that
cannot be repeated.  To help our codebase, as well as the use case
you imagined in your message, it would help to trim down these
non-reusable cmd_foo() implementations by turning them into mere
orchestrators that call refactored helper functions.  Such a change
would put cmd_foo() and a client that wants to reuse 'git switch'
functionality on the same footing, allowing more of our code to be
used in different contexts.  I think that is what people mean by
the "libification" effort.

[PATCH 0/8] More sensible checkout/switch/restore code refactoring

[Junio C Hamano]

In the beginning, there was only 'git checkout'.  We then introduced
'git switch' and 'git restore', borrowing as much original code as
possible from the implementation of 'git checkout'.

Unfortunately, this has left the code in a strange shape.  Had we
started from separate implementations for 'switch' and 'restore'
then later merged them into 'checkout', we would not have arrived at
a design where three front-end routines, cmd_checkout(),
cmd_switch(), and cmd_restore(), funnel into a single monolithic
choke point in checkout_main(), which then determines whether we are
checking out a branch or paths, and dispatches to checkout_branch()
or checkout_paths().

This series is an attempt to repartition the code into a better
shape.  Because checkout_branch() and checkout_paths() already exist
as two reusable helper functions, with sufficient refactoring of
checkout_main(), the two newer entry points, cmd_switch() and
cmd_restore(), can parse command-line arguments and configuration
settings and jump straight into checkout_branch() or
checkout_paths() respectively, without worrying about the other path.

Of course, cmd_checkout() still needs to decide whether to check out
a branch or a set of paths and dispatch between these two backends.

The series begins with three fairly isolated cleanups that are worth
making on their own, even if we do not follow through with the rest
of the series.  Patches 4 and 5 then refactor various utility
functions out of existing code paths, and patch 6 uses them to
rewrite the three top-level command entry points to call these
functions without going through checkout_main().  Patch 7 is a
style-only fix done after the dust settles, which was deliberately
kept separate to simplify review.

The final step moves one helper utility out of builtin/checkout.c to
top-level checkout.c as an illustration of the libification discussed
in our recent threads.

Note that I consider this a fairly early and rough draft for
illustration only.  There may be a few topics that touch 'git
checkout', and a refactoring of this scale might adversely impact
them, so I will not even merge these patches to 'seen'.

 1/8: checkout: pass cb_option explicitly to branch name parsers
 2/8: checkout: validate new branch name in checkout_branch()
 3/8: checkout: validate stage and merge option compatibility in
        checkout_paths()
 4/8: checkout: extract option validation and pathspec helpers
 5/8: checkout: extract branch setup and tracking helpers
 6/8: checkout: restructure switch, restore, and checkout
        entrypoints
 7/8: checkout: wrap overly long lines
 8/8: checkout: move post_checkout_hook() to checkout.c

 builtin/checkout.c | 545 +++++++++++++++++++++++----------------------
 checkout.c         |  22 ++
 checkout.h         |   8 +
 3 files changed, 311 insertions(+), 264 deletions(-)

-- 
2.55.0-884-g76cf8659c2

[PATCH 1/8] checkout: pass cb_option explicitly to branch name parsers

[Junio C Hamano]

The file-scope static variable 'cb_option' is used to record whether
a new branch is being created via '-b' (in 'git checkout') or '-c'
(in 'git switch'), primarily for error reporting and advice messages
in parse_remote_branch().

Global mutable state makes the code harder to reason about and refactor.

Pass 'cb_option' explicitly as a parameter to parse_remote_branch()
and parse_branchname_arg(), removing the file-scope static variable.

Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
---
 builtin/checkout.c | 23 +++++++++--------------
 1 file changed, 9 insertions(+), 14 deletions(-)

diff --git a/builtin/checkout.c b/builtin/checkout.c
index 55e3a89a85..774e4fd5b3 100644
--- a/builtin/checkout.c
+++ b/builtin/checkout.c
@@ -1346,7 +1346,7 @@ enum checkout_command {
 static char *parse_remote_branch(const char *arg,
 				 struct object_id *rev,
 				 int could_be_checkout_paths,
-				 enum checkout_command which_command)
+				 char cb_option)
 {
 	int num_matches = 0;
 	char *remote = unique_tracking_name(arg, rev, &num_matches);
@@ -1361,16 +1361,15 @@ static char *parse_remote_branch(const char *arg,
 	    if (advice_enabled(ADVICE_CHECKOUT_AMBIGUOUS_REMOTE_BRANCH_NAME)) {
 		    const char *cmdname;
 
-		    switch (which_command) {
-		    case CHECKOUT_CHECKOUT:
+		    switch (cb_option) {
+		    case 'b':
 			    cmdname = "checkout";
 			    break;
-		    case CHECKOUT_SWITCH:
+		    case 'c':
 			    cmdname = "switch";
 			    break;
 		    default:
-			    BUG("command <%d> should not reach parse_remote_branch",
-				which_command);
+			    BUG("unexpected cb_option '%c'", cb_option);
 			    break;
 		    }
 
@@ -1394,7 +1393,7 @@ static char *parse_remote_branch(const char *arg,
 
 static int parse_branchname_arg(int argc, const char **argv,
 				int dwim_new_local_branch_ok,
-				enum checkout_command which_command,
+				char cb_option,
 				struct branch_info *new_branch_info,
 				struct checkout_opts *opts,
 				struct object_id *rev)
@@ -1505,7 +1504,7 @@ static int parse_branchname_arg(int argc, const char **argv,
 		if (recover_with_dwim) {
 			remote = parse_remote_branch(arg, rev,
 						     could_be_checkout_paths,
-						     which_command);
+						     cb_option);
 			if (remote) {
 				*new_branch = arg;
 				arg = remote;
@@ -1832,9 +1831,6 @@ static struct option *add_checkout_path_options(struct checkout_opts *opts,
 	return newopts;
 }
 
-/* create-branch option (either b or c) */
-static char cb_option = 'b';
-
 static int checkout_main(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 			 struct checkout_opts *opts, struct option *options,
 			 enum checkout_command which_command)
@@ -1842,6 +1838,7 @@ static int checkout_main(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 	int parseopt_flags = 0;
 	struct branch_info new_branch_info = { 0 };
 	int ret;
+	char cb_option = (which_command == CHECKOUT_SWITCH) ? 'c' : 'b';
 
 	static const char * const checkout_usage[] = {
 		N_("git checkout [<options>] <branch>"),
@@ -1997,7 +1994,7 @@ static int checkout_main(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 			opts->dwim_new_local_branch &&
 			opts->track == BRANCH_TRACK_UNSPECIFIED &&
 			!opts->new_branch;
-		int n = parse_branchname_arg(argc, argv, dwim_ok, which_command,
+		int n = parse_branchname_arg(argc, argv, dwim_ok, cb_option,
 					     &new_branch_info, opts, &rev);
 		argv += n;
 		argc -= n;
@@ -2174,8 +2171,6 @@ int cmd_switch(int argc,
 	options = add_common_options(&opts, options);
 	options = add_common_switch_branch_options(&opts, options);
 
-	cb_option = 'c';
-
 	return checkout_main(argc, argv, prefix, &opts, options,
 			     CHECKOUT_SWITCH);
 }
-- 
2.55.0-884-g76cf8659c2

[PATCH 2/8] checkout: validate new branch name in checkout_branch()

[Junio C Hamano]

In checkout_main(), new branch name validation is performed before
dispatching to checkout_branch() or checkout_paths().  Checking out
paths does not create new branches, so this validation only belongs
in checkout_branch().

Move the validate_branchname() and validate_new_branchname() calls
from checkout_main() into checkout_branch().  checkout_paths()
checks and fails if '.new_branch' is set before doing anything,
which indicates that this change is safe and makes good sense.

Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
---
 builtin/checkout.c | 22 +++++++++++-----------
 1 file changed, 11 insertions(+), 11 deletions(-)

diff --git a/builtin/checkout.c b/builtin/checkout.c
index 774e4fd5b3..14542626e9 100644
--- a/builtin/checkout.c
+++ b/builtin/checkout.c
@@ -1734,6 +1734,17 @@ static int checkout_branch(struct checkout_opts *opts,
 		free(full_ref);
 	}
 
+	if (opts->new_branch) {
+		struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
+
+		if (opts->new_branch_force)
+			opts->branch_exists = validate_branchname(opts->new_branch, &buf);
+		else
+			opts->branch_exists =
+				validate_new_branchname(opts->new_branch, &buf, 0);
+		strbuf_release(&buf);
+	}
+
 	if (!new_branch_info->commit && opts->new_branch) {
 		struct object_id rev;
 		int flag;
@@ -2062,17 +2073,6 @@ static int checkout_main(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 			die(_("you must specify path(s) to restore"));
 	}
 
-	if (opts->new_branch) {
-		struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
-
-		if (opts->new_branch_force)
-			opts->branch_exists = validate_branchname(opts->new_branch, &buf);
-		else
-			opts->branch_exists =
-				validate_new_branchname(opts->new_branch, &buf, 0);
-		strbuf_release(&buf);
-	}
-
 	if (opts->patch_mode || opts->pathspec.nr)
 		ret = checkout_paths(opts, &new_branch_info);
 	else
-- 
2.55.0-884-g76cf8659c2

[PATCH 3/8] checkout: validate stage and merge option compatibility in checkout_paths()

[Junio C Hamano]

In checkout_main(), checking that no more than one of --ours/--theirs,
--force, and --merge is specified is performed when pathspecs are
present, before dispatching to checkout_paths().  Checking out a
branch does not use index stages, so this validation belongs in
checkout_paths().

Move the incompatibility check from checkout_main() into
checkout_paths().

Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
---
 builtin/checkout.c | 10 +++++-----
 1 file changed, 5 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/builtin/checkout.c b/builtin/checkout.c
index 14542626e9..e3d23256e2 100644
--- a/builtin/checkout.c
+++ b/builtin/checkout.c
@@ -591,6 +591,10 @@ static int checkout_paths(const struct checkout_opts *opts,
 		die(_("'%s', '%s', or '%s' cannot be used when checking out of a tree"),
 		    "--merge", "--ours", "--theirs");
 
+	if (1 < !!opts->writeout_stage + !!opts->force + !!opts->merge)
+		die(_("git checkout: --ours/--theirs, --force and --merge are incompatible when\n"
+		      "checking out of the index."));
+
 	if (opts->patch_mode) {
 		enum add_p_mode patch_mode;
 		struct interactive_options interactive_opts = {
@@ -2063,11 +2067,7 @@ static int checkout_main(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 
 	opts->pathspec.recursive = 1;
 
-	if (opts->pathspec.nr) {
-		if (1 < !!opts->writeout_stage + !!opts->force + !!opts->merge)
-			die(_("git checkout: --ours/--theirs, --force and --merge are incompatible when\n"
-			      "checking out of the index."));
-	} else {
+	if (!opts->pathspec.nr) {
 		if (opts->accept_pathspec && !opts->empty_pathspec_ok &&
 		    !opts->patch_mode)	/* patch mode is special */
 			die(_("you must specify path(s) to restore"));
-- 
2.55.0-884-g76cf8659c2

[PATCH 4/8] checkout: extract option validation and pathspec helpers

[Junio C Hamano]

The checkout_main() function handles initialization, option parsing,
option validation, and pathspec resolution.

Extract option validation and pathspec handling logic into static
helper functions:

  - init_checkout_opts() initializes default checkout options and
    repo settings.

  - validate_path_options() validates patch context and
    index/worktree flags.

  - prepare_common_options() prepares progress, merge, and force
    options.

  - parse_pathspec_from_file_options() parses and validates
    pathspecs read from a file.

Call these helpers from checkout_main().

Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
---
 builtin/checkout.c | 171 +++++++++++++++++++++++++--------------------
 1 file changed, 96 insertions(+), 75 deletions(-)

diff --git a/builtin/checkout.c b/builtin/checkout.c
index e3d23256e2..8d567def7e 100644
--- a/builtin/checkout.c
+++ b/builtin/checkout.c
@@ -1846,6 +1846,98 @@ static struct option *add_checkout_path_options(struct checkout_opts *opts,
 	return newopts;
 }
 
+static void init_checkout_opts(struct checkout_opts *opts, const char *prefix)
+{
+	opts->overwrite_ignore = 1;
+	opts->prefix = prefix;
+	opts->show_progress = -1;
+
+	repo_config(the_repository, git_checkout_config, opts);
+	if (the_repository->gitdir) {
+		prepare_repo_settings(the_repository);
+		the_repository->settings.command_requires_full_index = 0;
+	}
+
+	opts->track = BRANCH_TRACK_UNSPECIFIED;
+}
+
+static void validate_path_options(struct checkout_opts *opts)
+{
+	if (opts->patch_context < -1)
+		die(_("'%s' cannot be negative"), "--unified");
+	if (opts->patch_interhunk_context < -1)
+		die(_("'%s' cannot be negative"), "--inter-hunk-context");
+
+	if (!opts->patch_mode) {
+		if (opts->patch_context != -1)
+			die(_("the option '%s' requires '%s'"), "--unified", "--patch");
+		if (opts->patch_interhunk_context != -1)
+			die(_("the option '%s' requires '%s'"), "--inter-hunk-context", "--patch");
+		if (!opts->auto_advance)
+			die(_("the option '%s' requires '%s'"), "--no-auto-advance", "--patch");
+	}
+
+	if (opts->overlay_mode == 1 && opts->patch_mode)
+		die(_("options '%s' and '%s' cannot be used together"), "-p", "--overlay");
+
+	if (opts->checkout_index >= 0 || opts->checkout_worktree >= 0) {
+		if (opts->checkout_index < 0)
+			opts->checkout_index = 0;
+		if (opts->checkout_worktree < 0)
+			opts->checkout_worktree = 0;
+	} else {
+		if (opts->checkout_index < 0)
+			opts->checkout_index = -opts->checkout_index - 1;
+		if (opts->checkout_worktree < 0)
+			opts->checkout_worktree = -opts->checkout_worktree - 1;
+	}
+	if (opts->checkout_index < 0 || opts->checkout_worktree < 0)
+		BUG("these flags should be non-negative by now");
+}
+
+static void prepare_common_options(struct checkout_opts *opts)
+{
+	if (opts->show_progress < 0) {
+		if (opts->quiet)
+			opts->show_progress = 0;
+		else
+			opts->show_progress = isatty(2);
+	}
+
+	/* --conflicts implies --merge */
+	if (opts->merge == -1)
+		opts->merge = opts->conflict_style >= 0;
+
+	if (opts->force) {
+		opts->discard_changes = 1;
+		opts->ignore_unmerged_opt = "--force";
+		opts->ignore_unmerged = 1;
+	}
+}
+
+static void parse_pathspec_from_file_options(struct checkout_opts *opts,
+					     const char *prefix)
+{
+	if (opts->pathspec_from_file) {
+		if (opts->pathspec.nr)
+			die(_("'%s' and pathspec arguments cannot be used together"), "--pathspec-from-file");
+
+		if (opts->force_detach)
+			die(_("options '%s' and '%s' cannot be used together"), "--pathspec-from-file", "--detach");
+
+		if (opts->patch_mode)
+			die(_("options '%s' and '%s' cannot be used together"), "--pathspec-from-file", "--patch");
+
+		parse_pathspec_file(&opts->pathspec, 0,
+				    0,
+				    prefix, opts->pathspec_from_file, opts->pathspec_file_nul);
+	} else if (opts->pathspec_file_nul) {
+		die(_("the option '%s' requires '%s'"), "--pathspec-file-nul", "--pathspec-from-file");
+	}
+
+	opts->pathspec.recursive = 1;
+}
+
 static int checkout_main(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 			 struct checkout_opts *opts, struct option *options,
 			 enum checkout_command which_command)
@@ -1887,17 +1979,7 @@ static int checkout_main(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 		BUG("no such checkout variant %d", which_command);
 	}
 
-	opts->overwrite_ignore = 1;
-	opts->prefix = prefix;
-	opts->show_progress = -1;
-
-	repo_config(the_repository, git_checkout_config, opts);
-	if (the_repository->gitdir) {
-		prepare_repo_settings(the_repository);
-		the_repository->settings.command_requires_full_index = 0;
-	}
-
-	opts->track = BRANCH_TRACK_UNSPECIFIED;
+	init_checkout_opts(opts, prefix);
 
 	if (!opts->accept_pathspec && !opts->accept_ref)
 		BUG("make up your mind, you need to take _something_");
@@ -1907,57 +1989,13 @@ static int checkout_main(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options,
 			     usagestr, parseopt_flags);
 
-	if (opts->patch_context < -1)
-		die(_("'%s' cannot be negative"), "--unified");
-	if (opts->patch_interhunk_context < -1)
-		die(_("'%s' cannot be negative"), "--inter-hunk-context");
-
-	if (!opts->patch_mode) {
-		if (opts->patch_context != -1)
-			die(_("the option '%s' requires '%s'"), "--unified", "--patch");
-		if (opts->patch_interhunk_context != -1)
-			die(_("the option '%s' requires '%s'"), "--inter-hunk-context", "--patch");
-		if (!opts->auto_advance)
-			die(_("the option '%s' requires '%s'"), "--no-auto-advance", "--patch");
-	}
-
-	if (opts->show_progress < 0) {
-		if (opts->quiet)
-			opts->show_progress = 0;
-		else
-			opts->show_progress = isatty(2);
-	}
-
-	/* --conflicts implies --merge */
-	if (opts->merge == -1)
-		opts->merge = opts->conflict_style >= 0;
-
-	if (opts->force) {
-		opts->discard_changes = 1;
-		opts->ignore_unmerged_opt = "--force";
-		opts->ignore_unmerged = 1;
-	}
+	validate_path_options(opts);
+	prepare_common_options(opts);
 
 	if ((!!opts->new_branch + !!opts->new_branch_force + !!opts->new_orphan_branch) > 1)
 		die(_("options '-%c', '-%c', and '%s' cannot be used together"),
 			cb_option, toupper(cb_option), "--orphan");
 
-	if (opts->overlay_mode == 1 && opts->patch_mode)
-		die(_("options '%s' and '%s' cannot be used together"), "-p", "--overlay");
-
-	if (opts->checkout_index >= 0 || opts->checkout_worktree >= 0) {
-		if (opts->checkout_index < 0)
-			opts->checkout_index = 0;
-		if (opts->checkout_worktree < 0)
-			opts->checkout_worktree = 0;
-	} else {
-		if (opts->checkout_index < 0)
-			opts->checkout_index = -opts->checkout_index - 1;
-		if (opts->checkout_worktree < 0)
-			opts->checkout_worktree = -opts->checkout_worktree - 1;
-	}
-	if (opts->checkout_index < 0 || opts->checkout_worktree < 0)
-		BUG("these flags should be non-negative by now");
 	/*
 	 * convenient shortcut: "git restore --staged [--worktree]" equals
 	 * "git restore --staged [--worktree] --source HEAD"
@@ -2048,24 +2086,7 @@ static int checkout_main(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 			    argv[0]);
 	}
 
-	if (opts->pathspec_from_file) {
-		if (opts->pathspec.nr)
-			die(_("'%s' and pathspec arguments cannot be used together"), "--pathspec-from-file");
-
-		if (opts->force_detach)
-			die(_("options '%s' and '%s' cannot be used together"), "--pathspec-from-file", "--detach");
-
-		if (opts->patch_mode)
-			die(_("options '%s' and '%s' cannot be used together"), "--pathspec-from-file", "--patch");
-
-		parse_pathspec_file(&opts->pathspec, 0,
-				    0,
-				    prefix, opts->pathspec_from_file, opts->pathspec_file_nul);
-	} else if (opts->pathspec_file_nul) {
-		die(_("the option '%s' requires '%s'"), "--pathspec-file-nul", "--pathspec-from-file");
-	}
-
-	opts->pathspec.recursive = 1;
+	parse_pathspec_from_file_options(opts, prefix);
 
 	if (!opts->pathspec.nr) {
 		if (opts->accept_pathspec && !opts->empty_pathspec_ok &&
-- 
2.55.0-884-g76cf8659c2

[PATCH 5/8] checkout: extract branch setup and tracking helpers

[Junio C Hamano]

The checkout_main() function validates branch-creation options,
DWIMs tracking branch options, and sets up branch information
directly in its body.

Extract these branch setup operations into static helper functions:

  - validate_branch_options() validates compatibility of '-b', '-B',
    and '--orphan' options.

  - dwim_branch_track_option() infers the branch name when '--track'
    is given without an explicit branch name.

  - setup_branch_name_and_info() drives branch validation and parses
    the branch name argument.

Call the new setup helper from checkout_main().

Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
---
 builtin/checkout.c | 104 +++++++++++++++++++++++----------------------
 1 file changed, 54 insertions(+), 50 deletions(-)

diff --git a/builtin/checkout.c b/builtin/checkout.c
index 8d567def7e..2edaca5539 100644
--- a/builtin/checkout.c
+++ b/builtin/checkout.c
@@ -1938,6 +1938,57 @@ static void parse_pathspec_from_file_options(struct checkout_opts *opts,
 	opts->pathspec.recursive = 1;
 }
 
+static void validate_branch_options(struct checkout_opts *opts, char cb_option)
+{
+	if ((!!opts->new_branch + !!opts->new_branch_force + !!opts->new_orphan_branch) > 1)
+		die(_("options '-%c', '-%c', and '%s' cannot be used together"),
+			cb_option, toupper(cb_option), "--orphan");
+
+	if (opts->new_branch_force)
+		opts->new_branch = opts->new_branch_force;
+
+	if (opts->new_orphan_branch)
+		opts->new_branch = opts->new_orphan_branch;
+}
+
+static void dwim_branch_track_option(int argc, const char **argv,
+				     struct checkout_opts *opts, char cb_option)
+{
+	/* --track without -c/-C/-b/-B/--orphan should DWIM */
+	if (opts->track != BRANCH_TRACK_UNSPECIFIED && !opts->new_branch) {
+		const char *argv0 = argv[0];
+		if (!argc || !strcmp(argv0, "--"))
+			die(_("--track needs a branch name"));
+		skip_prefix(argv0, "refs/", &argv0);
+		skip_prefix(argv0, "remotes/", &argv0);
+		argv0 = strchr(argv0, '/');
+		if (!argv0 || !argv0[1])
+			die(_("missing branch name; try -%c"), cb_option);
+		opts->new_branch = argv0 + 1;
+	}
+}
+
+static int setup_branch_name_and_info(int argc, const char **argv,
+				      struct checkout_opts *opts,
+				      struct branch_info *new_branch_info,
+				      char cb_option)
+{
+	validate_branch_options(opts, cb_option);
+	dwim_branch_track_option(argc, argv, opts, cb_option);
+
+	if (argc) {
+		struct object_id rev;
+		int dwim_ok =
+			!opts->patch_mode &&
+			opts->dwim_new_local_branch &&
+			opts->track == BRANCH_TRACK_UNSPECIFIED &&
+			!opts->new_branch;
+		return parse_branchname_arg(argc, argv, dwim_ok, cb_option,
+					    new_branch_info, opts, &rev);
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static int checkout_main(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 			 struct checkout_opts *opts, struct option *options,
 			 enum checkout_command which_command)
@@ -1992,10 +2043,6 @@ static int checkout_main(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 	validate_path_options(opts);
 	prepare_common_options(opts);
 
-	if ((!!opts->new_branch + !!opts->new_branch_force + !!opts->new_orphan_branch) > 1)
-		die(_("options '-%c', '-%c', and '%s' cannot be used together"),
-			cb_option, toupper(cb_option), "--orphan");
-
 	/*
 	 * convenient shortcut: "git restore --staged [--worktree]" equals
 	 * "git restore --staged [--worktree] --source HEAD"
@@ -2003,52 +2050,9 @@ static int checkout_main(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 	if (!opts->from_treeish && opts->checkout_index)
 		opts->from_treeish = "HEAD";
 
-	/*
-	 * From here on, new_branch will contain the branch to be checked out,
-	 * and new_branch_force and new_orphan_branch will tell us which one of
-	 * -b/-B/-c/-C/--orphan is being used.
-	 */
-	if (opts->new_branch_force)
-		opts->new_branch = opts->new_branch_force;
-
-	if (opts->new_orphan_branch)
-		opts->new_branch = opts->new_orphan_branch;
-
-	/* --track without -c/-C/-b/-B/--orphan should DWIM */
-	if (opts->track != BRANCH_TRACK_UNSPECIFIED && !opts->new_branch) {
-		const char *argv0 = argv[0];
-		if (!argc || !strcmp(argv0, "--"))
-			die(_("--track needs a branch name"));
-		skip_prefix(argv0, "refs/", &argv0);
-		skip_prefix(argv0, "remotes/", &argv0);
-		argv0 = strchr(argv0, '/');
-		if (!argv0 || !argv0[1])
-			die(_("missing branch name; try -%c"), cb_option);
-		opts->new_branch = argv0 + 1;
-	}
-
-	/*
-	 * Extract branch name from command line arguments, so
-	 * all that is left is pathspecs.
-	 *
-	 * Handle
-	 *
-	 *  1) git checkout <tree> -- [<paths>]
-	 *  2) git checkout -- [<paths>]
-	 *  3) git checkout <something> [<paths>]
-	 *
-	 * including "last branch" syntax and DWIM-ery for names of
-	 * remote branches, erroring out for invalid or ambiguous cases.
-	 */
-	if (argc && opts->accept_ref) {
-		struct object_id rev;
-		int dwim_ok =
-			!opts->patch_mode &&
-			opts->dwim_new_local_branch &&
-			opts->track == BRANCH_TRACK_UNSPECIFIED &&
-			!opts->new_branch;
-		int n = parse_branchname_arg(argc, argv, dwim_ok, cb_option,
-					     &new_branch_info, opts, &rev);
+	if (opts->accept_ref) {
+		int n = setup_branch_name_and_info(argc, argv, opts,
+						   &new_branch_info, cb_option);
 		argv += n;
 		argc -= n;
 	} else if (!opts->accept_ref && opts->from_treeish) {
-- 
2.55.0-884-g76cf8659c2

[PATCH 6/8] checkout: restructure switch, restore, and checkout entrypoints

[Junio C Hamano]

cmd_switch(), cmd_restore(), and cmd_checkout() pass their options
to checkout_main(), which parses options and configuration,
validates and dispatches to checkout_branch() or checkout_paths().

Now that option initialization, validation, and branch setup have been
split into dedicated helper functions, restructure cmd_switch(),
cmd_restore(), and cmd_checkout() to invoke these helpers directly and
dispatch to checkout_branch() or checkout_paths().

In cmd_restore(), handle the --staged default from_treeish = "HEAD" and
resolve opts.from_treeish into new_branch_info and opts.source_tree.

This allows us to remove checkout_main() and enum checkout_command
as they are no longer needed.

Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
---
 builtin/checkout.c | 297 +++++++++++++++++++++++----------------------
 1 file changed, 149 insertions(+), 148 deletions(-)

diff --git a/builtin/checkout.c b/builtin/checkout.c
index 2edaca5539..b18515ac7f 100644
--- a/builtin/checkout.c
+++ b/builtin/checkout.c
@@ -1341,12 +1341,6 @@ static void setup_new_branch_info_and_source_tree(
 }
 
 
-enum checkout_command {
-	CHECKOUT_CHECKOUT = 1,
-	CHECKOUT_SWITCH = 2,
-	CHECKOUT_RESTORE = 3,
-};
-
 static char *parse_remote_branch(const char *arg,
 				 struct object_id *rev,
 				 int could_be_checkout_paths,
@@ -1989,19 +1983,25 @@ static int setup_branch_name_and_info(int argc, const char **argv,
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int checkout_main(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
-			 struct checkout_opts *opts, struct option *options,
-			 enum checkout_command which_command)
+int cmd_switch(int argc,
+	       const char **argv,
+	       const char *prefix,
+	       struct repository *repo UNUSED)
 {
-	int parseopt_flags = 0;
+	struct checkout_opts opts = CHECKOUT_OPTS_INIT;
+	struct option *options = NULL;
 	struct branch_info new_branch_info = { 0 };
 	int ret;
-	char cb_option = (which_command == CHECKOUT_SWITCH) ? 'c' : 'b';
-
-	static const char * const checkout_usage[] = {
-		N_("git checkout [<options>] <branch>"),
-		N_("git checkout [<options>] [<branch>] -- <file>..."),
-		NULL,
+	struct option switch_options[] = {
+		OPT_STRING('c', "create", &opts.new_branch, N_("branch"),
+			   N_("create and switch to a new branch")),
+		OPT_STRING('C', "force-create", &opts.new_branch_force, N_("branch"),
+			   N_("create/reset and switch to a branch")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "guess", &opts.dwim_new_local_branch,
+			 N_("second guess 'git switch <no-such-branch>'")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "discard-changes", &opts.discard_changes,
+			 N_("throw away local modifications")),
+		OPT_END()
 	};
 
 	static const char * const switch_branch_usage[] = {
@@ -2009,103 +2009,125 @@ static int checkout_main(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 		NULL,
 	};
 
+	opts.dwim_new_local_branch = 1;
+	opts.accept_ref = 1;
+	opts.accept_pathspec = 0;
+	opts.switch_branch_doing_nothing_is_ok = 0;
+	opts.only_merge_on_switching_branches = 1;
+	opts.implicit_detach = 0;
+	opts.can_switch_when_in_progress = 0;
+	opts.orphan_from_empty_tree = 1;
+	opts.overlay_mode = -1;
+
+	init_checkout_opts(&opts, prefix);
+
+	options = parse_options_dup(switch_options);
+	options = add_common_options(&opts, options);
+	options = add_common_switch_branch_options(&opts, options);
+
+	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options,
+			     switch_branch_usage, 0);
+
+	prepare_common_options(&opts);
+	setup_branch_name_and_info(argc, argv, &opts, &new_branch_info, 'c');
+
+	ret = checkout_branch(&opts, &new_branch_info);
+
+	branch_info_release(&new_branch_info);
+	clear_pathspec(&opts.pathspec);
+	free(opts.pathspec_from_file);
+	free(options);
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
+int cmd_restore(int argc,
+		const char **argv,
+		const char *prefix,
+		struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+{
+	struct checkout_opts opts = CHECKOUT_OPTS_INIT;
+	struct option *options;
+	struct branch_info new_branch_info = { 0 };
+	int ret;
+	struct option restore_options[] = {
+		OPT_STRING('s', "source", &opts.from_treeish, "<tree-ish>",
+			   N_("which tree-ish to checkout from")),
+		OPT_BOOL('S', "staged", &opts.checkout_index,
+			   N_("restore the index")),
+		OPT_BOOL('W', "worktree", &opts.checkout_worktree,
+			   N_("restore the working tree (default)")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "ignore-unmerged", &opts.ignore_unmerged,
+			 N_("ignore unmerged entries")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "overlay", &opts.overlay_mode, N_("use overlay mode")),
+		OPT_END()
+	};
+
 	static const char * const restore_usage[] = {
 		N_("git restore [<options>] [--source=<branch>] <file>..."),
 		NULL,
 	};
 
-	const char * const *usagestr;
-
-	switch (which_command) {
-	case CHECKOUT_CHECKOUT:
-		usagestr = checkout_usage;
-		break;
-	case CHECKOUT_SWITCH:
-		usagestr = switch_branch_usage;
-		break;
-	case CHECKOUT_RESTORE:
-		usagestr = restore_usage;
-		break;
-	default:
-		BUG("no such checkout variant %d", which_command);
-	}
+	opts.accept_ref = 0;
+	opts.accept_pathspec = 1;
+	opts.empty_pathspec_ok = 0;
+	opts.overlay_mode = 0;
+	opts.checkout_index = -1;    /* default off */
+	opts.checkout_worktree = -2; /* default on */
+	opts.ignore_unmerged_opt = "--ignore-unmerged";
 
-	init_checkout_opts(opts, prefix);
+	init_checkout_opts(&opts, prefix);
 
-	if (!opts->accept_pathspec && !opts->accept_ref)
-		BUG("make up your mind, you need to take _something_");
-	if (opts->accept_pathspec && opts->accept_ref)
-		parseopt_flags = PARSE_OPT_KEEP_DASHDASH;
+	options = parse_options_dup(restore_options);
+	options = add_common_options(&opts, options);
+	options = add_checkout_path_options(&opts, options);
 
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options,
-			     usagestr, parseopt_flags);
+			     restore_usage, 0);
 
-	validate_path_options(opts);
-	prepare_common_options(opts);
+	validate_path_options(&opts);
+	prepare_common_options(&opts);
 
 	/*
 	 * convenient shortcut: "git restore --staged [--worktree]" equals
 	 * "git restore --staged [--worktree] --source HEAD"
 	 */
-	if (!opts->from_treeish && opts->checkout_index)
-		opts->from_treeish = "HEAD";
-
-	if (opts->accept_ref) {
-		int n = setup_branch_name_and_info(argc, argv, opts,
-						   &new_branch_info, cb_option);
-		argv += n;
-		argc -= n;
-	} else if (!opts->accept_ref && opts->from_treeish) {
+	if (!opts.from_treeish && opts.checkout_index)
+		opts.from_treeish = "HEAD";
+
+	if (opts.from_treeish) {
 		struct object_id rev;
 
-		if (repo_get_oid_mb(the_repository, opts->from_treeish, &rev))
-			die(_("could not resolve '%s'"), opts->from_treeish);
+		if (repo_get_oid_mb(the_repository, opts.from_treeish, &rev))
+			die(_("could not resolve '%s'"), opts.from_treeish);
 
 		setup_new_branch_info_and_source_tree(&new_branch_info,
-						      opts, &rev,
-						      opts->from_treeish);
+						      &opts, &rev,
+						      opts.from_treeish);
 
-		if (!opts->source_tree)
-			die(_("reference is not a tree: %s"), opts->from_treeish);
+		if (!opts.source_tree)
+			die(_("reference is not a tree: %s"), opts.from_treeish);
 	}
 
 	if (argc) {
-		parse_pathspec(&opts->pathspec, 0,
-			       opts->patch_mode ? PATHSPEC_PREFIX_ORIGIN : 0,
+		parse_pathspec(&opts.pathspec, 0,
+			       opts.patch_mode ? PATHSPEC_PREFIX_ORIGIN : 0,
 			       prefix, argv);
 
-		if (!opts->pathspec.nr)
+		if (!opts.pathspec.nr)
 			die(_("invalid path specification"));
-
-		/*
-		 * Try to give more helpful suggestion.
-		 * new_branch && argc > 1 will be caught later.
-		 */
-		if (opts->new_branch && argc == 1 && !new_branch_info.commit)
-			die(_("'%s' is not a commit and a branch '%s' cannot be created from it"),
-				argv[0], opts->new_branch);
-
-		if (opts->force_detach)
-			die(_("git checkout: --detach does not take a path argument '%s'"),
-			    argv[0]);
 	}
 
-	parse_pathspec_from_file_options(opts, prefix);
+	parse_pathspec_from_file_options(&opts, prefix);
 
-	if (!opts->pathspec.nr) {
-		if (opts->accept_pathspec && !opts->empty_pathspec_ok &&
-		    !opts->patch_mode)	/* patch mode is special */
-			die(_("you must specify path(s) to restore"));
-	}
+	if (!opts.pathspec.nr && !opts.patch_mode)
+		die(_("you must specify path(s) to restore"));
 
-	if (opts->patch_mode || opts->pathspec.nr)
-		ret = checkout_paths(opts, &new_branch_info);
-	else
-		ret = checkout_branch(opts, &new_branch_info);
+	ret = checkout_paths(&opts, &new_branch_info);
 
 	branch_info_release(&new_branch_info);
-	clear_pathspec(&opts->pathspec);
-	free(opts->pathspec_from_file);
+	clear_pathspec(&opts.pathspec);
+	free(opts.pathspec_from_file);
 	free(options);
 
 	return ret;
@@ -2118,6 +2140,8 @@ int cmd_checkout(int argc,
 {
 	struct checkout_opts opts = CHECKOUT_OPTS_INIT;
 	struct option *options;
+	struct branch_info new_branch_info = { 0 };
+	int ret, n;
 	struct option checkout_options[] = {
 		OPT_STRING('b', NULL, &opts.new_branch, N_("branch"),
 			   N_("create and checkout a new branch")),
@@ -2132,6 +2156,12 @@ int cmd_checkout(int argc,
 		OPT_END()
 	};
 
+	static const char * const checkout_usage[] = {
+		N_("git checkout [<options>] <branch>"),
+		N_("git checkout [<options>] [<branch>] -- <file>..."),
+		NULL,
+	};
+
 	opts.dwim_new_local_branch = 1;
 	opts.switch_branch_doing_nothing_is_ok = 1;
 	opts.only_merge_on_switching_branches = 0;
@@ -2154,84 +2184,55 @@ int cmd_checkout(int argc,
 		opts.only_merge_on_switching_branches = 1;
 	}
 
+	init_checkout_opts(&opts, prefix);
+
 	options = parse_options_dup(checkout_options);
 	options = add_common_options(&opts, options);
 	options = add_common_switch_branch_options(&opts, options);
 	options = add_checkout_path_options(&opts, options);
 
-	return checkout_main(argc, argv, prefix, &opts, options,
-			     CHECKOUT_CHECKOUT);
-}
+	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options,
+			     checkout_usage, PARSE_OPT_KEEP_DASHDASH);
 
-int cmd_switch(int argc,
-	       const char **argv,
-	       const char *prefix,
-	       struct repository *repo UNUSED)
-{
-	struct checkout_opts opts = CHECKOUT_OPTS_INIT;
-	struct option *options = NULL;
-	struct option switch_options[] = {
-		OPT_STRING('c', "create", &opts.new_branch, N_("branch"),
-			   N_("create and switch to a new branch")),
-		OPT_STRING('C', "force-create", &opts.new_branch_force, N_("branch"),
-			   N_("create/reset and switch to a branch")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "guess", &opts.dwim_new_local_branch,
-			 N_("second guess 'git switch <no-such-branch>'")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "discard-changes", &opts.discard_changes,
-			 N_("throw away local modifications")),
-		OPT_END()
-	};
+	validate_path_options(&opts);
+	prepare_common_options(&opts);
 
-	opts.dwim_new_local_branch = 1;
-	opts.accept_ref = 1;
-	opts.accept_pathspec = 0;
-	opts.switch_branch_doing_nothing_is_ok = 0;
-	opts.only_merge_on_switching_branches = 1;
-	opts.implicit_detach = 0;
-	opts.can_switch_when_in_progress = 0;
-	opts.orphan_from_empty_tree = 1;
-	opts.overlay_mode = -1;
+	n = setup_branch_name_and_info(argc, argv, &opts, &new_branch_info, 'b');
+	argv += n;
+	argc -= n;
 
-	options = parse_options_dup(switch_options);
-	options = add_common_options(&opts, options);
-	options = add_common_switch_branch_options(&opts, options);
+	if (argc) {
+		parse_pathspec(&opts.pathspec, 0,
+			       opts.patch_mode ? PATHSPEC_PREFIX_ORIGIN : 0,
+			       prefix, argv);
 
-	return checkout_main(argc, argv, prefix, &opts, options,
-			     CHECKOUT_SWITCH);
-}
+		if (!opts.pathspec.nr)
+			die(_("invalid path specification"));
 
-int cmd_restore(int argc,
-		const char **argv,
-		const char *prefix,
-		struct repository *repo UNUSED)
-{
-	struct checkout_opts opts = CHECKOUT_OPTS_INIT;
-	struct option *options;
-	struct option restore_options[] = {
-		OPT_STRING('s', "source", &opts.from_treeish, "<tree-ish>",
-			   N_("which tree-ish to checkout from")),
-		OPT_BOOL('S', "staged", &opts.checkout_index,
-			   N_("restore the index")),
-		OPT_BOOL('W', "worktree", &opts.checkout_worktree,
-			   N_("restore the working tree (default)")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "ignore-unmerged", &opts.ignore_unmerged,
-			 N_("ignore unmerged entries")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "overlay", &opts.overlay_mode, N_("use overlay mode")),
-		OPT_END()
-	};
+		/*
+		 * Try to give more helpful suggestion.
+		 * new_branch && argc > 1 will be caught later.
+		 */
+		if (opts.new_branch && argc == 1 && !new_branch_info.commit)
+			die(_("'%s' is not a commit and a branch '%s' cannot be created from it"),
+				argv[0], opts.new_branch);
 
-	opts.accept_ref = 0;
-	opts.accept_pathspec = 1;
-	opts.empty_pathspec_ok = 0;
-	opts.overlay_mode = 0;
-	opts.checkout_index = -1;    /* default off */
-	opts.checkout_worktree = -2; /* default on */
-	opts.ignore_unmerged_opt = "--ignore-unmerged";
+		if (opts.force_detach)
+			die(_("git checkout: --detach does not take a path argument '%s'"),
+			    argv[0]);
+	}
 
-	options = parse_options_dup(restore_options);
-	options = add_common_options(&opts, options);
-	options = add_checkout_path_options(&opts, options);
+	parse_pathspec_from_file_options(&opts, prefix);
 
-	return checkout_main(argc, argv, prefix, &opts, options,
-			     CHECKOUT_RESTORE);
+	if (opts.patch_mode || opts.pathspec.nr)
+		ret = checkout_paths(&opts, &new_branch_info);
+	else
+		ret = checkout_branch(&opts, &new_branch_info);
+
+	branch_info_release(&new_branch_info);
+	clear_pathspec(&opts.pathspec);
+	free(opts.pathspec_from_file);
+	free(options);
+
+	return ret;
 }
-- 
2.55.0-884-g76cf8659c2

[PATCH 7/8] checkout: wrap overly long lines

[Junio C Hamano]

So far, the patches in this series have tried to leave the original
code intact as much as possible when moving it, to make the
refactoring easier to review.

However, there are quite a few overly long lines that are hard to
read.  There are also several manual checks for mutually
incompatible options where die_for_incompatible_optN() could be
used instead.

Now that most of the refactoring is complete, tidy up these warts to
finish off the series.

Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
---
 builtin/checkout.c | 54 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-----------------
 1 file changed, 34 insertions(+), 20 deletions(-)

diff --git a/builtin/checkout.c b/builtin/checkout.c
index b18515ac7f..f13d70b224 100644
--- a/builtin/checkout.c
+++ b/builtin/checkout.c
@@ -1864,15 +1864,18 @@ static void validate_path_options(struct checkout_opts *opts)
 
 	if (!opts->patch_mode) {
 		if (opts->patch_context != -1)
-			die(_("the option '%s' requires '%s'"), "--unified", "--patch");
+			die(_("the option '%s' requires '%s'"),
+			    "--unified", "--patch");
 		if (opts->patch_interhunk_context != -1)
-			die(_("the option '%s' requires '%s'"), "--inter-hunk-context", "--patch");
+			die(_("the option '%s' requires '%s'"),
+			    "--inter-hunk-context", "--patch");
 		if (!opts->auto_advance)
-			die(_("the option '%s' requires '%s'"), "--no-auto-advance", "--patch");
+			die(_("the option '%s' requires '%s'"),
+			    "--no-auto-advance", "--patch");
 	}
 
-	if (opts->overlay_mode == 1 && opts->patch_mode)
-		die(_("options '%s' and '%s' cannot be used together"), "-p", "--overlay");
+	die_for_incompatible_opt2(opts->overlay_mode == 1, "--overlay",
+				  opts->patch_mode, "-p");
 
 	if (opts->checkout_index >= 0 || opts->checkout_worktree >= 0) {
 		if (opts->checkout_index < 0)
@@ -1914,19 +1917,20 @@ static void parse_pathspec_from_file_options(struct checkout_opts *opts,
 {
 	if (opts->pathspec_from_file) {
 		if (opts->pathspec.nr)
-			die(_("'%s' and pathspec arguments cannot be used together"), "--pathspec-from-file");
+			die(_("'%s' and pathspec arguments cannot be used together"),
+			    "--pathspec-from-file");
 
-		if (opts->force_detach)
-			die(_("options '%s' and '%s' cannot be used together"), "--pathspec-from-file", "--detach");
+		die_for_incompatible_opt2(opts->force_detach, "--detach",
+					  1, "--pathspec-from-file");
 
-		if (opts->patch_mode)
-			die(_("options '%s' and '%s' cannot be used together"), "--pathspec-from-file", "--patch");
-
-		parse_pathspec_file(&opts->pathspec, 0,
-				    0,
-				    prefix, opts->pathspec_from_file, opts->pathspec_file_nul);
+		die_for_incompatible_opt2(opts->patch_mode, "--patch",
+					  1, "--pathspec-from-file");
+		parse_pathspec_file(&opts->pathspec, 0, 0,
+				    prefix, opts->pathspec_from_file,
+				    opts->pathspec_file_nul);
 	} else if (opts->pathspec_file_nul) {
-		die(_("the option '%s' requires '%s'"), "--pathspec-file-nul", "--pathspec-from-file");
+		die(_("the option '%s' requires '%s'"),
+		    "--pathspec-file-nul", "--pathspec-from-file");
 	}
 
 	opts->pathspec.recursive = 1;
@@ -1934,9 +1938,17 @@ static void parse_pathspec_from_file_options(struct checkout_opts *opts,
 
 static void validate_branch_options(struct checkout_opts *opts, char cb_option)
 {
-	if ((!!opts->new_branch + !!opts->new_branch_force + !!opts->new_orphan_branch) > 1)
-		die(_("options '-%c', '-%c', and '%s' cannot be used together"),
-			cb_option, toupper(cb_option), "--orphan");
+	char new_branch_opt[] = "-c";
+	char new_branch_force_opt[] = "-C";
+
+	new_branch_opt[1] = cb_option;
+	new_branch_force_opt[1] = toupper(cb_option);
+
+	die_for_incompatible_opt3(opts->new_branch,
+				  new_branch_opt,
+				  opts->new_new_branch_force,
+				  new_branch_force_opt,
+				  opts->new_orphan_branch, "--orphan");
 
 	if (opts->new_branch_force)
 		opts->new_branch = opts->new_branch_force;
@@ -2147,10 +2159,12 @@ int cmd_checkout(int argc,
 			   N_("create and checkout a new branch")),
 		OPT_STRING('B', NULL, &opts.new_branch_force, N_("branch"),
 			   N_("create/reset and checkout a branch")),
-		OPT_BOOL('l', NULL, &opts.new_branch_log, N_("create reflog for new branch")),
+		OPT_BOOL('l', NULL, &opts.new_branch_log,
+			 N_("create reflog for new branch")),
 		OPT_BOOL(0, "guess", &opts.dwim_new_local_branch,
 			 N_("second guess 'git checkout <no-such-branch>' (default)")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "overlay", &opts.overlay_mode, N_("use overlay mode (default)")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "overlay", &opts.overlay_mode,
+			 N_("use overlay mode (default)")),
 		OPT_BOOL(0, "auto-advance", &opts.auto_advance,
 			 N_("auto advance to the next file when selecting hunks interactively")),
 		OPT_END()
-- 
2.55.0-884-g76cf8659c2

Re: [PATCH 7/8] checkout: wrap overly long lines

[Junio C Hamano]

Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> writes:

> So far, the patches in this series have tried to leave the original
> code intact as much as possible when moving it, to make the
> refactoring easier to review.
>
> However, there are quite a few overly long lines that are hard to
> read.  There are also several manual checks for mutually
> incompatible options where die_for_incompatible_optN() could be
> used instead.
>
> Now that most of the refactoring is complete, tidy up these warts to
> finish off the series.
>
> Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
> ---
>  builtin/checkout.c | 54 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-----------------
>  1 file changed, 34 insertions(+), 20 deletions(-)
> ...
> +	die_for_incompatible_opt3(opts->new_branch,
> +				  new_branch_opt,
> +				  opts->new_new_branch_force,

Editor slip.  This should of course be "opts->new_branch_force".

> +				  new_branch_force_opt,
> +				  opts->new_orphan_branch, "--orphan");

Re: [PATCH 7/8] checkout: wrap overly long lines

[Junio C Hamano]

Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> writes:

>> +	die_for_incompatible_opt3(opts->new_branch,
>> +				  new_branch_opt,
>> +				  opts->new_new_branch_force,
>
> Editor slip.  This should of course be "opts->new_branch_force".

Not just that, but some uses of die_for_incompatible_optN() changed
the order of the options in the error message.  Here is a fixed
version.

diff --git a/builtin/checkout.c b/builtin/checkout.c
index b18515ac7f..9771c848c5 100644
--- a/builtin/checkout.c
+++ b/builtin/checkout.c
@@ -1864,15 +1864,18 @@ static void validate_path_options(struct checkout_opts *opts)
 
 	if (!opts->patch_mode) {
 		if (opts->patch_context != -1)
-			die(_("the option '%s' requires '%s'"), "--unified", "--patch");
+			die(_("the option '%s' requires '%s'"),
+			    "--unified", "--patch");
 		if (opts->patch_interhunk_context != -1)
-			die(_("the option '%s' requires '%s'"), "--inter-hunk-context", "--patch");
+			die(_("the option '%s' requires '%s'"),
+			    "--inter-hunk-context", "--patch");
 		if (!opts->auto_advance)
-			die(_("the option '%s' requires '%s'"), "--no-auto-advance", "--patch");
+			die(_("the option '%s' requires '%s'"),
+			    "--no-auto-advance", "--patch");
 	}
 
-	if (opts->overlay_mode == 1 && opts->patch_mode)
-		die(_("options '%s' and '%s' cannot be used together"), "-p", "--overlay");
+	die_for_incompatible_opt2(opts->patch_mode, "-p",
+				  opts->overlay_mode == 1, "--overlay");
 
 	if (opts->checkout_index >= 0 || opts->checkout_worktree >= 0) {
 		if (opts->checkout_index < 0)
@@ -1914,19 +1917,25 @@ static void parse_pathspec_from_file_options(struct checkout_opts *opts,
 {
 	if (opts->pathspec_from_file) {
 		if (opts->pathspec.nr)
-			die(_("'%s' and pathspec arguments cannot be used together"), "--pathspec-from-file");
-
-		if (opts->force_detach)
-			die(_("options '%s' and '%s' cannot be used together"), "--pathspec-from-file", "--detach");
-
-		if (opts->patch_mode)
-			die(_("options '%s' and '%s' cannot be used together"), "--pathspec-from-file", "--patch");
-
-		parse_pathspec_file(&opts->pathspec, 0,
-				    0,
-				    prefix, opts->pathspec_from_file, opts->pathspec_file_nul);
+			die(_("'%s' and pathspec arguments cannot be used together"),
+			    "--pathspec-from-file");
+
+		die_for_incompatible_opt2(!!opts->pathspec_from_file,
+					  "--pathspec-from-file",
+					  opts->force_detach,
+					  "--detach");
+
+		die_for_incompatible_opt2(!!opts->pathspec_from_file,
+					  "--pathspec-from-file",
+					  opts->patch_mode,
+					  "--patch");
+
+		parse_pathspec_file(&opts->pathspec, 0, 0,
+				    prefix, opts->pathspec_from_file,
+				    opts->pathspec_file_nul);
 	} else if (opts->pathspec_file_nul) {
-		die(_("the option '%s' requires '%s'"), "--pathspec-file-nul", "--pathspec-from-file");
+		die(_("the option '%s' requires '%s'"),
+		    "--pathspec-file-nul", "--pathspec-from-file");
 	}
 
 	opts->pathspec.recursive = 1;
@@ -1934,9 +1943,17 @@ static void parse_pathspec_from_file_options(struct checkout_opts *opts,
 
 static void validate_branch_options(struct checkout_opts *opts, char cb_option)
 {
-	if ((!!opts->new_branch + !!opts->new_branch_force + !!opts->new_orphan_branch) > 1)
-		die(_("options '-%c', '-%c', and '%s' cannot be used together"),
-			cb_option, toupper(cb_option), "--orphan");
+	char new_branch_opt[] = "-c";
+	char new_branch_force_opt[] = "-C";
+
+	new_branch_opt[1] = cb_option;
+	new_branch_force_opt[1] = toupper(cb_option);
+
+	die_for_incompatible_opt3(!!opts->new_branch,
+				  new_branch_opt,
+				  !!opts->new_branch_force,
+				  new_branch_force_opt,
+				  !!opts->new_orphan_branch, "--orphan");
 
 	if (opts->new_branch_force)
 		opts->new_branch = opts->new_branch_force;
@@ -2147,10 +2164,12 @@ int cmd_checkout(int argc,
 			   N_("create and checkout a new branch")),
 		OPT_STRING('B', NULL, &opts.new_branch_force, N_("branch"),
 			   N_("create/reset and checkout a branch")),
-		OPT_BOOL('l', NULL, &opts.new_branch_log, N_("create reflog for new branch")),
+		OPT_BOOL('l', NULL, &opts.new_branch_log,
+			 N_("create reflog for new branch")),
 		OPT_BOOL(0, "guess", &opts.dwim_new_local_branch,
 			 N_("second guess 'git checkout <no-such-branch>' (default)")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "overlay", &opts.overlay_mode, N_("use overlay mode (default)")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "overlay", &opts.overlay_mode,
+			 N_("use overlay mode (default)")),
 		OPT_BOOL(0, "auto-advance", &opts.auto_advance,
 			 N_("auto advance to the next file when selecting hunks interactively")),
 		OPT_END()
-- 
2.55.0-884-g76cf8659c2

[PATCH 8/8] checkout: move post_checkout_hook() to checkout.c

[Junio C Hamano]

post_checkout_hook() in builtin/checkout.c runs the 'post-checkout' hook
after switching branches or checking out paths.

Move post_checkout_hook() to checkout.c and declare it in checkout.h
so that other subsystems can invoke the post-checkout hook without
depending on builtin/checkout.c.

This step in the series is entirely optional and is here primarily
for illustration.  We may later want to teach 'git worktree' to
trigger the 'post-checkout' hook, for example, in which case such
libification may turn out to be useful.

Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
---
 builtin/checkout.c | 18 ------------------
 checkout.c         | 22 ++++++++++++++++++++++
 checkout.h         |  8 ++++++++
 3 files changed, 30 insertions(+), 18 deletions(-)

diff --git a/builtin/checkout.c b/builtin/checkout.c
index f13d70b224..b13e2ff205 100644
--- a/builtin/checkout.c
+++ b/builtin/checkout.c
@@ -124,24 +124,6 @@ static void branch_info_release(struct branch_info *info)
 	free(info->checkout);
 }
 
-static int post_checkout_hook(struct commit *old_commit, struct commit *new_commit,
-			      int changed)
-{
-	struct run_hooks_opt opt = RUN_HOOKS_OPT_INIT_FORCE_SERIAL;
-
-	/*
-	 * "new_commit" can be NULL when checking out from the index before
-	 * a commit exists.
-	 */
-	strvec_pushl(&opt.args,
-		     oid_to_hex(old_commit ? &old_commit->object.oid : null_oid(the_hash_algo)),
-		     oid_to_hex(new_commit ? &new_commit->object.oid : null_oid(the_hash_algo)),
-		     changed ? "1" : "0",
-		     NULL);
-
-	return run_hooks_opt(the_repository, "post-checkout", &opt);
-}
-
 /*
  * Handle a tree object and determine if we need to recurse into the
  * tree (READ_TREE_RECURSIVE) or skip it (0).
diff --git a/checkout.c b/checkout.c
index 1588b116ee..d007648f50 100644
--- a/checkout.c
+++ b/checkout.c
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 #define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
 
 #include "git-compat-util.h"
+#include "commit.h"
+#include "hex.h"
+#include "hook.h"
 #include "object-name.h"
 #include "remote.h"
 #include "refspec.h"
@@ -8,6 +11,7 @@
 #include "checkout.h"
 #include "config.h"
 #include "strbuf.h"
+#include "strvec.h"
 
 struct tracking_name_data {
 	/* const */ char *src_ref;
@@ -73,3 +77,21 @@ char *unique_tracking_name(const char *name, struct object_id *oid,
 	}
 	return NULL;
 }
+
+int post_checkout_hook(struct commit *old_commit, struct commit *new_commit,
+		       int changed)
+{
+	struct run_hooks_opt opt = RUN_HOOKS_OPT_INIT_FORCE_SERIAL;
+
+	/*
+	 * "new_commit" can be NULL when checking out from the index before
+	 * a commit exists.
+	 */
+	strvec_pushl(&opt.args,
+		     oid_to_hex(old_commit ? &old_commit->object.oid : null_oid(the_hash_algo)),
+		     oid_to_hex(new_commit ? &new_commit->object.oid : null_oid(the_hash_algo)),
+		     changed ? "1" : "0",
+		     NULL);
+
+	return run_hooks_opt(the_repository, "post-checkout", &opt);
+}
diff --git a/checkout.h b/checkout.h
index 55920e7aeb..9c2f2449dc 100644
--- a/checkout.h
+++ b/checkout.h
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 
 #include "hash.h"
 
+struct commit;
+
 /*
  * Check if the branch name uniquely matches a branch name on a remote
  * tracking branch.  Return the name of the remote if such a branch
@@ -12,4 +14,10 @@ char *unique_tracking_name(const char *name,
 			   struct object_id *oid,
 			   int *dwim_remotes_matched);
 
+/*
+ * Run the post-checkout hook.
+ */
+int post_checkout_hook(struct commit *old_commit, struct commit *new_commit,
+		       int changed);
+
 #endif /* CHECKOUT_H */
-- 
2.55.0-884-g76cf8659c2

Re: [PATCH 8/8] checkout: move post_checkout_hook() to checkout.c

[Junio C Hamano]

Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> writes:

> +int post_checkout_hook(struct commit *old_commit, struct commit *new_commit,
> +		       int changed)
> +{
> +	struct run_hooks_opt opt = RUN_HOOKS_OPT_INIT_FORCE_SERIAL;
> +
> +	/*
> +	 * "new_commit" can be NULL when checking out from the index before
> +	 * a commit exists.
> +	 */
> +	strvec_pushl(&opt.args,
> +		     oid_to_hex(old_commit ? &old_commit->object.oid : null_oid(the_hash_algo)),
> +		     oid_to_hex(new_commit ? &new_commit->object.oid : null_oid(the_hash_algo)),
> +		     changed ? "1" : "0",
> +		     NULL);
> +
> +	return run_hooks_opt(the_repository, "post-checkout", &opt);
> +}

Not a very good illustration.  We should teach the caller to pass
"struct repository *repo" to this function, and then teach this
function to learn what hash algorithm to use from the given
repository instance.

> +/*
> + * Run the post-checkout hook.
> + */
> +int post_checkout_hook(struct commit *old_commit, struct commit *new_commit,
> +		       int changed);
> +
>  #endif /* CHECKOUT_H */

Re: [PATCH 8/8] checkout: move post_checkout_hook() to checkout.c

[Junio C Hamano]

Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> writes:

> Not a very good illustration.  We should teach the caller to pass
> "struct repository *repo" to this function, and then teach this
> function to learn what hash algorithm to use from the given
> repository instance.

I've locally amended this step like so.

The dependency on 'the_repository' has been removed.  While OK when
the helper was in builtin/checkout.c as an integral part of 'git
checkout' (and 'git restore'), this is no longer true for a common
utility function.  So it now takes a pointer to 'struct repository'
and uses its associated hash algorithm.

diff --git a/builtin/checkout.c b/builtin/checkout.c
index 9771c848c5..c6e29e9526 100644
--- a/builtin/checkout.c
+++ b/builtin/checkout.c
@@ -124,24 +124,6 @@ static void branch_info_release(struct branch_info *info)
 	free(info->checkout);
 }
 
-static int post_checkout_hook(struct commit *old_commit, struct commit *new_commit,
-			      int changed)
-{
-	struct run_hooks_opt opt = RUN_HOOKS_OPT_INIT_FORCE_SERIAL;
-
-	/*
-	 * "new_commit" can be NULL when checking out from the index before
-	 * a commit exists.
-	 */
-	strvec_pushl(&opt.args,
-		     oid_to_hex(old_commit ? &old_commit->object.oid : null_oid(the_hash_algo)),
-		     oid_to_hex(new_commit ? &new_commit->object.oid : null_oid(the_hash_algo)),
-		     changed ? "1" : "0",
-		     NULL);
-
-	return run_hooks_opt(the_repository, "post-checkout", &opt);
-}
-
 /*
  * Handle a tree object and determine if we need to recurse into the
  * tree (READ_TREE_RECURSIVE) or skip it (0).
@@ -718,7 +700,7 @@ static int checkout_paths(const struct checkout_opts *opts,
 			   &rev, NULL);
 	head = lookup_commit_reference_gently(the_repository, &rev, 1);
 
-	errs |= post_checkout_hook(head, head, 0);
+	errs |= post_checkout_hook(the_repository, head, head, 0);
 	return errs;
 }
 
@@ -1273,7 +1255,8 @@ static int switch_branches(const struct checkout_opts *opts,
 		}
 	}
 
-	ret = post_checkout_hook(old_branch_info.commit, new_branch_info->commit, 1);
+	ret = post_checkout_hook(the_repository,
+				 old_branch_info.commit, new_branch_info->commit, 1);
 	branch_info_release(&old_branch_info);
 	strbuf_release(&old_commit_shortname);
 	strbuf_release(&autostash_msg);
diff --git a/checkout.c b/checkout.c
index 1588b116ee..28c5c18d96 100644
--- a/checkout.c
+++ b/checkout.c
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 #define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
 
 #include "git-compat-util.h"
+#include "commit.h"
+#include "hex.h"
+#include "hook.h"
 #include "object-name.h"
 #include "remote.h"
 #include "refspec.h"
@@ -8,6 +11,7 @@
 #include "checkout.h"
 #include "config.h"
 #include "strbuf.h"
+#include "strvec.h"
 
 struct tracking_name_data {
 	/* const */ char *src_ref;
@@ -73,3 +77,27 @@ char *unique_tracking_name(const char *name, struct object_id *oid,
 	}
 	return NULL;
 }
+
+int post_checkout_hook(struct repository *repo,
+		       struct commit *old_commit, struct commit *new_commit,
+		       int changed)
+{
+	struct run_hooks_opt opt = RUN_HOOKS_OPT_INIT_FORCE_SERIAL;
+	const struct git_hash_algo *hash_algo = repo->hash_algo;
+
+	/*
+	 * "new_commit" can be NULL when checking out from the index before
+	 * a commit exists.
+	 */
+	strvec_pushl(&opt.args,
+		     oid_to_hex(old_commit
+				? &old_commit->object.oid
+				: null_oid(hash_algo)),
+		     oid_to_hex(new_commit ?
+				&new_commit->object.oid
+				: null_oid(hash_algo)),
+		     changed ? "1" : "0",
+		     NULL);
+
+	return run_hooks_opt(repo, "post-checkout", &opt);
+}
diff --git a/checkout.h b/checkout.h
index 55920e7aeb..6d8d2c2bab 100644
--- a/checkout.h
+++ b/checkout.h
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@
 
 #include "hash.h"
 
+struct commit;
+struct repository;
+
 /*
  * Check if the branch name uniquely matches a branch name on a remote
  * tracking branch.  Return the name of the remote if such a branch
@@ -12,4 +15,11 @@ char *unique_tracking_name(const char *name,
 			   struct object_id *oid,
 			   int *dwim_remotes_matched);
 
+/*
+ * Run the post-checkout hook.
+ */
+int post_checkout_hook(struct repository *,
+		       struct commit *old_commit, struct commit *new_commit,
+		       int changed);
+
 #endif /* CHECKOUT_H */
-- 
2.55.0-884-g76cf8659c2

Re: [PATCH] builtin: replace the_repository parameter in is_bare_repository()

[D. Ben Knoble]

On Fri, Aug 28, 2026 at 6:51 PM Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> wrote:
>
> "D. Ben Knoble" <ben.knoble@gmail.com> writes:
>
> >> > Hm. What if a program wants to do « exactly what ‘git switch’ does
> >> > » sans shelling out?
> >>
> >> Instead of cheating, properly factor out reusable part from
> >> cmd_checkout() into a set of libified routines, and make both
> >> cmd_checkout() and cmd_switch() to call them
> >>
> >> An approach like that would help "libify" things.  libifying is not
> >> just reducing dependence of globals.
> >>
> >> Calling main() from something else is not a libification.
> >
> > Sensible. Thanks!
>
> I actually answered a wrong question though ;-)
>
> The way cmd_switch() and cmd_restore() were introduced by sharing
> what used to serve cmd_checkout() was serviceable, but ugly.  Had we
> started from separate implementations for 'switch' and 'restore'
> that were later merged into 'checkout', we would not have ended up
> with a design centered on a single monolithic choke point like
> checkout_main().
>
> That is what I meant by "cheating instead of refactoring reusable
> parts".  However, that is not directly relevant to your example.
>
> It is an anti-pattern to call the top-level implementation of 'git
> foo' in cmd_foo() directly from cmd_bar(), since these cmd_foo()
> functions are like main() in ordinary programs, performing one-time
> initialization (such as git_config() calls) and finalization that
> cannot be repeated.  To help our codebase, as well as the use case
> you imagined in your message, it would help to trim down these
> non-reusable cmd_foo() implementations by turning them into mere
> orchestrators that call refactored helper functions.  Such a change
> would put cmd_foo() and a client that wants to reuse 'git switch'
> functionality on the same footing, allowing more of our code to be
> used in different contexts.  I think that is what people mean by
> the "libification" effort.

Yes, I think such an organization would end up being quite lovely.

-- 
D. Ben Knoble

[PATCH] do not pass "repo" to builtin commmand implementations

[Junio C Hamano]

Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> writes:

> I actually think a good medium size project is to fix the last
> parameter given to cmd_foo() built-in command implementations that
> is a pointer to "struct repository".  It was a misguided design.

Such a patch would look like this.  I am sending it out mostly for
illustration, but it applies cleanly to today's 'master' and the
result passes the test suite.

As it affects everything inside builtin/, it may be tricky to find
the time when it is appropriate to apply a patch like this one, but
in not so longer term it would be worth doing to avoid wasted work.

Opinions?

----- >8 -----

Earlier, commit 9b1cb5070f (builtin: add a repository parameter for
builtin functions, 2024-09-13) added a 'repo' parameter to built-in
command implementations, but this was largely a misguided design.

We claimed that this would help reduce direct use of 'the_repository'
and aid the libification effort.  However, it does not.  These
built-in implementations are not intended to be reusable library
routines to begin with.

Furthermore, when the 'repo' parameter given to them is non-NULL, it
is always 'the_repository'.  To safely use the passed-in 'repo'
instead of 'the_repository', an implementation must handle the case
where 'repo' is NULL (which happens when running outside a
repository) and rely on fallback logic such as defaulting back to
'the_repository'.

Quite honestly, it is wasteful makework.

Replace the 'repo' parameter given to cmd_foo() in builtin/ with a
boolean 'has_repo' flag.  This ensures that these builtin
implementations can still tell when they are invoked outside a
repository, and also ensures that developers do not waste time
modifying '.c' files under builtin/ to reduce uses of
'the_repository'.  That effort is better spent libifying code
outside the builtin/ directory where it truly matters.

Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
---
 Documentation/MyFirstContribution.adoc |   8 +-
 Documentation/MyFirstObjectWalk.adoc   |  16 +-
 builtin.h                              | 292 ++++++++++++++++-----------------
 builtin/add.c                          |  47 +++---
 builtin/am.c                           |   2 +-
 builtin/annotate.c                     |   4 +-
 builtin/apply.c                        |   8 +-
 builtin/archive.c                      |   5 +-
 builtin/backfill.c                     |   8 +-
 builtin/bisect.c                       |   4 +-
 builtin/blame.c                        |   2 +-
 builtin/branch.c                       |   2 +-
 builtin/bugreport.c                    |   2 +-
 builtin/bundle.c                       |   4 +-
 builtin/cat-file.c                     |   2 +-
 builtin/check-attr.c                   |   2 +-
 builtin/check-ignore.c                 |   2 +-
 builtin/check-mailmap.c                |   2 +-
 builtin/check-ref-format.c             |   2 +-
 builtin/checkout--worker.c             |   2 +-
 builtin/checkout-index.c               |  29 ++--
 builtin/checkout.c                     |   6 +-
 builtin/clean.c                        |   2 +-
 builtin/clone.c                        |   2 +-
 builtin/column.c                       |   2 +-
 builtin/commit-graph.c                 |   4 +-
 builtin/commit-tree.c                  |   2 +-
 builtin/commit.c                       |   4 +-
 builtin/config.c                       |   4 +-
 builtin/count-objects.c                |   2 +-
 builtin/credential-cache--daemon.c     |   4 +-
 builtin/credential-cache.c             |   4 +-
 builtin/credential-store.c             |   2 +-
 builtin/credential.c                   |   2 +-
 builtin/describe.c                     |   2 +-
 builtin/diagnose.c                     |   2 +-
 builtin/diff-files.c                   |   2 +-
 builtin/diff-index.c                   |   2 +-
 builtin/diff-pairs.c                   |  11 +-
 builtin/diff-tree.c                    |   2 +-
 builtin/diff.c                         |   2 +-
 builtin/difftool.c                     |  13 +-
 builtin/fast-export.c                  |   2 +-
 builtin/fast-import.c                  |   4 +-
 builtin/fetch-pack.c                   |   2 +-
 builtin/fetch.c                        |   2 +-
 builtin/fmt-merge-msg.c                |   5 +-
 builtin/for-each-ref.c                 |   5 +-
 builtin/for-each-repo.c                |   2 +-
 builtin/fsck.c                         |  61 +++----
 builtin/fsmonitor--daemon.c            |   4 +-
 builtin/gc.c                           |   6 +-
 builtin/get-tar-commit-id.c            |   2 +-
 builtin/grep.c                         |   2 +-
 builtin/hash-object.c                  |   2 +-
 builtin/help.c                         |   2 +-
 builtin/history.c                      |   4 +-
 builtin/hook.c                         |   4 +-
 builtin/index-pack.c                   |   2 +-
 builtin/init-db.c                      |   2 +-
 builtin/interpret-trailers.c           |   2 +-
 builtin/last-modified.c                |   7 +-
 builtin/log.c                          |  12 +-
 builtin/ls-files.c                     |  23 +--
 builtin/ls-remote.c                    |   2 +-
 builtin/ls-tree.c                      |   2 +-
 builtin/mailinfo.c                     |   2 +-
 builtin/mailsplit.c                    |   2 +-
 builtin/merge-base.c                   |   2 +-
 builtin/merge-file.c                   |   6 +-
 builtin/merge-index.c                  |   2 +-
 builtin/merge-ours.c                   |  13 +-
 builtin/merge-recursive.c              |   2 +-
 builtin/merge-tree.c                   |   2 +-
 builtin/merge.c                        |   2 +-
 builtin/mktag.c                        |   4 +-
 builtin/mktree.c                       |   7 +-
 builtin/multi-pack-index.c             |   4 +-
 builtin/mv.c                           |   2 +-
 builtin/name-rev.c                     |   4 +-
 builtin/notes.c                        |   4 +-
 builtin/pack-objects.c                 |   2 +-
 builtin/pack-redundant.c               |   2 +-
 builtin/pack-refs.c                    |   5 +-
 builtin/patch-id.c                     |   2 +-
 builtin/prune-packed.c                 |   2 +-
 builtin/prune.c                        |  19 ++-
 builtin/pull.c                         |   2 +-
 builtin/push.c                         |   2 +-
 builtin/range-diff.c                   |   2 +-
 builtin/read-tree.c                    |   2 +-
 builtin/rebase.c                       |   2 +-
 builtin/receive-pack.c                 |   2 +-
 builtin/reflog.c                       |   6 +-
 builtin/refs.c                         |   5 +-
 builtin/remote-ext.c                   |   2 +-
 builtin/remote-fd.c                    |   2 +-
 builtin/remote.c                       |   4 +-
 builtin/repack.c                       |  49 +++---
 builtin/replace.c                      |   2 +-
 builtin/replay.c                       |  11 +-
 builtin/repo.c                         |   4 +-
 builtin/rerere.c                       |   2 +-
 builtin/reset.c                        |   2 +-
 builtin/rev-list.c                     |   2 +-
 builtin/rev-parse.c                    |   2 +-
 builtin/revert.c                       |   8 +-
 builtin/rm.c                           |   2 +-
 builtin/send-pack.c                    |   9 +-
 builtin/shortlog.c                     |   2 +-
 builtin/show-branch.c                  |   2 +-
 builtin/show-index.c                   |   2 +-
 builtin/show-ref.c                     |   6 +-
 builtin/sparse-checkout.c              |   8 +-
 builtin/stash.c                        |   6 +-
 builtin/stripspace.c                   |   2 +-
 builtin/submodule--helper.c            |   4 +-
 builtin/symbolic-ref.c                 |   2 +-
 builtin/tag.c                          |   2 +-
 builtin/unpack-file.c                  |   2 +-
 builtin/unpack-objects.c               |   4 +-
 builtin/update-index.c                 |   2 +-
 builtin/update-ref.c                   |   2 +-
 builtin/update-server-info.c           |   7 +-
 builtin/upload-archive.c               |   8 +-
 builtin/upload-pack.c                  |   2 +-
 builtin/url-parse.c                    |   2 +-
 builtin/var.c                          |   2 +-
 builtin/verify-commit.c                |   7 +-
 builtin/verify-pack.c                  |   2 +-
 builtin/verify-tag.c                   |   9 +-
 builtin/worktree.c                     |   4 +-
 builtin/write-tree.c                   |   2 +-
 git.c                                  |   4 +-
 help.c                                 |   2 +-
 135 files changed, 507 insertions(+), 486 deletions(-)

diff --git c/Documentation/MyFirstContribution.adoc w/Documentation/MyFirstContribution.adoc
index 34bfa2e3a9..8dfcfd0b93 100644
--- c/Documentation/MyFirstContribution.adoc
+++ w/Documentation/MyFirstContribution.adoc
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ point for your command in a function matching the style and signature:
 
 ----
 int cmd_psuh(int argc UNUSED, const char **argv UNUSED,
-	     const char *prefix UNUSED, struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	     const char *prefix UNUSED, bool has_repo UNUSED)
 ----
 
 A few things to note:
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ A few things to note:
 * A subcommand implementation takes its command line arguments
   in `int argc` + `const char **argv`, like `main()` would.
 
-* It also takes two extra parameters, `prefix` and `repo`. What
+* It also takes two extra parameters, `prefix` and `has_repo`. What
   they mean will not be discussed until much later.
 
 * Because this first example will not use any of the parameters,
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ declaration for `cmd_pull`, and add a new line for `psuh` immediately before it,
 in order to keep the declarations alphabetically sorted:
 
 ----
-int cmd_psuh(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
+int cmd_psuh(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
 ----
 
 Be sure to `#include "builtin.h"` in your `psuh.c`. You'll also need to
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ should also do so when writing your user-facing commands in the future.
 
 ----
 int cmd_psuh(int argc UNUSED, const char **argv UNUSED,
-	     const char *prefix UNUSED, struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	     const char *prefix UNUSED, bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	printf(_("Pony saying hello goes here.\n"));
 	return 0;
diff --git c/Documentation/MyFirstObjectWalk.adoc w/Documentation/MyFirstObjectWalk.adoc
index 413a9fdb05..8e40c685b8 100644
--- c/Documentation/MyFirstObjectWalk.adoc
+++ w/Documentation/MyFirstObjectWalk.adoc
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ Open up a new file `builtin/walken.c` and set up the command handler:
 #include "builtin.h"
 #include "trace.h"
 
-int cmd_walken(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo)
+int cmd_walken(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	trace_printf(_("cmd_walken incoming...\n"));
 	return 0;
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ We'll need to include the `parse-options.h` header.
 
 ...
 
-int cmd_walken(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
+int cmd_walken(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	const char * const walken_usage[] = {
 		N_("git walken"),
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ int cmd_walken(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 Also add the relevant line in `builtin.h` near `cmd_version()`:
 
 ----
-int cmd_walken(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
+int cmd_walken(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
 ----
 
 Include the command in `git.c` in `commands[]` near the entry for `version`,
@@ -237,11 +237,11 @@ static int git_walken_config(const char *var, const char *value,
 Make sure to invoke `repo_config()` with it in your `cmd_walken()`:
 
 ----
-int cmd_walken(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo)
+int cmd_walken(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	...
 
-	repo_config(repo, git_walken_config, NULL);
+	repo_config(the_repository, git_walken_config, NULL);
 
 	...
 }
@@ -263,14 +263,14 @@ We'll also need to include the `revision.h` header:
 
 ...
 
-int cmd_walken(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo)
+int cmd_walken(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	/* This can go wherever you like in your declarations.*/
 	struct rev_info rev;
 	...
 
 	/* This should go after the repo_config() call. */
-	repo_init_revisions(repo, &rev, prefix);
+	repo_init_revisions(the_repository, &rev, prefix);
 
 	...
 }
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ Then let's invoke `final_rev_info_setup()` after the call to
 `repo_init_revisions()`:
 
 ----
-int cmd_walken(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo)
+int cmd_walken(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	...
 
diff --git c/builtin.h w/builtin.h
index 4e47a4ebd3..66d187e4cd 100644
--- c/builtin.h
+++ w/builtin.h
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
  *   signature:
  *
  *	int cmd_foo(int argc, const char **argv,
- *		    const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
+ *		    const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
  *
  * . Add the external declaration for the function to `builtin.h`.
  *
@@ -139,150 +139,150 @@ int is_builtin(const char *s);
 		BUG("unexpected prefix in builtin: %s", (prefix)); \
 } while (0)
 
-int cmd_add(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_am(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_annotate(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_apply(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_archive(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_backfill(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_bisect(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_blame(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_branch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_bugreport(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_bundle(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_cat_file(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_checkout(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_checkout__worker(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_checkout_index(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_check_attr(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_check_ignore(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_check_mailmap(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_check_ref_format(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_cherry(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_cherry_pick(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_clean(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_column(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_commit(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_commit_graph(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_commit_tree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_config(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_count_objects(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_credential(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_credential_cache(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_credential_cache_daemon(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_credential_store(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_describe(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_diagnose(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_diff_files(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_diff_index(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_diff(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_diff_pairs(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_diff_tree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_difftool(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_env__helper(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_fast_export(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_fast_import(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_fetch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_fetch_pack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_fmt_merge_msg(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_for_each_ref(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_for_each_repo(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_format_patch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_format_rev(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_fsck(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_fsmonitor__daemon(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_gc(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_get_tar_commit_id(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_grep(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_hash_object(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_help(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_history(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_hook(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_index_pack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_init_db(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_interpret_trailers(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_last_modified(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_log_reflog(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_log(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_ls_files(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_ls_tree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_ls_remote(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_mailinfo(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_mailsplit(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_maintenance(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_merge(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_merge_base(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_merge_index(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_merge_ours(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_merge_file(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_merge_recursive(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_merge_tree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_mktag(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_mktree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_multi_pack_index(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_mv(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_name_rev(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_notes(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_pack_objects(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_pack_redundant(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_patch_id(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_prune(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_prune_packed(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_pull(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_push(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_range_diff(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_read_tree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_rebase(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_rebase__interactive(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_receive_pack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_reflog(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_refs(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_remote(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_remote_ext(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_remote_fd(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_repack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_replay(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_repo(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_rerere(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_reset(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_restore(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_rev_list(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_rev_parse(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_revert(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_rm(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_send_pack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_shortlog(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_show(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_show_branch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_show_index(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_sparse_checkout(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_status(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_stash(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_stripspace(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_submodule__helper(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_switch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_symbolic_ref(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_tag(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_unpack_file(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_unpack_objects(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_update_index(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_update_ref(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_update_server_info(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_upload_archive(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_upload_archive_writer(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_upload_pack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_url_parse(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_var(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_verify_commit(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_verify_tag(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_version(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_whatchanged(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_worktree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_write_tree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_verify_pack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_show_ref(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_pack_refs(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
-int cmd_replace(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
+int cmd_add(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_am(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_annotate(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_apply(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_archive(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_backfill(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_bisect(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_blame(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_branch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_bugreport(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_bundle(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_cat_file(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_checkout(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_checkout__worker(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_checkout_index(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_check_attr(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_check_ignore(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_check_mailmap(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_check_ref_format(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_cherry(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_cherry_pick(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_clean(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_column(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_commit(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_commit_graph(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_commit_tree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_config(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_count_objects(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_credential(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_credential_cache(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_credential_cache_daemon(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_credential_store(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_describe(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_diagnose(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_diff_files(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_diff_index(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_diff(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_diff_pairs(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_diff_tree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_difftool(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_env__helper(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_fast_export(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_fast_import(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_fetch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_fetch_pack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_fmt_merge_msg(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_for_each_ref(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_for_each_repo(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_format_patch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_format_rev(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_fsck(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_fsmonitor__daemon(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_gc(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_get_tar_commit_id(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_grep(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_hash_object(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_help(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_history(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_hook(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_index_pack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_init_db(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_interpret_trailers(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_last_modified(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_log_reflog(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_log(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_ls_files(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_ls_tree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_ls_remote(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_mailinfo(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_mailsplit(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_maintenance(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_merge(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_merge_base(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_merge_index(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_merge_ours(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_merge_file(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_merge_recursive(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_merge_tree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_mktag(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_mktree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_multi_pack_index(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_mv(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_name_rev(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_notes(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_pack_objects(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_pack_redundant(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_patch_id(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_prune(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_prune_packed(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_pull(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_push(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_range_diff(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_read_tree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_rebase(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_rebase__interactive(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_receive_pack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_reflog(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_refs(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_remote(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_remote_ext(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_remote_fd(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_repack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_replay(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_repo(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_rerere(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_reset(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_restore(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_rev_list(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_rev_parse(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_revert(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_rm(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_send_pack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_shortlog(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_show(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_show_branch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_show_index(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_sparse_checkout(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_status(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_stash(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_stripspace(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_submodule__helper(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_switch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_symbolic_ref(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_tag(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_unpack_file(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_unpack_objects(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_update_index(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_update_ref(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_update_server_info(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_upload_archive(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_upload_archive_writer(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_upload_pack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_url_parse(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_var(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_verify_commit(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_verify_tag(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_version(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_whatchanged(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_worktree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_write_tree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_verify_pack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_show_ref(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_pack_refs(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
+int cmd_replace(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo);
 
 #endif
diff --git c/builtin/add.c w/builtin/add.c
index eab8f03cad..dc0e862347 100644
--- c/builtin/add.c
+++ w/builtin/add.c
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
  * Copyright (C) 2006 Linus Torvalds
  */
 
+#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
 #include "builtin.h"
 #include "advice.h"
 #include "config.h"
@@ -455,7 +456,7 @@ static int add_resolved_files(struct repository *repo,
 int cmd_add(int argc,
 	    const char **argv,
 	    const char *prefix,
-	    struct repository *repo)
+	    bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int exit_status = 0;
 	struct pathspec pathspec;
@@ -468,13 +469,13 @@ int cmd_add(int argc,
 	struct lock_file lock_file = LOCK_INIT;
 	struct odb_transaction *transaction;
 
-	repo_config(repo, add_config, NULL);
+	repo_config(the_repository, add_config, NULL);
 
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, builtin_add_options,
 			  builtin_add_usage, PARSE_OPT_KEEP_ARGV0);
 
-	prepare_repo_settings(repo);
-	repo->settings.command_requires_full_index = 0;
+	prepare_repo_settings(the_repository);
+	the_repository->settings.command_requires_full_index = 0;
 
 	if (interactive_opts.context < -1)
 		die(_("'%s' cannot be negative"), "--unified");
@@ -488,7 +489,7 @@ int cmd_add(int argc,
 			die(_("options '%s' and '%s' cannot be used together"), "--dry-run", "--interactive/--patch");
 		if (pathspec_from_file)
 			die(_("options '%s' and '%s' cannot be used together"), "--pathspec-from-file", "--interactive/--patch");
-		exit(interactive_add(repo, argv + 1, prefix, patch_interactive, &interactive_opts));
+		exit(interactive_add(the_repository, argv + 1, prefix, patch_interactive, &interactive_opts));
 	} else {
 		if (interactive_opts.context != -1)
 			die(_("the option '%s' requires '%s'"), "--unified", "--interactive/--patch");
@@ -501,7 +502,7 @@ int cmd_add(int argc,
 	if (edit_interactive) {
 		if (pathspec_from_file)
 			die(_("options '%s' and '%s' cannot be used together"), "--pathspec-from-file", "--edit");
-		return(edit_patch(repo, argc, argv, prefix));
+		return(edit_patch(the_repository, argc, argv, prefix));
 	}
 	argc--;
 	argv++;
@@ -528,7 +529,7 @@ int cmd_add(int argc,
 			     (0 < addremove_explicit) ||
 			     add_resolved);
 
-	repo_hold_locked_index(repo, &lock_file, LOCK_DIE_ON_ERROR);
+	repo_hold_locked_index(the_repository, &lock_file, LOCK_DIE_ON_ERROR);
 
 	/*
 	 * Check the "pathspec '%s' did not match any files" block
@@ -570,11 +571,11 @@ int cmd_add(int argc,
 		 (!(addremove || take_worktree_changes)
 		  ? ADD_CACHE_IGNORE_REMOVAL : 0));
 
-	if (repo_read_index_preload(repo, &pathspec, 0) < 0)
+	if (repo_read_index_preload(the_repository, &pathspec, 0) < 0)
 		die(_("index file corrupt"));
 
-	die_in_unpopulated_submodule(repo->index, prefix);
-	die_path_inside_submodule(repo->index, &pathspec);
+	die_in_unpopulated_submodule(the_repository->index, prefix);
+	die_path_inside_submodule(the_repository->index, &pathspec);
 
 	if (add_new_files) {
 		int baselen;
@@ -586,13 +587,13 @@ int cmd_add(int argc,
 		}
 
 		/* This picks up the paths that are not tracked */
-		baselen = fill_directory(&dir, repo->index, &pathspec);
+		baselen = fill_directory(&dir, the_repository->index, &pathspec);
 		if (pathspec.nr)
-			seen = prune_directory(repo, &dir, &pathspec, baselen);
+			seen = prune_directory(the_repository, &dir, &pathspec, baselen);
 	}
 
 	if (refresh_only) {
-		exit_status |= refresh(repo, verbose, &pathspec);
+		exit_status |= refresh(the_repository, verbose, &pathspec);
 		goto finish;
 	}
 
@@ -603,7 +604,7 @@ int cmd_add(int argc,
 
 		if (!seen)
 			seen = find_pathspecs_matching_against_index(&pathspec,
-					repo->index, PS_IGNORE_SKIP_WORKTREE);
+					the_repository->index, PS_IGNORE_SKIP_WORKTREE);
 
 		/*
 		 * file_exists() assumes exact match
@@ -639,8 +640,8 @@ int cmd_add(int argc,
 			    !file_exists(path)) {
 				if (ignore_missing) {
 					int dtype = DT_UNKNOWN;
-					if (is_excluded(&dir, repo->index, path, &dtype))
-						dir_add_ignored(&dir, repo->index,
+					if (is_excluded(&dir, the_repository->index, path, &dtype))
+						dir_add_ignored(&dir, the_repository->index,
 								path, pathspec.items[i].len);
 				} else
 					die(_("pathspec '%s' did not match any files"),
@@ -659,15 +660,15 @@ int cmd_add(int argc,
 		string_list_clear(&only_match_skip_worktree, 0);
 	}
 
-	odb_transaction_begin_or_die(repo->objects, &transaction, 0);
+	odb_transaction_begin_or_die(the_repository->objects, &transaction, 0);
 
 	ps_matched = xcalloc(pathspec.nr, 1);
 	if (add_resolved)
-		exit_status |= add_resolved_files(repo, &pathspec, flags);
+		exit_status |= add_resolved_files(the_repository, &pathspec, flags);
 	else if (add_renormalize)
-		exit_status |= renormalize_tracked_files(repo, &pathspec, flags);
+		exit_status |= renormalize_tracked_files(the_repository, &pathspec, flags);
 	else
-		exit_status |= add_files_to_cache(repo, prefix,
+		exit_status |= add_files_to_cache(the_repository, prefix,
 						  &pathspec, ps_matched,
 						  include_sparse, flags, ignored_too);
 
@@ -676,14 +677,14 @@ int cmd_add(int argc,
 		exit(128);
 
 	if (add_new_files)
-		exit_status |= add_files(repo, &dir, flags);
+		exit_status |= add_files(the_repository, &dir, flags);
 
 	if (chmod_arg && pathspec.nr)
-		exit_status |= chmod_pathspec(repo, &pathspec, chmod_arg[0], show_only);
+		exit_status |= chmod_pathspec(the_repository, &pathspec, chmod_arg[0], show_only);
 	odb_transaction_commit(transaction);
 
 finish:
-	if (write_locked_index(repo->index, &lock_file,
+	if (write_locked_index(the_repository->index, &lock_file,
 			       COMMIT_LOCK | SKIP_IF_UNCHANGED))
 		die(_("unable to write new index file"));
 
diff --git c/builtin/am.c w/builtin/am.c
index e9623b8307..18a45c58ac 100644
--- c/builtin/am.c
+++ w/builtin/am.c
@@ -2312,7 +2312,7 @@ static int parse_opt_show_current_patch(const struct option *opt, const char *ar
 int cmd_am(int argc,
 	   const char **argv,
 	   const char *prefix,
-	   struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	   bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct am_state state;
 	int binary = -1;
diff --git c/builtin/annotate.c w/builtin/annotate.c
index 7f754f2309..de433f4823 100644
--- c/builtin/annotate.c
+++ w/builtin/annotate.c
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 int cmd_annotate(int argc,
 		 const char **argv,
 		 const char *prefix,
-		 struct repository *repo)
+		 bool has_repo)
 {
 	struct strvec args = STRVEC_INIT;
 	const char **args_copy;
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ int cmd_annotate(int argc,
 	CALLOC_ARRAY(args_copy, args.nr + 1);
 	COPY_ARRAY(args_copy, args.v, args.nr);
 
-	ret = cmd_blame(args.nr, args_copy, prefix, repo);
+	ret = cmd_blame(args.nr, args_copy, prefix, has_repo);
 
 	strvec_clear(&args);
 	free(args_copy);
diff --git c/builtin/apply.c w/builtin/apply.c
index d642a40251..3094f4c22d 100644
--- c/builtin/apply.c
+++ w/builtin/apply.c
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ static const char * const apply_usage[] = {
 int cmd_apply(int argc,
 	      const char **argv,
 	      const char *prefix,
-	      struct repository *repo)
+	      bool has_repo)
 {
 	int force_apply = 0;
 	int options = 0;
@@ -35,9 +35,9 @@ int cmd_apply(int argc,
 				   &state, &force_apply, &options,
 				   apply_usage);
 
-	if (repo) {
-		prepare_repo_settings(repo);
-		repo->settings.command_requires_full_index = 0;
+	if (has_repo) {
+		prepare_repo_settings(the_repository);
+		the_repository->settings.command_requires_full_index = 0;
 	}
 
 	if (check_apply_state(&state, force_apply))
diff --git c/builtin/archive.c w/builtin/archive.c
index 3c1288a123..26d7d23c80 100644
--- c/builtin/archive.c
+++ w/builtin/archive.c
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
  * Copyright (c) 2006 Franck Bui-Huu
  * Copyright (c) 2006 Rene Scharfe
  */
+#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
 #include "builtin.h"
 #include "archive.h"
 #include "gettext.h"
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ static int run_remote_archiver(int argc, const char **argv,
 int cmd_archive(int argc,
 		const char **argv,
 		const char *prefix,
-		struct repository *repo)
+		bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	const char *exec = "git-upload-archive";
 	char *output = NULL;
@@ -109,7 +110,7 @@ int cmd_archive(int argc,
 
 	setvbuf(stderr, NULL, _IOLBF, BUFSIZ);
 
-	ret = write_archive(argc, argv, prefix, repo, output, 0);
+	ret = write_archive(argc, argv, prefix, the_repository, output, 0);
 
 out:
 	free(output);
diff --git c/builtin/backfill.c w/builtin/backfill.c
index e71e0f4742..b584421250 100644
--- c/builtin/backfill.c
+++ w/builtin/backfill.c
@@ -139,11 +139,11 @@ static int do_backfill(struct backfill_context *ctx)
 	return ret;
 }
 
-int cmd_backfill(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo)
+int cmd_backfill(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int result;
 	struct backfill_context ctx = {
-		.repo = repo,
+		.repo = the_repository,
 		.current_batch = OID_ARRAY_INIT,
 		.min_batch_size = 50000,
 		.sparse = -1,
@@ -169,14 +169,14 @@ int cmd_backfill(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct reposit
 			     PARSE_OPT_KEEP_ARGV0 |
 			     PARSE_OPT_KEEP_DASHDASH);
 
-	repo_init_revisions(repo, &ctx.revs, prefix);
+	repo_init_revisions(the_repository, &ctx.revs, prefix);
 	argc = setup_revisions(argc, argv, &ctx.revs, NULL);
 
 	if (argc > 1)
 		die(_("unrecognized argument: %s"), argv[1]);
 	reject_unsupported_rev_list_options(&ctx.revs);
 
-	repo_config(repo, git_default_config, NULL);
+	repo_config(the_repository, git_default_config, NULL);
 
 	if (ctx.sparse < 0)
 		ctx.sparse = cfg->apply_sparse_checkout;
diff --git c/builtin/bisect.c w/builtin/bisect.c
index 1cfb8a794b..045e44af9a 100644
--- c/builtin/bisect.c
+++ w/builtin/bisect.c
@@ -1598,7 +1598,7 @@ static int cmd_bisect__run(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix UNUSE
 int cmd_bisect(int argc,
 	       const char **argv,
 	       const char *prefix,
-	       struct repository *repo)
+	       bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int res = 0;
 	parse_opt_subcommand_fn *fn = NULL;
@@ -1640,7 +1640,7 @@ int cmd_bisect(int argc,
 	} else {
 		argc--;
 		argv++;
-		res = fn(argc, argv, prefix, repo);
+		res = fn(argc, argv, prefix, the_repository);
 	}
 
 	if (res == BISECT_INTERNAL_SUCCESS_1ST_BAD_FOUND) {
diff --git c/builtin/blame.c w/builtin/blame.c
index 48d5251c6d..2df1dfaacf 100644
--- c/builtin/blame.c
+++ w/builtin/blame.c
@@ -957,7 +957,7 @@ static void build_ignorelist(struct blame_scoreboard *sb,
 int cmd_blame(int argc,
 	      const char **argv,
 	      const char *prefix,
-	      struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	      bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct rev_info revs;
 	char *path = NULL;
diff --git c/builtin/branch.c w/builtin/branch.c
index a613148fc7..f4258c9e32 100644
--- c/builtin/branch.c
+++ w/builtin/branch.c
@@ -969,7 +969,7 @@ static void die_if_upstream_looks_like_remote(const char *new_upstream, const ch
 int cmd_branch(int argc,
 	       const char **argv,
 	       const char *prefix,
-	       struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	       bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	/* possible actions */
 	int delete = 0, rename = 0, copy = 0, list = 0,
diff --git c/builtin/bugreport.c w/builtin/bugreport.c
index f78c3f2aed..d4ab2cc1a9 100644
--- c/builtin/bugreport.c
+++ w/builtin/bugreport.c
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ static void get_header(struct strbuf *buf, const char *title)
 int cmd_bugreport(int argc,
 		  const char **argv,
 		  const char *prefix,
-		  struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		  bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct strbuf buffer = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct strbuf report_path = STRBUF_INIT;
diff --git c/builtin/bundle.c w/builtin/bundle.c
index 1e170e9278..3df9a20b57 100644
--- c/builtin/bundle.c
+++ w/builtin/bundle.c
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ static int cmd_bundle_unbundle(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 int cmd_bundle(int argc,
 	       const char **argv,
 	       const char *prefix,
-	       struct repository *repo)
+	       bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	parse_opt_subcommand_fn *fn = NULL;
 	struct option options[] = {
@@ -251,5 +251,5 @@ int cmd_bundle(int argc,
 
 	packet_trace_identity("bundle");
 
-	return !!fn(argc, argv, prefix, repo);
+	return !!fn(argc, argv, prefix, the_repository);
 }
diff --git c/builtin/cat-file.c w/builtin/cat-file.c
index 8870a210ec..b61364231e 100644
--- c/builtin/cat-file.c
+++ w/builtin/cat-file.c
@@ -1182,7 +1182,7 @@ static int batch_option_callback(const struct option *opt,
 int cmd_cat_file(int argc,
 		 const char **argv,
 		 const char *prefix,
-		 struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		 bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int opt = 0;
 	int opt_cw = 0;
diff --git c/builtin/check-attr.c w/builtin/check-attr.c
index 217d83ea7d..44dd21b13e 100644
--- c/builtin/check-attr.c
+++ w/builtin/check-attr.c
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ static NORETURN void error_with_usage(const char *msg)
 int cmd_check_attr(int argc,
 		   const char **argv,
 		   const char *prefix,
-		   struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		   bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct attr_check *check;
 	struct object_id initialized_oid;
diff --git c/builtin/check-ignore.c w/builtin/check-ignore.c
index 644c9a414f..bd26521cc6 100644
--- c/builtin/check-ignore.c
+++ w/builtin/check-ignore.c
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ static int check_ignore_stdin_paths(struct dir_struct *dir, const char *prefix)
 int cmd_check_ignore(int argc,
 		     const char **argv,
 		     const char *prefix,
-		     struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		     bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int num_ignored;
 	struct dir_struct dir = DIR_INIT;
diff --git c/builtin/check-mailmap.c w/builtin/check-mailmap.c
index 3f2a39cae0..b45b4c4cae 100644
--- c/builtin/check-mailmap.c
+++ w/builtin/check-mailmap.c
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ static void check_mailmap(struct string_list *mailmap, const char *contact)
 int cmd_check_mailmap(int argc,
 		      const char **argv,
 		      const char *prefix,
-		      struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		      bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int i;
 	struct string_list mailmap = STRING_LIST_INIT_NODUP;
diff --git c/builtin/check-ref-format.c w/builtin/check-ref-format.c
index fd1c9c0e0c..77df939550 100644
--- c/builtin/check-ref-format.c
+++ w/builtin/check-ref-format.c
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ static int check_ref_format_branch(const char *arg)
 int cmd_check_ref_format(int argc,
 			 const char **argv,
 			 const char *prefix,
-			 struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+			 bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int i;
 	int normalize = 0;
diff --git c/builtin/checkout--worker.c w/builtin/checkout--worker.c
index e0772b718b..6af94b0191 100644
--- c/builtin/checkout--worker.c
+++ w/builtin/checkout--worker.c
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ static const char * const checkout_worker_usage[] = {
 int cmd_checkout__worker(int argc,
 			 const char **argv,
 			 const char *prefix,
-			 struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+			 bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct checkout state = CHECKOUT_INIT;
 	struct option checkout_worker_options[] = {
diff --git c/builtin/checkout-index.c w/builtin/checkout-index.c
index 311b94ff31..ed329cbf81 100644
--- c/builtin/checkout-index.c
+++ w/builtin/checkout-index.c
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
  *
  */
 
+#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
 #define DISABLE_SIGN_COMPARE_WARNINGS
 
 #include "builtin.h"
@@ -213,7 +214,7 @@ static int option_parse_stage(const struct option *opt,
 int cmd_checkout_index(int argc,
 		       const char **argv,
 		       const char *prefix,
-		       struct repository *repo)
+		       bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int i;
 	struct lock_file lock_file = LOCK_INIT;
@@ -253,19 +254,19 @@ int cmd_checkout_index(int argc,
 	show_usage_with_options_if_asked(argc, argv,
 					 builtin_checkout_index_usage,
 					 builtin_checkout_index_options);
-	repo_config(repo, git_default_config, NULL);
+	repo_config(the_repository, git_default_config, NULL);
 	prefix_length = prefix ? strlen(prefix) : 0;
 
-	prepare_repo_settings(repo);
-	repo->settings.command_requires_full_index = 0;
+	prepare_repo_settings(the_repository);
+	the_repository->settings.command_requires_full_index = 0;
 
-	if (repo_read_index(repo) < 0) {
+	if (repo_read_index(the_repository) < 0) {
 		die("invalid cache");
 	}
 
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, builtin_checkout_index_options,
 			builtin_checkout_index_usage, 0);
-	state.istate = repo->index;
+	state.istate = the_repository->index;
 	state.force = force;
 	state.quiet = quiet;
 	state.not_new = not_new;
@@ -285,8 +286,8 @@ int cmd_checkout_index(int argc,
 	 */
 	if (index_opt && !state.base_dir_len && !to_tempfile) {
 		state.refresh_cache = 1;
-		state.istate = repo->index;
-		repo_hold_locked_index(repo, &lock_file,
+		state.istate = the_repository->index;
+		repo_hold_locked_index(the_repository, &lock_file,
 				       LOCK_DIE_ON_ERROR);
 	}
 
@@ -303,8 +304,8 @@ int cmd_checkout_index(int argc,
 			die("git checkout-index: don't mix '--all' and explicit filenames");
 		if (read_from_stdin)
 			die("git checkout-index: don't mix '--stdin' and explicit filenames");
-		p = prefix_path(repo, prefix, prefix_length, arg);
-		err |= checkout_file(repo->index, p, prefix);
+		p = prefix_path(the_repository, prefix, prefix_length, arg);
+		err |= checkout_file(the_repository->index, p, prefix);
 		free(p);
 	}
 
@@ -325,8 +326,8 @@ int cmd_checkout_index(int argc,
 					die("line is badly quoted");
 				strbuf_swap(&buf, &unquoted);
 			}
-			p = prefix_path(repo, prefix, prefix_length, buf.buf);
-			err |= checkout_file(repo->index, p, prefix);
+			p = prefix_path(the_repository, prefix, prefix_length, buf.buf);
+			err |= checkout_file(the_repository->index, p, prefix);
 			free(p);
 		}
 		strbuf_release(&unquoted);
@@ -334,7 +335,7 @@ int cmd_checkout_index(int argc,
 	}
 
 	if (all)
-		err |= checkout_all(repo->index, prefix, prefix_length);
+		err |= checkout_all(the_repository->index, prefix, prefix_length);
 
 	if (pc_workers > 1)
 		err |= run_parallel_checkout(&state, pc_workers, pc_threshold,
@@ -344,7 +345,7 @@ int cmd_checkout_index(int argc,
 		return 1;
 
 	if (is_lock_file_locked(&lock_file) &&
-	    write_locked_index(repo->index, &lock_file, COMMIT_LOCK))
+	    write_locked_index(the_repository->index, &lock_file, COMMIT_LOCK))
 		die("Unable to write new index file");
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git c/builtin/checkout.c w/builtin/checkout.c
index 55e3a89a85..2a9fa4dcd3 100644
--- c/builtin/checkout.c
+++ w/builtin/checkout.c
@@ -2092,7 +2092,7 @@ static int checkout_main(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 int cmd_checkout(int argc,
 		 const char **argv,
 		 const char *prefix,
-		 struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		 bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct checkout_opts opts = CHECKOUT_OPTS_INIT;
 	struct option *options;
@@ -2144,7 +2144,7 @@ int cmd_checkout(int argc,
 int cmd_switch(int argc,
 	       const char **argv,
 	       const char *prefix,
-	       struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	       bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct checkout_opts opts = CHECKOUT_OPTS_INIT;
 	struct option *options = NULL;
@@ -2183,7 +2183,7 @@ int cmd_switch(int argc,
 int cmd_restore(int argc,
 		const char **argv,
 		const char *prefix,
-		struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct checkout_opts opts = CHECKOUT_OPTS_INIT;
 	struct option *options;
diff --git c/builtin/clean.c w/builtin/clean.c
index 1d5e7e5366..69df102fd0 100644
--- c/builtin/clean.c
+++ w/builtin/clean.c
@@ -919,7 +919,7 @@ static void correct_untracked_entries(struct dir_struct *dir)
 int cmd_clean(int argc,
 	      const char **argv,
 	      const char *prefix,
-	      struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	      bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int i, res;
 	int dry_run = 0, remove_directories = 0, quiet = 0, ignored = 0;
diff --git c/builtin/clone.c w/builtin/clone.c
index 5b25cca510..ea1e85e2a8 100644
--- c/builtin/clone.c
+++ w/builtin/clone.c
@@ -869,7 +869,7 @@ static int path_exists(const char *path)
 int cmd_clone(int argc,
 	      const char **argv,
 	      const char *prefix,
-	      struct repository *repository UNUSED)
+	      bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int is_bundle = 0, is_local;
 	int reject_shallow = 0;
diff --git c/builtin/column.c w/builtin/column.c
index 87dce3c6e5..d4262a08b0 100644
--- c/builtin/column.c
+++ w/builtin/column.c
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ static int column_config(const char *var, const char *value,
 int cmd_column(int argc,
 	       const char **argv,
 	       const char *prefix,
-	       struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	       bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct string_list list = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
diff --git c/builtin/commit-graph.c w/builtin/commit-graph.c
index d62005edc0..a350a05291 100644
--- c/builtin/commit-graph.c
+++ w/builtin/commit-graph.c
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ static int graph_write(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 int cmd_commit_graph(int argc,
 		     const char **argv,
 		     const char *prefix,
-		     struct repository *repo)
+		     bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	parse_opt_subcommand_fn *fn = NULL;
 	struct option builtin_commit_graph_options[] = {
@@ -360,5 +360,5 @@ int cmd_commit_graph(int argc,
 			     builtin_commit_graph_usage, 0);
 	FREE_AND_NULL(options);
 
-	return fn(argc, argv, prefix, repo);
+	return fn(argc, argv, prefix, the_repository);
 }
diff --git c/builtin/commit-tree.c w/builtin/commit-tree.c
index 30535db131..cbfe4fe3a0 100644
--- c/builtin/commit-tree.c
+++ w/builtin/commit-tree.c
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ static int parse_file_arg_callback(const struct option *opt,
 int cmd_commit_tree(int argc,
 		    const char **argv,
 		    const char *prefix,
-		    struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		    bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	static struct strbuf buffer = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct commit_list *parents = NULL;
diff --git c/builtin/commit.c w/builtin/commit.c
index 28f6174503..92317ec2fc 100644
--- c/builtin/commit.c
+++ w/builtin/commit.c
@@ -1537,7 +1537,7 @@ static int git_status_config(const char *k, const char *v,
 int cmd_status(int argc,
 const char **argv,
 const char *prefix,
-struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	static int no_renames = -1;
 	static const char *rename_score_arg = (const char *)-1;
@@ -1698,7 +1698,7 @@ static int git_commit_config(const char *k, const char *v,
 int cmd_commit(int argc,
 	       const char **argv,
 	       const char *prefix,
-	       struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	       bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	static struct wt_status s;
 	static const char *cleanup_arg = NULL;
diff --git c/builtin/config.c w/builtin/config.c
index 2554322317..b5e2fd42f1 100644
--- c/builtin/config.c
+++ w/builtin/config.c
@@ -1627,7 +1627,7 @@ static int cmd_config_actions(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 int cmd_config(int argc,
 	       const char **argv,
 	       const char *prefix,
-	       struct repository *repo)
+	       bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	parse_opt_subcommand_fn *subcommand = NULL;
 	struct option subcommand_opts[] = {
@@ -1654,7 +1654,7 @@ int cmd_config(int argc,
 	if (subcommand) {
 		argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, subcommand_opts, builtin_config_usage,
 		       PARSE_OPT_SUBCOMMAND_OPTIONAL|PARSE_OPT_KEEP_UNKNOWN_OPT);
-		return subcommand(argc, argv, prefix, repo);
+		return subcommand(argc, argv, prefix, the_repository);
 	}
 
 	return cmd_config_actions(argc, argv, prefix);
diff --git c/builtin/count-objects.c w/builtin/count-objects.c
index 18f6e33b6f..aabe93aaef 100644
--- c/builtin/count-objects.c
+++ w/builtin/count-objects.c
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ static char const * const count_objects_usage[] = {
 int cmd_count_objects(int argc,
 		      const char **argv,
 		      const char *prefix,
-		      struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		      bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int human_readable = 0;
 	struct option opts[] = {
diff --git c/builtin/credential-cache--daemon.c w/builtin/credential-cache--daemon.c
index 65cc619bec..11bb8007b6 100644
--- c/builtin/credential-cache--daemon.c
+++ w/builtin/credential-cache--daemon.c
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ static void init_socket_directory(const char *path)
 int cmd_credential_cache_daemon(int argc,
 				const char **argv,
 				const char *prefix,
-				struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+				bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct tempfile *socket_file;
 	const char *socket_path;
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@ int cmd_credential_cache_daemon(int argc,
 int cmd_credential_cache_daemon(int argc,
 const char **argv,
 const char *prefix,
-struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	const char * const usage[] = {
 		"git credential-cache--daemon [--debug] <socket-path>",
diff --git c/builtin/credential-cache.c w/builtin/credential-cache.c
index 7f733cb756..97298070bf 100644
--- c/builtin/credential-cache.c
+++ w/builtin/credential-cache.c
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ static void announce_capabilities(void)
 int cmd_credential_cache(int argc,
 			 const char **argv,
 			 const char *prefix,
-			 struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+			 bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	const char *socket_path_arg = NULL;
 	char *socket_path;
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ int cmd_credential_cache(int argc,
 #else
 
 int cmd_credential_cache(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
-			 struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+			 bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	const char * const usage[] = {
 		"git credential-cache [options] <action>",
diff --git c/builtin/credential-store.c w/builtin/credential-store.c
index bc1453c6b2..9ccdd7aeb6 100644
--- c/builtin/credential-store.c
+++ w/builtin/credential-store.c
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ static void lookup_credential(const struct string_list *fns, struct credential *
 int cmd_credential_store(int argc,
 			 const char **argv,
 			 const char *prefix,
-			 struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+			 bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	const char * const usage[] = {
 		"git credential-store [<options>] <action>",
diff --git c/builtin/credential.c w/builtin/credential.c
index a295c80b36..a1024a57f6 100644
--- c/builtin/credential.c
+++ w/builtin/credential.c
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ static const char usage_msg[] =
 int cmd_credential(int argc,
 		   const char **argv,
 		   const char *prefix UNUSED,
-		   struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		   bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	const char *op;
 	struct credential c = CREDENTIAL_INIT;
diff --git c/builtin/describe.c w/builtin/describe.c
index c0abc931a5..84983debfe 100644
--- c/builtin/describe.c
+++ w/builtin/describe.c
@@ -601,7 +601,7 @@ static int option_parse_exact_match(const struct option *opt, const char *arg,
 int cmd_describe(int argc,
 		 const char **argv,
 		 const char *prefix,
-		 struct repository *repo UNUSED )
+		 bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct refs_for_each_ref_options for_each_ref_opts = {
 		.flags = REFS_FOR_EACH_INCLUDE_BROKEN,
diff --git c/builtin/diagnose.c w/builtin/diagnose.c
index ec86d66389..120121cc8f 100644
--- c/builtin/diagnose.c
+++ w/builtin/diagnose.c
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ static const char * const diagnose_usage[] = {
 int cmd_diagnose(int argc,
 		 const char **argv,
 		 const char *prefix,
-		 struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		 bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct strbuf zip_path = STRBUF_INIT;
 	time_t now = time(NULL);
diff --git c/builtin/diff-files.c w/builtin/diff-files.c
index ea91347ce2..4e6a662987 100644
--- c/builtin/diff-files.c
+++ w/builtin/diff-files.c
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ COMMON_DIFF_OPTIONS_HELP;
 int cmd_diff_files(int argc,
 		   const char **argv,
 		   const char *prefix,
-		   struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		   bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct rev_info rev;
 	int result;
diff --git c/builtin/diff-index.c w/builtin/diff-index.c
index 3db7cffede..9d217592d3 100644
--- c/builtin/diff-index.c
+++ w/builtin/diff-index.c
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ COMMON_DIFF_OPTIONS_HELP;
 int cmd_diff_index(int argc,
 		   const char **argv,
 		   const char *prefix,
-		   struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		   bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct rev_info rev;
 	unsigned int option = 0;
diff --git c/builtin/diff-pairs.c w/builtin/diff-pairs.c
index 71c045331a..ba40e2daca 100644
--- c/builtin/diff-pairs.c
+++ w/builtin/diff-pairs.c
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
 #include "builtin.h"
 #include "config.h"
 #include "diff.h"
@@ -28,7 +29,7 @@ static void parse_oid_or_die(const char *hex, struct object_id *oid,
 }
 
 int cmd_diff_pairs(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
-		   struct repository *repo)
+		   bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct strbuf path_dst = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct strbuf path = STRBUF_INIT;
@@ -46,7 +47,7 @@ int cmd_diff_pairs(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 		OPT_END()
 	};
 
-	repo_init_revisions(repo, &revs, prefix);
+	repo_init_revisions(the_repository, &revs, prefix);
 
 	/*
 	 * Diff options are usually parsed implicitly as part of
@@ -56,7 +57,7 @@ int cmd_diff_pairs(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 	parseopts = add_diff_options(builtin_diff_pairs_options, &revs.diffopt);
 	show_usage_with_options_if_asked(argc, argv, builtin_diff_pairs_usage, parseopts);
 
-	repo_config(repo, git_diff_basic_config, NULL);
+	repo_config(the_repository, git_diff_basic_config, NULL);
 	revs.diffopt.no_free = 1;
 	revs.disable_stdin = 1;
 	revs.abbrev = 0;
@@ -129,8 +130,8 @@ int cmd_diff_pairs(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 		if (S_ISDIR(mode_a) || S_ISDIR(mode_b))
 			die(_("tree objects not supported"));
 
-		parse_oid_or_die(p, &oid_a, &p, repo->hash_algo);
-		parse_oid_or_die(p, &oid_b, &p, repo->hash_algo);
+		parse_oid_or_die(p, &oid_a, &p, the_repository->hash_algo);
+		parse_oid_or_die(p, &oid_b, &p, the_repository->hash_algo);
 
 		status = *p++;
 
diff --git c/builtin/diff-tree.c w/builtin/diff-tree.c
index 8b8f8b54e4..4733798e5a 100644
--- c/builtin/diff-tree.c
+++ w/builtin/diff-tree.c
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ static void diff_tree_tweak_rev(struct rev_info *rev)
 int cmd_diff_tree(int argc,
 		  const char **argv,
 		  const char *prefix,
-		  struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		  bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	char line[1000];
 	struct object *tree1, *tree2;
diff --git c/builtin/diff.c w/builtin/diff.c
index 18b1083e98..75c4120b74 100644
--- c/builtin/diff.c
+++ w/builtin/diff.c
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ static void symdiff_release(struct symdiff *sdiff)
 int cmd_diff(int argc,
 	     const char **argv,
 	     const char *prefix,
-	     struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	     bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int i;
 	struct rev_info rev;
diff --git c/builtin/difftool.c w/builtin/difftool.c
index bc7b2ea443..18ca0e313b 100644
--- c/builtin/difftool.c
+++ w/builtin/difftool.c
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
  * Copyright (C) 2016 Johannes Schindelin
  */
 
+#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
 #include "builtin.h"
 
 #include "abspath.h"
@@ -717,7 +718,7 @@ static int run_file_diff(int prompt, const char *prefix,
 int cmd_difftool(int argc,
 		 const char **argv,
 		 const char *prefix,
-		 struct repository *repo)
+		 bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int use_gui_tool = -1, dir_diff = 0, prompt = -1, tool_help = 0, no_index = 0;
 	static char *difftool_cmd = NULL, *extcmd = NULL;
@@ -753,7 +754,7 @@ int cmd_difftool(int argc,
 	};
 	struct child_process child = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 
-	repo_config(repo, difftool_config, &dt_options);
+	repo_config(the_repository, difftool_config, &dt_options);
 	dt_options.symlinks = dt_options.has_symlinks;
 
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, builtin_difftool_options,
@@ -767,9 +768,9 @@ int cmd_difftool(int argc,
 		die(_("difftool requires worktree or --no-index"));
 
 	if (!no_index){
-		setup_work_tree(repo);
-		setenv(GIT_DIR_ENVIRONMENT, absolute_path(repo_get_git_dir(repo)), 1);
-		setenv(GIT_WORK_TREE_ENVIRONMENT, absolute_path(repo_get_work_tree(repo)), 1);
+		setup_work_tree(the_repository);
+		setenv(GIT_DIR_ENVIRONMENT, absolute_path(repo_get_git_dir(the_repository)), 1);
+		setenv(GIT_WORK_TREE_ENVIRONMENT, absolute_path(repo_get_work_tree(the_repository)), 1);
 	} else if (dir_diff)
 		die(_("options '%s' and '%s' cannot be used together"), "--dir-diff", "--no-index");
 
@@ -818,6 +819,6 @@ int cmd_difftool(int argc,
 	strvec_pushv(&child.args, argv);
 
 	if (dir_diff)
-		return run_dir_diff(repo, &dt_options, extcmd, prefix, &child);
+		return run_dir_diff(the_repository, &dt_options, extcmd, prefix, &child);
 	return run_file_diff(prompt, prefix, &child);
 }
diff --git c/builtin/fast-export.c w/builtin/fast-export.c
index 50278bef7a..cd7f4e90d9 100644
--- c/builtin/fast-export.c
+++ w/builtin/fast-export.c
@@ -1310,7 +1310,7 @@ static int parse_opt_anonymize_map(const struct option *opt,
 int cmd_fast_export(int argc,
 		    const char **argv,
 		    const char *prefix,
-		    struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		    bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct rev_info revs;
 	struct commit *commit;
diff --git c/builtin/fast-import.c w/builtin/fast-import.c
index fbd919982c..c547bf7281 100644
--- c/builtin/fast-import.c
+++ w/builtin/fast-import.c
@@ -4123,7 +4123,7 @@ static int option_parse_quiet(const struct option *opt UNUSED,
 int cmd_fast_import(int argc,
 		    const char **argv,
 		    const char *prefix,
-		    struct repository *repo)
+		    bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct fast_import_state state;
 
@@ -4320,7 +4320,7 @@ int cmd_fast_import(int argc,
 		fprintf(stderr, "       pools:    %10lu KiB\n", (unsigned long)((tree_entry_allocd + fi_mem_pool.pool_alloc) /1024));
 		fprintf(stderr, "     objects:    %10" PRIuMAX " KiB\n", (alloc_count*sizeof(struct object_entry))/1024);
 		fprintf(stderr, "---------------------------------------------------------------------\n");
-		pack_report(repo);
+		pack_report(the_repository);
 		fprintf(stderr, "---------------------------------------------------------------------\n");
 		fprintf(stderr, "\n");
 	}
diff --git c/builtin/fetch-pack.c w/builtin/fetch-pack.c
index 316badd969..16fcca7777 100644
--- c/builtin/fetch-pack.c
+++ w/builtin/fetch-pack.c
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ static void add_sought_entry(struct ref ***sought, int *nr, int *alloc,
 int cmd_fetch_pack(int argc,
 		   const char **argv,
 		   const char *prefix UNUSED,
-		   struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		   bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int i, ret;
 	struct ref *fetched_refs = NULL, *remote_refs = NULL;
diff --git c/builtin/fetch.c w/builtin/fetch.c
index ab7db2be06..15fea4ce09 100644
--- c/builtin/fetch.c
+++ w/builtin/fetch.c
@@ -2505,7 +2505,7 @@ static int fetch_one(struct remote *remote, int argc, const char **argv,
 int cmd_fetch(int argc,
 	      const char **argv,
 	      const char *prefix,
-	      struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	      bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct fetch_config config = {
 		.display_format = DISPLAY_FORMAT_FULL,
diff --git c/builtin/fmt-merge-msg.c w/builtin/fmt-merge-msg.c
index cf4273a52c..44db2133bc 100644
--- c/builtin/fmt-merge-msg.c
+++ w/builtin/fmt-merge-msg.c
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
 #include "builtin.h"
 #include "config.h"
 #include "fmt-merge-msg.h"
@@ -12,7 +13,7 @@ static const char * const fmt_merge_msg_usage[] = {
 int cmd_fmt_merge_msg(int argc,
 		      const char **argv,
 		      const char *prefix,
-		      struct repository *repo)
+		      bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	char *inpath = NULL;
 	const char *message = NULL;
@@ -53,7 +54,7 @@ int cmd_fmt_merge_msg(int argc,
 	int ret;
 	struct fmt_merge_msg_opts opts;
 
-	repo_config(repo, fmt_merge_msg_config, &merge_log_config);
+	repo_config(the_repository, fmt_merge_msg_config, &merge_log_config);
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options, fmt_merge_msg_usage,
 			     0);
 	if (argc > 0)
diff --git c/builtin/for-each-ref.c w/builtin/for-each-ref.c
index 4a2fc421db..25c84bca6b 100644
--- c/builtin/for-each-ref.c
+++ w/builtin/for-each-ref.c
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
 #include "builtin.h"
 #include "commit.h"
 #include "config.h"
@@ -113,12 +114,12 @@ int for_each_ref_core(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct re
 int cmd_for_each_ref(int argc,
 		     const char **argv,
 		     const char *prefix,
-		     struct repository *repo)
+		     bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	static char const * const for_each_ref_usage[] = {
 		N_("git for-each-ref " COMMON_USAGE_FOR_EACH_REF),
 		NULL
 	};
 
-	return for_each_ref_core(argc, argv, prefix, repo, for_each_ref_usage);
+	return for_each_ref_core(argc, argv, prefix, the_repository, for_each_ref_usage);
 }
diff --git c/builtin/for-each-repo.c w/builtin/for-each-repo.c
index 927d3d92da..80b0cb0739 100644
--- c/builtin/for-each-repo.c
+++ w/builtin/for-each-repo.c
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ static int run_command_on_repo(const char *path, const char **argv)
 int cmd_for_each_repo(int argc,
 		      const char **argv,
 		      const char *prefix,
-		      struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		      bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	static const char *config_key = NULL;
 	int keep_going = 0;
diff --git c/builtin/fsck.c w/builtin/fsck.c
index a6c054e45b..f3083c0e7a 100644
--- c/builtin/fsck.c
+++ w/builtin/fsck.c
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
 #include "builtin.h"
 #include "gettext.h"
 #include "hex.h"
@@ -1008,7 +1009,7 @@ static struct option fsck_opts[] = {
 int cmd_fsck(int argc,
 	     const char **argv,
 	     const char *prefix,
-	     struct repository *repo)
+	     bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct odb_source *source;
 	struct snapshot snap = {
@@ -1026,10 +1027,10 @@ int cmd_fsck(int argc,
 
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, fsck_opts, fsck_usage, 0);
 
-	fsck_options_init(&fsck_walk_options, repo, FSCK_OPTIONS_DEFAULT);
+	fsck_options_init(&fsck_walk_options, the_repository, FSCK_OPTIONS_DEFAULT);
 	fsck_walk_options.walk = mark_object;
 
-	fsck_options_init(&fsck_obj_options, repo, FSCK_OPTIONS_DEFAULT);
+	fsck_options_init(&fsck_obj_options, the_repository, FSCK_OPTIONS_DEFAULT);
 	fsck_obj_options.walk = mark_used;
 	fsck_obj_options.error_func = fsck_objects_error_func;
 	if (check_strict)
@@ -1048,11 +1049,11 @@ int cmd_fsck(int argc,
 	if (name_objects)
 		fsck_enable_object_names(&fsck_walk_options);
 
-	repo_config(repo, git_fsck_config, &fsck_obj_options);
-	prepare_repo_settings(repo);
+	repo_config(the_repository, git_fsck_config, &fsck_obj_options);
+	prepare_repo_settings(the_repository);
 
 	if (check_references)
-		fsck_refs(repo);
+		fsck_refs(the_repository);
 
 	/*
 	 * Take a snapshot of the refs before walking objects to avoid looking
@@ -1060,18 +1061,18 @@ int cmd_fsck(int argc,
 	 * objects. We can still walk over new objects that are added during the
 	 * execution of fsck but won't miss any objects that were reachable.
 	 */
-	snapshot_refs(repo, &snap, argc, argv);
+	snapshot_refs(the_repository, &snap, argc, argv);
 
 	/* Ensure we get a "fresh" view of the odb */
-	odb_reprepare(repo->objects);
+	odb_reprepare(the_repository->objects);
 
 	if (connectivity_only) {
-		odb_for_each_object(repo->objects, NULL,
-				    mark_object_for_connectivity, repo, 0);
+		odb_for_each_object(the_repository->objects, NULL,
+				    mark_object_for_connectivity, the_repository, 0);
 	} else {
-		odb_prepare_alternates(repo->objects);
-		for (source = repo->objects->sources; source; source = source->next)
-			fsck_source(repo, source);
+		odb_prepare_alternates(the_repository->objects);
+		for (source = the_repository->objects->sources; source; source = source->next)
+			fsck_source(the_repository, source);
 
 		if (check_full) {
 			struct packed_git *p;
@@ -1079,20 +1080,20 @@ int cmd_fsck(int argc,
 			struct progress *progress = NULL;
 
 			if (show_progress) {
-				repo_for_each_pack(repo, p) {
+				repo_for_each_pack(the_repository, p) {
 					if (open_pack_index(p))
 						continue;
 					total += p->num_objects;
 				}
 
-				progress = start_progress(repo,
+				progress = start_progress(the_repository,
 							  _("Checking objects"), total);
 			}
 
-			repo_for_each_pack(repo, p) {
+			repo_for_each_pack(the_repository, p) {
 				/* verify gives error messages itself */
-				if (verify_pack(repo,
-						p, fsck_obj_buffer, repo,
+				if (verify_pack(the_repository,
+						p, fsck_obj_buffer, the_repository,
 						progress, count))
 					errors_found |= ERROR_PACK;
 				count += p->num_objects;
@@ -1105,7 +1106,7 @@ int cmd_fsck(int argc,
 	}
 
 	/* Process the snapshotted refs and the reflogs. */
-	process_refs(repo, &snap);
+	process_refs(the_repository, &snap);
 
 	/* If not given any explicit objects, process index files too. */
 	if (!argc)
@@ -1121,11 +1122,11 @@ int cmd_fsck(int argc,
 		verify_index_checksum = 1;
 		verify_ce_order = 1;
 
-		worktrees = get_worktrees(repo);
+		worktrees = get_worktrees(the_repository);
 		for (p = worktrees; *p; p++) {
 			struct worktree *wt = *p;
 			struct index_state istate =
-				INDEX_STATE_INIT(repo);
+				INDEX_STATE_INIT(the_repository);
 			char *path, *wt_gitdir;
 
 			/*
@@ -1146,17 +1147,17 @@ int cmd_fsck(int argc,
 		free_worktrees(worktrees);
 	}
 
-	errors_found |= check_pack_rev_indexes(repo, show_progress);
-	if (verify_bitmap_files(repo))
+	errors_found |= check_pack_rev_indexes(the_repository, show_progress);
+	if (verify_bitmap_files(the_repository))
 		errors_found |= ERROR_BITMAP;
 
-	check_connectivity(repo);
+	check_connectivity(the_repository);
 
-	if (repo->settings.core_commit_graph) {
+	if (the_repository->settings.core_commit_graph) {
 		struct child_process commit_graph_verify = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 
-		odb_prepare_alternates(repo->objects);
-		for (source = repo->objects->sources; source; source = source->next) {
+		odb_prepare_alternates(the_repository->objects);
+		for (source = the_repository->objects->sources; source; source = source->next) {
 			child_process_init(&commit_graph_verify);
 			commit_graph_verify.git_cmd = 1;
 			strvec_pushl(&commit_graph_verify.args, "commit-graph",
@@ -1170,11 +1171,11 @@ int cmd_fsck(int argc,
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (repo->settings.core_multi_pack_index) {
+	if (the_repository->settings.core_multi_pack_index) {
 		struct child_process midx_verify = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 
-		odb_prepare_alternates(repo->objects);
-		for (source = repo->objects->sources; source; source = source->next) {
+		odb_prepare_alternates(the_repository->objects);
+		for (source = the_repository->objects->sources; source; source = source->next) {
 			child_process_init(&midx_verify);
 			midx_verify.git_cmd = 1;
 			strvec_pushl(&midx_verify.args, "multi-pack-index",
diff --git c/builtin/fsmonitor--daemon.c w/builtin/fsmonitor--daemon.c
index 4161dd8282..f1df9a7dd1 100644
--- c/builtin/fsmonitor--daemon.c
+++ w/builtin/fsmonitor--daemon.c
@@ -1568,7 +1568,7 @@ static int try_to_start_background_daemon(void)
 int cmd_fsmonitor__daemon(int argc,
 			  const char **argv,
 			  const char *prefix,
-			  struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+			  bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	const char *subcmd;
 	enum fsmonitor_reason reason;
@@ -1631,7 +1631,7 @@ int cmd_fsmonitor__daemon(int argc,
 }
 
 #else
-int cmd_fsmonitor__daemon(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix UNUSED, struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+int cmd_fsmonitor__daemon(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix UNUSED, bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct option options[] = {
 		OPT_END()
diff --git c/builtin/gc.c w/builtin/gc.c
index de2f9e7fed..611cac5eb0 100644
--- c/builtin/gc.c
+++ w/builtin/gc.c
@@ -582,7 +582,7 @@ static int maintenance_task_odb(struct maintenance_run_opts *opts,
 int cmd_gc(int argc,
 	   const char **argv,
 	   const char *prefix,
-	   struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	   bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int aggressive = 0;
 	int force = 0;
@@ -3141,7 +3141,7 @@ static const char *const builtin_maintenance_usage[] = {
 int cmd_maintenance(int argc,
 		    const char **argv,
 		    const char *prefix,
-		    struct repository *repo)
+		    bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	parse_opt_subcommand_fn *fn = NULL;
 	struct option builtin_maintenance_options[] = {
@@ -3156,5 +3156,5 @@ int cmd_maintenance(int argc,
 
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, builtin_maintenance_options,
 			     builtin_maintenance_usage, 0);
-	return fn(argc, argv, prefix, repo);
+	return fn(argc, argv, prefix, the_repository);
 }
diff --git c/builtin/get-tar-commit-id.c w/builtin/get-tar-commit-id.c
index e4cd1627b4..9471dfa5f0 100644
--- c/builtin/get-tar-commit-id.c
+++ w/builtin/get-tar-commit-id.c
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ static const char builtin_get_tar_commit_id_usage[] =
 int cmd_get_tar_commit_id(int argc,
 			  const char **argv,
 			  const char *prefix,
-			  struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+			  bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	char buffer[HEADERSIZE];
 	struct ustar_header *header = (struct ustar_header *)buffer;
diff --git c/builtin/grep.c w/builtin/grep.c
index d3d86abe01..2e93aa05fa 100644
--- c/builtin/grep.c
+++ w/builtin/grep.c
@@ -1035,7 +1035,7 @@ static int pattern_callback(const struct option *opt, const char *arg,
 int cmd_grep(int argc,
 	     const char **argv,
 	     const char *prefix,
-	     struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	     bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int hit = 0;
 	int cached = 0, untracked = 0, opt_exclude = -1;
diff --git c/builtin/hash-object.c w/builtin/hash-object.c
index f306b0643f..547d635a79 100644
--- c/builtin/hash-object.c
+++ w/builtin/hash-object.c
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ static void hash_stdin_paths(const char *type, int no_filters, unsigned flags)
 int cmd_hash_object(int argc,
 		    const char **argv,
 		    const char *prefix,
-		    struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		    bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	static const char * const hash_object_usage[] = {
 		N_("git hash-object [-t <type>] [-w] [--path=<file> | --no-filters]\n"
diff --git c/builtin/help.c w/builtin/help.c
index a140339999..37dadea7a0 100644
--- c/builtin/help.c
+++ w/builtin/help.c
@@ -662,7 +662,7 @@ static void opt_mode_usage(int argc, const char *opt_mode,
 int cmd_help(int argc,
 	     const char **argv,
 	     const char *prefix,
-	     struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	     bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int nongit;
 	enum help_format parsed_help_format;
diff --git c/builtin/history.c w/builtin/history.c
index 000155ad9c..33590b30bf 100644
--- c/builtin/history.c
+++ w/builtin/history.c
@@ -1187,7 +1187,7 @@ static int cmd_history_drop(int argc,
 int cmd_history(int argc,
 		const char **argv,
 		const char *prefix,
-		struct repository *repo)
+		bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	const char * const usage[] = {
 		GIT_HISTORY_DROP_USAGE,
@@ -1206,5 +1206,5 @@ int cmd_history(int argc,
 	};
 
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options, usage, 0);
-	return fn(argc, argv, prefix, repo);
+	return fn(argc, argv, prefix, the_repository);
 }
diff --git c/builtin/hook.c w/builtin/hook.c
index cceeb3586e..394801ccde 100644
--- c/builtin/hook.c
+++ w/builtin/hook.c
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ static int run(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 int cmd_hook(int argc,
 	     const char **argv,
 	     const char *prefix,
-	     struct repository *repo)
+	     bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	parse_opt_subcommand_fn *fn = NULL;
 	struct option builtin_hook_options[] = {
@@ -204,5 +204,5 @@ int cmd_hook(int argc,
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, NULL, builtin_hook_options,
 			     builtin_hook_usage, 0);
 
-	return fn(argc, argv, prefix, repo);
+	return fn(argc, argv, prefix, the_repository);
 }
diff --git c/builtin/index-pack.c w/builtin/index-pack.c
index d1761282db..7223a6c6a0 100644
--- c/builtin/index-pack.c
+++ w/builtin/index-pack.c
@@ -1886,7 +1886,7 @@ static void repack_local_links(void)
 int cmd_index_pack(int argc,
 		   const char **argv,
 		   const char *prefix,
-		   struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		   bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int i, fix_thin_pack = 0, verify = 0, stat_only = 0, rev_index;
 	const char *curr_index;
diff --git c/builtin/init-db.c w/builtin/init-db.c
index e96b1283b7..7da1ec263b 100644
--- c/builtin/init-db.c
+++ w/builtin/init-db.c
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ static const char *const init_db_usage[] = {
 int cmd_init_db(int argc,
 		const char **argv,
 		const char *prefix,
-		struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	char *git_dir;
 	const char *real_git_dir = NULL;
diff --git c/builtin/interpret-trailers.c w/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
index e7e86e9523..7b5274d612 100644
--- c/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
+++ w/builtin/interpret-trailers.c
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ static void interpret_trailers(const struct process_trailer_options *opts,
 int cmd_interpret_trailers(int argc,
 			   const char **argv,
 			   const char *prefix,
-			   struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+			   bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct process_trailer_options opts = PROCESS_TRAILER_OPTIONS_INIT;
 	LIST_HEAD(trailers);
diff --git c/builtin/last-modified.c w/builtin/last-modified.c
index 3846244dfc..72f7e7843e 100644
--- c/builtin/last-modified.c
+++ w/builtin/last-modified.c
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
 #include "git-compat-util.h"
 #include "bloom.h"
 #include "builtin.h"
@@ -518,7 +519,7 @@ static int last_modified_init(struct last_modified *lm, struct repository *r,
 }
 
 int cmd_last_modified(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
-		      struct repository *repo)
+		      bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int ret;
 	struct last_modified lm = { 0 };
@@ -546,9 +547,9 @@ int cmd_last_modified(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 			     PARSE_OPT_KEEP_ARGV0 | PARSE_OPT_KEEP_UNKNOWN_OPT |
 			     PARSE_OPT_KEEP_DASHDASH);
 
-	repo_config(repo, git_default_config, NULL);
+	repo_config(the_repository, git_default_config, NULL);
 
-	ret = last_modified_init(&lm, repo, prefix, argc, argv);
+	ret = last_modified_init(&lm, the_repository, prefix, argc, argv);
 	if (ret > 0)
 		usage_with_options(last_modified_usage,
 				   last_modified_options);
diff --git c/builtin/log.c w/builtin/log.c
index 350b35c556..d495a5088e 100644
--- c/builtin/log.c
+++ w/builtin/log.c
@@ -526,7 +526,7 @@ static int git_log_config(const char *var, const char *value,
 int cmd_whatchanged(int argc,
 		    const char **argv,
 		    const char *prefix,
-		    struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		    bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct log_config cfg;
 	struct rev_info rev;
@@ -661,7 +661,7 @@ static void show_setup_revisions_tweak(struct rev_info *rev)
 int cmd_show(int argc,
 	     const char **argv,
 	     const char *prefix,
-	     struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	     bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct log_config cfg;
 	struct rev_info rev;
@@ -780,7 +780,7 @@ int cmd_show(int argc,
 int cmd_log_reflog(int argc,
 		   const char **argv,
 		   const char *prefix,
-		   struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		   bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct log_config cfg;
 	struct rev_info rev;
@@ -825,7 +825,7 @@ static void log_setup_revisions_tweak(struct rev_info *rev)
 int cmd_log(int argc,
 	    const char **argv,
 	    const char *prefix,
-	    struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	    bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct log_config cfg;
 	struct rev_info rev;
@@ -1955,7 +1955,7 @@ static void infer_range_diff_ranges(struct strbuf *r1,
 int cmd_format_patch(int argc,
 		     const char **argv,
 		     const char *prefix,
-		     struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		     bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct format_config cfg;
 	struct commit *commit;
@@ -2735,7 +2735,7 @@ static void prefetch_cherry_blobs(struct repository *repo,
 int cmd_cherry(int argc,
 	       const char **argv,
 	       const char *prefix,
-	       struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	       bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct rev_info revs;
 	struct patch_ids ids;
diff --git c/builtin/ls-files.c w/builtin/ls-files.c
index b044520f9e..220f2a3ec2 100644
--- c/builtin/ls-files.c
+++ w/builtin/ls-files.c
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
  * Copyright (C) Linus Torvalds, 2005
  */
 
+#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
 #define DISABLE_SIGN_COMPARE_WARNINGS
 
 #include "builtin.h"
@@ -590,7 +591,7 @@ static int option_parse_exclude_standard(const struct option *opt,
 int cmd_ls_files(int argc,
 		 const char **argv,
 		 const char *cmd_prefix,
-		 struct repository *repo)
+		 bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int require_work_tree = 0, show_tag = 0, i;
 	char *max_prefix;
@@ -670,15 +671,15 @@ int cmd_ls_files(int argc,
 	show_usage_with_options_if_asked(argc, argv,
 					 ls_files_usage, builtin_ls_files_options);
 
-	prepare_repo_settings(repo);
-	repo->settings.command_requires_full_index = 0;
+	prepare_repo_settings(the_repository);
+	the_repository->settings.command_requires_full_index = 0;
 
 	prefix = cmd_prefix;
 	if (prefix)
 		prefix_len = strlen(prefix);
-	repo_config(repo, git_default_config, NULL);
+	repo_config(the_repository, git_default_config, NULL);
 
-	if (repo_read_index(repo) < 0)
+	if (repo_read_index(the_repository) < 0)
 		die("index file corrupt");
 
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, builtin_ls_files_options,
@@ -717,8 +718,8 @@ int cmd_ls_files(int argc,
 	if (dir.exclude_per_dir)
 		exc_given = 1;
 
-	if (require_work_tree && !is_inside_work_tree(repo))
-		setup_work_tree(repo);
+	if (require_work_tree && !is_inside_work_tree(the_repository))
+		setup_work_tree(the_repository);
 
 	if (recurse_submodules &&
 	    (show_deleted || show_others || show_unmerged ||
@@ -747,7 +748,7 @@ int cmd_ls_files(int argc,
 		max_prefix = common_prefix(&pathspec);
 	max_prefix_len = get_common_prefix_len(max_prefix);
 
-	prune_index(repo->index, max_prefix, max_prefix_len);
+	prune_index(the_repository->index, max_prefix, max_prefix_len);
 
 	/* Treat unmatching pathspec elements as errors */
 	if (pathspec.nr && error_unmatch)
@@ -771,13 +772,13 @@ int cmd_ls_files(int argc,
 		 */
 		if (show_stage || show_unmerged)
 			die(_("options '%s' and '%s' cannot be used together"), "ls-files --with-tree", "-s/-u");
-		overlay_tree_on_index(repo->index, with_tree, max_prefix);
+		overlay_tree_on_index(the_repository->index, with_tree, max_prefix);
 	}
 
-	show_files(repo, &dir);
+	show_files(the_repository, &dir);
 
 	if (show_resolve_undo)
-		show_ru_info(repo, repo->index);
+		show_ru_info(the_repository, the_repository->index);
 
 	if (ps_matched && report_path_error(ps_matched, &pathspec)) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Did you forget to 'git add'?\n");
diff --git c/builtin/ls-remote.c w/builtin/ls-remote.c
index fe77829557..f04e9ded50 100644
--- c/builtin/ls-remote.c
+++ w/builtin/ls-remote.c
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ static int tail_match(const struct strvec *pattern, const char *path)
 int cmd_ls_remote(int argc,
 		  const char **argv,
 		  const char *prefix,
-		  struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		  bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	const char *dest = NULL;
 	unsigned flags = 0;
diff --git c/builtin/ls-tree.c w/builtin/ls-tree.c
index 46edaffc2e..a75b225e9a 100644
--- c/builtin/ls-tree.c
+++ w/builtin/ls-tree.c
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ static struct ls_tree_cmdmode_to_fmt ls_tree_cmdmode_format[] = {
 int cmd_ls_tree(int argc,
 		const char **argv,
 		const char *prefix,
-		struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct object_id oid;
 	struct tree *tree;
diff --git c/builtin/mailinfo.c w/builtin/mailinfo.c
index 8de7ba7de1..186e8a6907 100644
--- c/builtin/mailinfo.c
+++ w/builtin/mailinfo.c
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ static int parse_opt_quoted_cr(const struct option *opt, const char *arg, int un
 int cmd_mailinfo(int argc,
 		 const char **argv,
 		 const char *prefix,
-		 struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		 bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct metainfo_charset meta_charset;
 	struct mailinfo mi;
diff --git c/builtin/mailsplit.c w/builtin/mailsplit.c
index 0993418e63..177bb7f16b 100644
--- c/builtin/mailsplit.c
+++ w/builtin/mailsplit.c
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ static int split_mbox(const char *file, const char *dir, int allow_bare,
 int cmd_mailsplit(int argc,
 		  const char **argv,
 		  const char *prefix,
-		  struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		  bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int nr = 0, nr_prec = 4, num = 0;
 	int allow_bare = 0;
diff --git c/builtin/merge-base.c w/builtin/merge-base.c
index a87011c6cd..63b74c89bc 100644
--- c/builtin/merge-base.c
+++ w/builtin/merge-base.c
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ static int handle_fork_point(int argc, const char **argv)
 int cmd_merge_base(int argc,
 		   const char **argv,
 		   const char *prefix,
-		   struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		   bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct commit **rev;
 	size_t rev_nr = 0;
diff --git c/builtin/merge-file.c w/builtin/merge-file.c
index 8fa5765239..a84246c816 100644
--- c/builtin/merge-file.c
+++ w/builtin/merge-file.c
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ static int diff_algorithm_cb(const struct option *opt,
 int cmd_merge_file(int argc,
 		   const char **argv,
 		   const char *prefix,
-		   struct repository *repo)
+		   bool has_repo)
 {
 	const char *names[3] = { 0 };
 	mmfile_t mmfs[3] = { 0 };
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ int cmd_merge_file(int argc,
 	xmp.favor = 0;
 
 	/* Read the configuration file */
-	repo_config(repo, git_xmerge_config, NULL);
+	repo_config(the_repository, git_xmerge_config, NULL);
 	if (0 <= git_xmerge_style)
 		xmp.style = git_xmerge_style;
 
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ int cmd_merge_file(int argc,
 			return error_errno("failed to redirect stderr to /dev/null");
 	}
 
-	if (!repo && object_id)
+	if (!has_repo && object_id)
 		/* emit the correct "not a git repo" error in this case */
 		setup_git_directory(the_repository);
 
diff --git c/builtin/merge-index.c w/builtin/merge-index.c
index 3314fb1336..f68d28cb9c 100644
--- c/builtin/merge-index.c
+++ w/builtin/merge-index.c
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ static const char usage_string[] =
 int cmd_merge_index(int argc,
 		    const char **argv,
 		    const char *prefix UNUSED,
-		    struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		    bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int i, force_file = 0;
 
diff --git c/builtin/merge-ours.c w/builtin/merge-ours.c
index 405b2989f7..f4447deac7 100644
--- c/builtin/merge-ours.c
+++ w/builtin/merge-ours.c
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
  * Pretend we resolved the heads, but declare our tree trumps everybody else.
  */
 
+#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
 #include "git-compat-util.h"
 #include "builtin.h"
 #include "config.h"
@@ -20,22 +21,22 @@ static const char builtin_merge_ours_usage[] =
 int cmd_merge_ours(int argc,
 		   const char **argv,
 		   const char *prefix UNUSED,
-		   struct repository *repo)
+		   bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	show_usage_if_asked(argc, argv, builtin_merge_ours_usage);
 
-	repo_config(repo, git_default_config, NULL);
-	prepare_repo_settings(repo);
-	repo->settings.command_requires_full_index = 0;
+	repo_config(the_repository, git_default_config, NULL);
+	prepare_repo_settings(the_repository);
+	the_repository->settings.command_requires_full_index = 0;
 
 	/*
 	 * The contents of the current index becomes the tree we
 	 * commit.  The index must match HEAD, or this merge cannot go
 	 * through.
 	 */
-	if (repo_read_index(repo) < 0)
+	if (repo_read_index(the_repository) < 0)
 		die_errno("read_cache failed");
-	if (index_differs_from(repo, "HEAD", NULL, 0))
+	if (index_differs_from(the_repository, "HEAD", NULL, 0))
 		return 2;
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git c/builtin/merge-recursive.c w/builtin/merge-recursive.c
index 17aa4db37a..76480eee1f 100644
--- c/builtin/merge-recursive.c
+++ w/builtin/merge-recursive.c
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ static char *better_branch_name(const char *branch)
 int cmd_merge_recursive(int argc,
 			const char **argv,
 			const char *prefix UNUSED,
-			struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+			bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct object_id bases[21];
 	unsigned bases_count = 0;
diff --git c/builtin/merge-tree.c w/builtin/merge-tree.c
index 49f41e520f..3a82f5dd3d 100644
--- c/builtin/merge-tree.c
+++ w/builtin/merge-tree.c
@@ -539,7 +539,7 @@ static int real_merge(struct merge_tree_options *o,
 int cmd_merge_tree(int argc,
 		   const char **argv,
 		   const char *prefix,
-		   struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		   bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct merge_tree_options o = { .show_messages = -1 };
 	struct strvec xopts = STRVEC_INIT;
diff --git c/builtin/merge.c w/builtin/merge.c
index 5b4eb23a83..084c5c427a 100644
--- c/builtin/merge.c
+++ w/builtin/merge.c
@@ -1363,7 +1363,7 @@ static int merging_a_throwaway_tag(struct commit *commit)
 int cmd_merge(int argc,
 	      const char **argv,
 	      const char *prefix,
-	      struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	      bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct object_id result_tree, stash, head_oid;
 	struct commit *head_commit;
diff --git c/builtin/mktag.c w/builtin/mktag.c
index 37c17e6beb..3a3b246e87 100644
--- c/builtin/mktag.c
+++ w/builtin/mktag.c
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ static int verify_object_in_tag(struct object_id *tagged_oid, int *tagged_type)
 int cmd_mktag(int argc,
 	      const char **argv,
 	      const char *prefix,
-	      struct repository *repo)
+	      bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	static struct option builtin_mktag_options[] = {
 		OPT_BOOL(0, "strict", &option_strict,
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ int cmd_mktag(int argc,
 	if (strbuf_read(&buf, 0, 0) < 0)
 		die_errno(_("could not read from stdin"));
 
-	fsck_options_init(&fsck_options, repo, FSCK_OPTIONS_STRICT);
+	fsck_options_init(&fsck_options, the_repository, FSCK_OPTIONS_STRICT);
 	fsck_options.error_func = mktag_fsck_error_func;
 	fsck_set_msg_type_from_ids(&fsck_options, FSCK_MSG_EXTRA_HEADER_ENTRY,
 				   FSCK_WARN);
diff --git c/builtin/mktree.c w/builtin/mktree.c
index 4084e32476..cc7c8a1071 100644
--- c/builtin/mktree.c
+++ w/builtin/mktree.c
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
  *
  * Copyright (c) Junio C Hamano, 2006, 2009
  */
+#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
 #include "builtin.h"
 #include "gettext.h"
 #include "hex.h"
@@ -154,7 +155,7 @@ static void mktree_line(struct repository *repo, char *buf, int nul_term_line, i
 int cmd_mktree(int ac,
 	       const char **av,
 	       const char *prefix,
-	       struct repository *repo)
+	       bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct object_id oid;
@@ -186,7 +187,7 @@ int cmd_mktree(int ac,
 					break;
 				die("input format error: (blank line only valid in batch mode)");
 			}
-			mktree_line(repo, sb.buf, nul_term_line, allow_missing);
+			mktree_line(the_repository, sb.buf, nul_term_line, allow_missing);
 		}
 		if (is_batch_mode && got_eof && used < 1) {
 			/*
@@ -196,7 +197,7 @@ int cmd_mktree(int ac,
 			 */
 			; /* skip creating an empty tree */
 		} else {
-			write_tree(repo, &oid);
+			write_tree(the_repository, &oid);
 			puts(oid_to_hex(&oid));
 			fflush(stdout);
 		}
diff --git c/builtin/multi-pack-index.c w/builtin/multi-pack-index.c
index 6e73c85cde..73c8b9d7d5 100644
--- c/builtin/multi-pack-index.c
+++ w/builtin/multi-pack-index.c
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ static int cmd_multi_pack_index_repack(int argc, const char **argv,
 int cmd_multi_pack_index(int argc,
 			 const char **argv,
 			 const char *prefix,
-			 struct repository *repo)
+			 bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int res;
 	parse_opt_subcommand_fn *fn = NULL;
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ int cmd_multi_pack_index(int argc,
 			     builtin_multi_pack_index_usage, 0);
 	FREE_AND_NULL(options);
 
-	res = fn(argc, argv, prefix, repo);
+	res = fn(argc, argv, prefix, the_repository);
 
 	free(opts.object_dir);
 	return res;
diff --git c/builtin/mv.c w/builtin/mv.c
index 373d4aeba3..21e9bf5180 100644
--- c/builtin/mv.c
+++ w/builtin/mv.c
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ static int pathmap_cmp(const void *cmp_data UNUSED,
 int cmd_mv(int argc,
 	   const char **argv,
 	   const char *prefix,
-	   struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	   bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int i, flags, gitmodules_modified = 0;
 	int verbose = 0, show_only = 0, force = 0, ignore_errors = 0, ignore_sparse = 0;
diff --git c/builtin/name-rev.c w/builtin/name-rev.c
index 60cbbfb4b7..94fc8c9dcd 100644
--- c/builtin/name-rev.c
+++ w/builtin/name-rev.c
@@ -636,7 +636,7 @@ static void name_rev_line(char *p, struct command *cmd)
 int cmd_name_rev(int argc,
 		 const char **argv,
 		 const char *prefix,
-		 struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		 bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct mem_pool string_pool;
 	struct object_array revs = OBJECT_ARRAY_INIT;
@@ -811,7 +811,7 @@ static char const *const format_rev_usage[] = {
 int cmd_format_rev(int argc,
 		   const char **argv,
 		   const char *prefix,
-		   struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		   bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	const char *format = NULL;
 	enum stdin_mode stdin_mode;
diff --git c/builtin/notes.c w/builtin/notes.c
index 9f1f0ec840..bc5cc6fc6d 100644
--- c/builtin/notes.c
+++ w/builtin/notes.c
@@ -1127,7 +1127,7 @@ static int get_ref(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 int cmd_notes(int argc,
 	      const char **argv,
 	      const char *prefix,
-	      struct repository *repo)
+	      bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	const char *override_notes_ref = NULL;
 	parse_opt_subcommand_fn *fn = NULL;
@@ -1166,5 +1166,5 @@ int cmd_notes(int argc,
 		strbuf_release(&sb);
 	}
 
-	return !!fn(argc, argv, prefix, repo);
+	return !!fn(argc, argv, prefix, the_repository);
 }
diff --git c/builtin/pack-objects.c w/builtin/pack-objects.c
index 1d9dc31454..31fb637c37 100644
--- c/builtin/pack-objects.c
+++ w/builtin/pack-objects.c
@@ -5118,7 +5118,7 @@ static int parse_stdin_packs_mode(const struct option *opt, const char *arg,
 int cmd_pack_objects(int argc,
 		     const char **argv,
 		     const char *prefix,
-		     struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		     bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int use_internal_rev_list = 0;
 	int all_progress_implied = 0;
diff --git c/builtin/pack-redundant.c w/builtin/pack-redundant.c
index 86749bb7e7..bd433f120d 100644
--- c/builtin/pack-redundant.c
+++ w/builtin/pack-redundant.c
@@ -587,7 +587,7 @@ static void load_all(void)
 		add_pack(p);
 }
 
-int cmd_pack_redundant(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix UNUSED, struct repository *repo UNUSED) {
+int cmd_pack_redundant(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix UNUSED, bool has_repo UNUSED) {
 	int i; int i_still_use_this = 0; struct pack_list *min = NULL, *red, *pl;
 	struct llist *ignore;
 	struct strbuf idx_name = STRBUF_INIT;
diff --git c/builtin/pack-refs.c w/builtin/pack-refs.c
index 3446b84cda..4bfdf48546 100644
--- c/builtin/pack-refs.c
+++ w/builtin/pack-refs.c
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
 #include "builtin.h"
 #include "gettext.h"
 #include "pack-refs.h"
@@ -5,12 +6,12 @@
 int cmd_pack_refs(int argc,
 		  const char **argv,
 		  const char *prefix,
-		  struct repository *repo)
+		  bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	static char const * const pack_refs_usage[] = {
 		N_("git pack-refs " PACK_REFS_OPTS),
 		NULL
 	};
 
-	return pack_refs_core(argc, argv, prefix, repo, pack_refs_usage);
+	return pack_refs_core(argc, argv, prefix, the_repository, pack_refs_usage);
 }
diff --git c/builtin/patch-id.c w/builtin/patch-id.c
index 22f36ecf80..0942ceb081 100644
--- c/builtin/patch-id.c
+++ w/builtin/patch-id.c
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ static int git_patch_id_config(const char *var, const char *value,
 int cmd_patch_id(int argc,
 		 const char **argv,
 		 const char *prefix,
-		 struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		 bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	/* if nothing is set, default to unstable */
 	struct patch_id_opts config = {0, 0};
diff --git c/builtin/prune-packed.c w/builtin/prune-packed.c
index 4d63f26b0a..d23f8640ef 100644
--- c/builtin/prune-packed.c
+++ w/builtin/prune-packed.c
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ static const char * const prune_packed_usage[] = {
 int cmd_prune_packed(int argc,
 		     const char **argv,
 		     const char *prefix,
-		     struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		     bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int opts = isatty(2) ? PRUNE_PACKED_VERBOSE : 0;
 	const struct option prune_packed_options[] = {
diff --git c/builtin/prune.c w/builtin/prune.c
index 55635a891f..349c979f4f 100644
--- c/builtin/prune.c
+++ w/builtin/prune.c
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
 #define DISABLE_SIGN_COMPARE_WARNINGS
 
 #include "builtin.h"
@@ -153,7 +154,7 @@ static void remove_temporary_files(const char *path)
 int cmd_prune(int argc,
 	      const char **argv,
 	      const char *prefix,
-	      struct repository *repo)
+	      bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct rev_info revs;
 	int exclude_promisor_objects = 0;
@@ -175,16 +176,16 @@ int cmd_prune(int argc,
 
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options, prune_usage, 0);
 
-	repo_init_revisions(repo, &revs, prefix);
-	if (repo->repository_format_precious_objects)
+	repo_init_revisions(the_repository, &revs, prefix);
+	if (the_repository->repository_format_precious_objects)
 		die(_("cannot prune in a precious-objects repo"));
 
 	while (argc--) {
 		struct object_id oid;
 		const char *name = *argv++;
 
-		if (!repo_get_oid(repo, name, &oid)) {
-			struct object *object = parse_object_or_die(repo, &oid, name);
+		if (!repo_get_oid(the_repository, name, &oid)) {
+			struct object *object = parse_object_or_die(the_repository, &oid, name);
 			add_pending_object(&revs, object, "");
 		}
 		else
@@ -198,16 +199,16 @@ int cmd_prune(int argc,
 		revs.exclude_promisor_objects = 1;
 	}
 
-	for_each_loose_file_in_source(repo->objects->sources,
+	for_each_loose_file_in_source(the_repository->objects->sources,
 				      prune_object, prune_cruft, prune_subdir, &revs);
 
 	prune_packed_objects(show_only ? PRUNE_PACKED_DRY_RUN : 0);
-	remove_temporary_files(repo_get_object_directory(repo));
-	s = mkpathdup("%s/pack", repo_get_object_directory(repo));
+	remove_temporary_files(repo_get_object_directory(the_repository));
+	s = mkpathdup("%s/pack", repo_get_object_directory(the_repository));
 	remove_temporary_files(s);
 	free(s);
 
-	if (is_repository_shallow(repo)) {
+	if (is_repository_shallow(the_repository)) {
 		perform_reachability_traversal(&revs);
 		prune_shallow(show_only ? PRUNE_SHOW_ONLY : 0);
 	}
diff --git c/builtin/pull.c w/builtin/pull.c
index db3ee0aab3..9d4412f4a3 100644
--- c/builtin/pull.c
+++ w/builtin/pull.c
@@ -856,7 +856,7 @@ static void show_advice_pull_non_ff(void)
 int cmd_pull(int argc,
 	     const char **argv,
 	     const char *prefix,
-	     struct repository *repository UNUSED)
+	     bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	const char *repo, **refspecs;
 	struct oid_array merge_heads = OID_ARRAY_INIT;
diff --git c/builtin/push.c w/builtin/push.c
index 2377b5af55..d6d6c63ce3 100644
--- c/builtin/push.c
+++ w/builtin/push.c
@@ -691,7 +691,7 @@ static void die_if_repo_looks_like_ref(const char *repo)
 int cmd_push(int argc,
 	     const char **argv,
 	     const char *prefix,
-	     struct repository *repository UNUSED)
+	     bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int flags = 0;
 	int tags = 0;
diff --git c/builtin/range-diff.c w/builtin/range-diff.c
index e54c0f7fe1..312a36034d 100644
--- c/builtin/range-diff.c
+++ w/builtin/range-diff.c
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ static int parse_max_memory(const struct option *opt, const char *arg, int unset
 int cmd_range_diff(int argc,
 		   const char **argv,
 		   const char *prefix,
-		   struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		   bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct diff_options diffopt = { NULL };
 	struct strvec log_arg = STRVEC_INIT;
diff --git c/builtin/read-tree.c w/builtin/read-tree.c
index 999a82ecdf..6d7b1e1315 100644
--- c/builtin/read-tree.c
+++ w/builtin/read-tree.c
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ static int git_read_tree_config(const char *var, const char *value,
 int cmd_read_tree(int argc,
 		  const char **argv,
 		  const char *cmd_prefix,
-		  struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		  bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int i, stage = 0;
 	struct object_id oid;
diff --git c/builtin/rebase.c w/builtin/rebase.c
index 10a306310c..3dfe959d78 100644
--- c/builtin/rebase.c
+++ w/builtin/rebase.c
@@ -1099,7 +1099,7 @@ static int check_exec_cmd(const char *cmd)
 int cmd_rebase(int argc,
 	       const char **argv,
 	       const char *prefix,
-	       struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	       bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct rebase_options options = REBASE_OPTIONS_INIT;
 	const char *branch_name;
diff --git c/builtin/receive-pack.c w/builtin/receive-pack.c
index 86933d8d7e..c751487867 100644
--- c/builtin/receive-pack.c
+++ w/builtin/receive-pack.c
@@ -2612,7 +2612,7 @@ static int delete_only(struct command *commands)
 int cmd_receive_pack(int argc,
 		     const char **argv,
 		     const char *prefix,
-		     struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		     bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int advertise_refs = 0;
 	struct command *commands;
diff --git c/builtin/reflog.c w/builtin/reflog.c
index 1211c58fa4..f04e6701c2 100644
--- c/builtin/reflog.c
+++ w/builtin/reflog.c
@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ static int cmd_reflog_write(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 int cmd_reflog(int argc,
 	       const char **argv,
 	       const char *prefix,
-	       struct repository *repository)
+	       bool has_repo)
 {
 	parse_opt_subcommand_fn *fn = NULL;
 	struct option options[] = {
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ int cmd_reflog(int argc,
 			     PARSE_OPT_KEEP_DASHDASH | PARSE_OPT_KEEP_ARGV0 |
 			     PARSE_OPT_KEEP_UNKNOWN_OPT);
 	if (fn)
-		return fn(argc - 1, argv + 1, prefix, repository);
+		return fn(argc - 1, argv + 1, prefix, the_repository);
 	else
-		return cmd_log_reflog(argc, argv, prefix, repository);
+		return cmd_log_reflog(argc, argv, prefix, has_repo);
 }
diff --git c/builtin/refs.c w/builtin/refs.c
index 5cd21c25fe..9abcc6586f 100644
--- c/builtin/refs.c
+++ w/builtin/refs.c
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
 #include "builtin.h"
 #include "config.h"
 #include "fsck.h"
@@ -377,7 +378,7 @@ static int cmd_refs_rename(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 int cmd_refs(int argc,
 	     const char **argv,
 	     const char *prefix,
-	     struct repository *repo)
+	     bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	const char * const refs_usage[] = {
 		REFS_MIGRATE_USAGE,
@@ -406,5 +407,5 @@ int cmd_refs(int argc,
 	};
 
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, opts, refs_usage, 0);
-	return fn(argc, argv, prefix, repo);
+	return fn(argc, argv, prefix, the_repository);
 }
diff --git c/builtin/remote-ext.c w/builtin/remote-ext.c
index bd2037f27d..d14bc8424f 100644
--- c/builtin/remote-ext.c
+++ w/builtin/remote-ext.c
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ static int command_loop(const char *child)
 int cmd_remote_ext(int argc,
 		   const char **argv,
 		   const char *prefix,
-		   struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		   bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	BUG_ON_NON_EMPTY_PREFIX(prefix);
 
diff --git c/builtin/remote-fd.c w/builtin/remote-fd.c
index 39908546ba..2d1d1e9130 100644
--- c/builtin/remote-fd.c
+++ w/builtin/remote-fd.c
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ static void command_loop(int input_fd, int output_fd)
 int cmd_remote_fd(int argc,
 		  const char **argv,
 		  const char *prefix,
-		  struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		  bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int input_fd = -1;
 	int output_fd = -1;
diff --git c/builtin/remote.c w/builtin/remote.c
index de989ea3ba..f2c11ae3ec 100644
--- c/builtin/remote.c
+++ w/builtin/remote.c
@@ -1933,7 +1933,7 @@ static int set_url(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 int cmd_remote(int argc,
 	       const char **argv,
 	       const char *prefix,
-	       struct repository *repo)
+	       bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	parse_opt_subcommand_fn *fn = NULL;
 	struct option options[] = {
@@ -1956,7 +1956,7 @@ int cmd_remote(int argc,
 			     PARSE_OPT_SUBCOMMAND_OPTIONAL);
 
 	if (fn) {
-		return !!fn(argc, argv, prefix, repo);
+		return !!fn(argc, argv, prefix, the_repository);
 	} else {
 		if (argc) {
 			error(_("unknown subcommand: `%s'"), argv[0]);
diff --git c/builtin/repack.c w/builtin/repack.c
index c4360382c1..96f6faddc3 100644
--- c/builtin/repack.c
+++ w/builtin/repack.c
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
 #define DISABLE_SIGN_COMPARE_WARNINGS
 
 #include "builtin.h"
@@ -158,7 +159,7 @@ static int option_parse_write_midx(const struct option *opt, const char *arg,
 int cmd_repack(int argc,
 	       const char **argv,
 	       const char *prefix,
-	       struct repository *repo)
+	       bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct child_process cmd = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 	struct string_list_item *item;
@@ -272,7 +273,7 @@ int cmd_repack(int argc,
 	config_ctx.midx_split_factor = DEFAULT_MIDX_SPLIT_FACTOR;
 	config_ctx.midx_new_layer_threshold = DEFAULT_MIDX_NEW_LAYER_THRESHOLD;
 
-	repo_config(repo, repack_config, &config_ctx);
+	repo_config(the_repository, repack_config, &config_ctx);
 
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, builtin_repack_options,
 				git_repack_usage, 0);
@@ -316,7 +317,7 @@ int cmd_repack(int argc,
 		 * dropped objects from, so dropping them would be permanent
 		 * data loss.
 		 */
-		if (!repo_has_promisor_remote(repo))
+		if (!repo_has_promisor_remote(the_repository))
 			die(_("--drop-filtered requires a promisor remote"));
 
 		/*
@@ -329,10 +330,10 @@ int cmd_repack(int argc,
 		 * safety measure. Bare repositories have no such state, so
 		 * the check is skipped there.
 		 */
-		if (!is_bare_repository(repo)) {
+		if (!is_bare_repository(the_repository)) {
 			struct wt_status_state state = { 0 };
 
-			wt_status_get_state(repo, &state, 0);
+			wt_status_get_state(the_repository, &state, 0);
 			if (state.merge_in_progress || state.revert_in_progress ||
 			    state.rebase_in_progress || state.bisect_in_progress ||
 			    state.cherry_pick_in_progress || state.am_in_progress ||
@@ -356,7 +357,7 @@ int cmd_repack(int argc,
 		if (!dry_run)
 			delete_redundant = 1;
 
-		ret = enumerate_promisor_blobs(repo, &po_args.filter_options, &drop_oids);
+		ret = enumerate_promisor_blobs(the_repository, &po_args.filter_options, &drop_oids);
 
 		if (ret)
 			goto cleanup;
@@ -368,11 +369,11 @@ int cmd_repack(int argc,
 		 * nothing. This guard just avoids that churn. Bare
 		 * repositories have no index, so the check is skipped there.
 		 */
-		if (!is_bare_repository(repo) && oidset_size(&drop_oids)) {
-			struct index_state *istate = repo->index;
+		if (!is_bare_repository(the_repository) && oidset_size(&drop_oids)) {
+			struct index_state *istate = the_repository->index;
 			unsigned int i;
 
-			if (repo_read_index(repo) < 0)
+			if (repo_read_index(the_repository) < 0)
 				die(_("could not read the index"));
 
 			for (i = 0; i < istate->cache_nr; i++) {
@@ -394,7 +395,7 @@ int cmd_repack(int argc,
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (delete_redundant && repo->repository_format_precious_objects)
+	if (delete_redundant && the_repository->repository_format_precious_objects)
 		die(_("cannot delete packs in a precious-objects repo"));
 
 	die_for_incompatible_opt3(unpack_unreachable || (pack_everything & LOOSEN_UNREACHABLE), "-A",
@@ -406,7 +407,7 @@ int cmd_repack(int argc,
 
 	if (write_bitmaps < 0) {
 		if (write_midx == REPACK_WRITE_MIDX_NONE &&
-		    (!(pack_everything & ALL_INTO_ONE) || !is_bare_repository(repo)))
+		    (!(pack_everything & ALL_INTO_ONE) || !is_bare_repository(the_repository)))
 			write_bitmaps = 0;
 	}
 	if (po_args.pack_kept_objects < 0)
@@ -418,7 +419,7 @@ int cmd_repack(int argc,
 		die(_(incremental_bitmap_conflict_error));
 
 	if (write_bitmaps && po_args.local &&
-	    odb_has_alternates(repo->objects)) {
+	    odb_has_alternates(the_repository->objects)) {
 		/*
 		 * When asked to do a local repack, but we have
 		 * packfiles that are inherited from an alternate, then
@@ -441,20 +442,20 @@ int cmd_repack(int argc,
 		struct strbuf path = STRBUF_INIT;
 
 		strbuf_addf(&path, "%s/%s_XXXXXX",
-			    repo_get_object_directory(repo),
+			    repo_get_object_directory(the_repository),
 			    "bitmap-ref-tips");
 
 		refs_snapshot = xmks_tempfile(path.buf);
-		midx_snapshot_refs(repo, refs_snapshot);
+		midx_snapshot_refs(the_repository, refs_snapshot);
 
 		strbuf_release(&path);
 	}
 
-	packdir = mkpathdup("%s/pack", repo_get_object_directory(repo));
+	packdir = mkpathdup("%s/pack", repo_get_object_directory(the_repository));
 	packtmp_name = xstrfmt(".tmp-%d-pack", (int)getpid());
 	packtmp = mkpathdup("%s/%s", packdir, packtmp_name);
 
-	existing.repo = repo;
+	existing.repo = the_repository;
 	existing_packs_collect(&existing, &keep_pack_list);
 
 	if (geometry.split_factor) {
@@ -492,7 +493,7 @@ int cmd_repack(int argc,
 		strvec_push(&cmd.args, "--reflog");
 		strvec_push(&cmd.args, "--indexed-objects");
 	}
-	if (repo_has_promisor_remote(repo))
+	if (repo_has_promisor_remote(the_repository))
 		strvec_push(&cmd.args, "--exclude-promisor-objects");
 	if (write_midx == REPACK_WRITE_MIDX_NONE) {
 		if (write_bitmaps > 0)
@@ -504,7 +505,7 @@ int cmd_repack(int argc,
 		strvec_push(&cmd.args, "--delta-islands");
 
 	if (pack_everything & ALL_INTO_ONE) {
-		repack_promisor_objects(repo, &po_args, &names, packtmp,
+		repack_promisor_objects(the_repository, &po_args, &names, packtmp,
 			(drop_filtered && !dry_run) ? &drop_oids : NULL);
 
 		if (existing_packs_has_non_kept(&existing) &&
@@ -530,7 +531,7 @@ int cmd_repack(int argc,
 		    !(pack_everything & PACK_CRUFT))
 			strvec_push(&cmd.args, "--pack-loose-unreachable");
 	} else if (geometry.split_factor) {
-		pack_geometry_repack_promisors(repo, &po_args, &geometry,
+		pack_geometry_repack_promisors(the_repository, &po_args, &geometry,
 					       &names, packtmp);
 
 		if (midx_must_contain_cruft)
@@ -593,7 +594,7 @@ int cmd_repack(int argc,
 			.destination = packdir,
 			.packtmp = packtmp,
 		};
-		ret = finish_pack_objects_cmd(repo->hash_algo, &opts, &cmd,
+		ret = finish_pack_objects_cmd(the_repository->hash_algo, &opts, &cmd,
 					      &names);
 		if (ret)
 			goto cleanup;
@@ -706,7 +707,7 @@ int cmd_repack(int argc,
 
 	string_list_sort(&names);
 
-	odb_close(repo->objects);
+	odb_close(the_repository->objects);
 
 	/*
 	 * Ok we have prepared all new packfiles.
@@ -742,7 +743,7 @@ int cmd_repack(int argc,
 			goto cleanup;
 	}
 
-	odb_reprepare(repo->objects);
+	odb_reprepare(the_repository->objects);
 
 	if (delete_redundant) {
 		int opts = 0;
@@ -762,12 +763,12 @@ int cmd_repack(int argc,
 		if (!keep_unreachable &&
 		    (!(pack_everything & LOOSEN_UNREACHABLE) ||
 		     unpack_unreachable) &&
-		    is_repository_shallow(repo))
+		    is_repository_shallow(the_repository))
 			prune_shallow(PRUNE_QUICK);
 	}
 
 	if (run_update_server_info)
-		update_server_info(repo, 0);
+		update_server_info(the_repository, 0);
 
 	if (git_env_bool(GIT_TEST_MULTI_PACK_INDEX, 0)) {
 		struct odb_source_files *files = odb_source_files_downcast(existing.source);
diff --git c/builtin/replace.c w/builtin/replace.c
index aed6b2c8de..fd4e1adaf1 100644
--- c/builtin/replace.c
+++ w/builtin/replace.c
@@ -545,7 +545,7 @@ static int convert_graft_file(int force)
 int cmd_replace(int argc,
 		const char **argv,
 		const char *prefix,
-		struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int force = 0;
 	int raw = 0;
diff --git c/builtin/replay.c w/builtin/replay.c
index 39e3a86f6c..3f5b9cc36b 100644
--- c/builtin/replay.c
+++ w/builtin/replay.c
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
  * "git replay" builtin command
  */
 
+#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
 #include "git-compat-util.h"
 
 #include "builtin.h"
@@ -69,7 +70,7 @@ static int handle_ref_update(enum ref_action_mode mode,
 int cmd_replay(int argc,
 	       const char **argv,
 	       const char *prefix,
-	       struct repository *repo)
+	       bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct replay_revisions_options opts = { 0 };
 	struct replay_result result = { 0 };
@@ -134,7 +135,7 @@ int cmd_replay(int argc,
 				  !!opts.contained, "--contained");
 
 	/* Parse ref action mode from command line or config */
-	ref_mode = get_ref_action_mode(repo, ref_action);
+	ref_mode = get_ref_action_mode(the_repository, ref_action);
 
 	/*
 	 * Cherry-pick/rebase need oldest-first ordering so that each
@@ -144,7 +145,7 @@ int cmd_replay(int argc,
 	 */
 	desired_reverse = !opts.revert;
 
-	repo_init_revisions(repo, &revs, prefix);
+	repo_init_revisions(the_repository, &revs, prefix);
 
 	/*
 	 * Set desired values for rev walking options here. If they
@@ -206,14 +207,14 @@ int cmd_replay(int argc,
 		strbuf_addf(&reflog_msg, "replay --advance %s", opts.advance);
 	} else {
 		struct object_id oid;
-		if (repo_get_oid_committish(repo, opts.onto, &oid))
+		if (repo_get_oid_committish(the_repository, opts.onto, &oid))
 			BUG("--onto commit should have been resolved beforehand already");
 		strbuf_addf(&reflog_msg, "replay --onto %s", oid_to_hex(&oid));
 	}
 
 	/* Initialize ref transaction if using update mode */
 	if (ref_mode == REF_ACTION_UPDATE) {
-		transaction = ref_store_transaction_begin(get_main_ref_store(repo),
+		transaction = ref_store_transaction_begin(get_main_ref_store(the_repository),
 							  0, &transaction_err);
 		if (!transaction) {
 			ret = error(_("failed to begin ref transaction: %s"),
diff --git c/builtin/repo.c w/builtin/repo.c
index 84e012f83f..5b12501a7c 100644
--- c/builtin/repo.c
+++ w/builtin/repo.c
@@ -981,7 +981,7 @@ static int cmd_repo_structure(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 }
 
 int cmd_repo(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
-	     struct repository *repo)
+	     bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	parse_opt_subcommand_fn *fn = NULL;
 	struct option options[] = {
@@ -992,5 +992,5 @@ int cmd_repo(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options, repo_usage, 0);
 
-	return fn(argc, argv, prefix, repo);
+	return fn(argc, argv, prefix, the_repository);
 }
diff --git c/builtin/rerere.c w/builtin/rerere.c
index a056cb791b..caa88130fc 100644
--- c/builtin/rerere.c
+++ w/builtin/rerere.c
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ static int diff_two(const char *file1, const char *label1,
 int cmd_rerere(int argc,
 	       const char **argv,
 	       const char *prefix,
-	       struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	       bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct string_list merge_rr = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
 	int autoupdate = -1, flags = 0;
diff --git c/builtin/reset.c w/builtin/reset.c
index 78e69bd84b..80f201ed68 100644
--- c/builtin/reset.c
+++ w/builtin/reset.c
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ static int git_reset_config(const char *var, const char *value,
 int cmd_reset(int argc,
 	      const char **argv,
 	      const char *prefix,
-	      struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	      bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int reset_type = NONE, update_ref_status = 0, quiet = 0;
 	int no_refresh = 0;
diff --git c/builtin/rev-list.c w/builtin/rev-list.c
index 02818b81c6..14898a0aeb 100644
--- c/builtin/rev-list.c
+++ w/builtin/rev-list.c
@@ -692,7 +692,7 @@ static void prepare_maximal_independent(struct rev_info *revs)
 int cmd_rev_list(int argc,
 		 const char **argv,
 		 const char *prefix,
-		 struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		 bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct rev_info revs;
 	struct rev_list_info info;
diff --git c/builtin/rev-parse.c w/builtin/rev-parse.c
index 43693454d5..b4435981ab 100644
--- c/builtin/rev-parse.c
+++ w/builtin/rev-parse.c
@@ -698,7 +698,7 @@ static void print_path(const char *path, const char *prefix,
 int cmd_rev_parse(int argc,
 		  const char **argv,
 		  const char *prefix,
-		  struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		  bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int i, as_is = 0, verify = 0, quiet = 0, revs_count = 0, type = 0;
 	const struct git_hash_algo *output_algo = NULL;
diff --git c/builtin/revert.c w/builtin/revert.c
index bedc40f368..42d0332847 100644
--- c/builtin/revert.c
+++ w/builtin/revert.c
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ static int run_sequencer(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 int cmd_revert(int argc,
 	       const char **argv,
 	       const char *prefix,
-	       struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	       bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct replay_opts opts = REPLAY_OPTS_INIT;
 	int res;
@@ -299,9 +299,9 @@ int cmd_revert(int argc,
 }
 
 int cmd_cherry_pick(int argc,
-const char **argv,
-const char *prefix,
-struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		    const char **argv,
+		    const char *prefix,
+		    bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct replay_opts opts = REPLAY_OPTS_INIT;
 	int res;
diff --git c/builtin/rm.c w/builtin/rm.c
index 081d0bc375..9e08fb1fc2 100644
--- c/builtin/rm.c
+++ w/builtin/rm.c
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ static struct option builtin_rm_options[] = {
 int cmd_rm(int argc,
 	   const char **argv,
 	   const char *prefix,
-	   struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	   bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct lock_file lock_file = LOCK_INIT;
 	int i, ret = 0;
diff --git c/builtin/send-pack.c w/builtin/send-pack.c
index d6cdbae472..24656f911c 100644
--- c/builtin/send-pack.c
+++ w/builtin/send-pack.c
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
 #include "builtin.h"
 #include "config.h"
 #include "environment.h"
@@ -151,7 +152,7 @@ static int send_pack_config(const char *k, const char *v,
 int cmd_send_pack(int argc,
 		  const char **argv,
 		  const char *prefix,
-		  struct repository *repo)
+		  bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct refspec rs;
 	const char *remote_name = NULL;
@@ -212,10 +213,10 @@ int cmd_send_pack(int argc,
 		OPT_END()
 	};
 
-	repo_config(repo, send_pack_config, NULL);
+	repo_config(the_repository, send_pack_config, NULL);
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options, send_pack_usage, 0);
 
-	refspec_init_push(&rs, repo->hash_algo);
+	refspec_init_push(&rs, the_repository->hash_algo);
 
 	if (argc > 0) {
 		dest = argv[0];
@@ -322,7 +323,7 @@ int cmd_send_pack(int argc,
 	set_ref_status_for_push(remote_refs, args.send_mirror,
 		args.force_update);
 
-	ret = send_pack(repo, &args, fd, conn, remote_refs, &extra_have);
+	ret = send_pack(the_repository, &args, fd, conn, remote_refs, &extra_have);
 
 	if (helper_status)
 		print_helper_status(remote_refs);
diff --git c/builtin/shortlog.c w/builtin/shortlog.c
index 4c78d2e5ba..28d34a72fa 100644
--- c/builtin/shortlog.c
+++ w/builtin/shortlog.c
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@ void shortlog_finish_setup(struct shortlog *log)
 int cmd_shortlog(int argc,
 		 const char **argv,
 		 const char *prefix,
-		 struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		 bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct shortlog log = { STRING_LIST_INIT_NODUP };
 	struct rev_info rev;
diff --git c/builtin/show-branch.c w/builtin/show-branch.c
index 2435e8aeda..9b6946e3bc 100644
--- c/builtin/show-branch.c
+++ w/builtin/show-branch.c
@@ -636,7 +636,7 @@ static int parse_reflog_param(const struct option *opt, const char *arg,
 int cmd_show_branch(int ac,
 		const char **av,
 		const char *prefix,
-		struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct commit *rev[MAX_REVS], *commit;
 	char *reflog_msg[MAX_REVS] = {0};
diff --git c/builtin/show-index.c w/builtin/show-index.c
index 24f0230967..ea9feab5b6 100644
--- c/builtin/show-index.c
+++ w/builtin/show-index.c
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ static const char *const show_index_usage[] = {
 int cmd_show_index(int argc,
 		   const char **argv,
 		   const char *prefix,
-		   struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		   bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int i;
 	unsigned nr;
diff --git c/builtin/show-ref.c w/builtin/show-ref.c
index d508441632..0e725f36ca 100644
--- c/builtin/show-ref.c
+++ w/builtin/show-ref.c
@@ -298,9 +298,9 @@ static int exclude_existing_callback(const struct option *opt, const char *arg,
 }
 
 int cmd_show_ref(int argc,
-const char **argv,
-const char *prefix,
-struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		 const char **argv,
+		 const char *prefix,
+		 bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct exclude_existing_options exclude_existing_opts = {0};
 	struct patterns_options patterns_opts = {0};
diff --git c/builtin/sparse-checkout.c w/builtin/sparse-checkout.c
index cb4a037b77..1887b745e5 100644
--- c/builtin/sparse-checkout.c
+++ w/builtin/sparse-checkout.c
@@ -1183,7 +1183,7 @@ static int sparse_checkout_check_rules(int argc, const char **argv, const char *
 int cmd_sparse_checkout(int argc,
 			const char **argv,
 			const char *prefix,
-			struct repository *repo)
+			bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	parse_opt_subcommand_fn *fn = NULL;
 	struct option builtin_sparse_checkout_options[] = {
@@ -1204,8 +1204,8 @@ int cmd_sparse_checkout(int argc,
 
 	repo_config(the_repository, git_default_config, NULL);
 
-	prepare_repo_settings(repo);
-	repo->settings.command_requires_full_index = 0;
+	prepare_repo_settings(the_repository);
+	the_repository->settings.command_requires_full_index = 0;
 
-	return fn(argc, argv, prefix, repo);
+	return fn(argc, argv, prefix, the_repository);
 }
diff --git c/builtin/stash.c w/builtin/stash.c
index 72c52571f8..4bf8a68212 100644
--- c/builtin/stash.c
+++ w/builtin/stash.c
@@ -2453,7 +2453,7 @@ static int export_stash(int argc,
 int cmd_stash(int argc,
 	      const char **argv,
 	      const char *prefix,
-	      struct repository *repo)
+	      bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	pid_t pid = getpid();
 	const char *index_file;
@@ -2493,9 +2493,9 @@ int cmd_stash(int argc,
 		    (uintmax_t)pid);
 
 	if (fn)
-		return !!fn(argc, argv, prefix, repo);
+		return !!fn(argc, argv, prefix, the_repository);
 	else if (!argc)
-		return !!push_stash_unassumed(0, NULL, prefix, repo);
+		return !!push_stash_unassumed(0, NULL, prefix, the_repository);
 
 	/* Assume 'stash push' */
 	strvec_push(&args, "push");
diff --git c/builtin/stripspace.c w/builtin/stripspace.c
index 18705f1a5b..b27e4bfb26 100644
--- c/builtin/stripspace.c
+++ w/builtin/stripspace.c
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ enum stripspace_mode {
 int cmd_stripspace(int argc,
 		   const char **argv,
 		   const char *prefix,
-		   struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		   bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
 	enum stripspace_mode mode = STRIP_DEFAULT;
diff --git c/builtin/submodule--helper.c w/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index e7cd3225fa..a86cec5798 100644
--- c/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ w/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -3804,7 +3804,7 @@ static int module_add(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 int cmd_submodule__helper(int argc,
 			  const char **argv,
 			  const char *prefix,
-			  struct repository *repo)
+			  bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	parse_opt_subcommand_fn *fn = NULL;
 	const char *const usage[] = {
@@ -3833,5 +3833,5 @@ int cmd_submodule__helper(int argc,
 	};
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options, usage, 0);
 
-	return fn(argc, argv, prefix, repo);
+	return fn(argc, argv, prefix, the_repository);
 }
diff --git c/builtin/symbolic-ref.c w/builtin/symbolic-ref.c
index 231e41e715..8644548c9a 100644
--- c/builtin/symbolic-ref.c
+++ w/builtin/symbolic-ref.c
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ static int check_symref(const char *HEAD, int quiet, int shorten, int recurse, i
 int cmd_symbolic_ref(int argc,
 		     const char **argv,
 		     const char *prefix,
-		     struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		     bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int quiet = 0, delete = 0, shorten = 0, recurse = 1, ret = 0;
 	const char *msg = NULL;
diff --git c/builtin/tag.c w/builtin/tag.c
index 06c125b53c..1fa660497e 100644
--- c/builtin/tag.c
+++ w/builtin/tag.c
@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ static int parse_msg_arg(const struct option *opt, const char *arg, int unset)
 int cmd_tag(int argc,
 	    const char **argv,
 	    const char *prefix,
-	    struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	    bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct strbuf ref = STRBUF_INIT;
diff --git c/builtin/unpack-file.c w/builtin/unpack-file.c
index 387389ed49..7e660b18b1 100644
--- c/builtin/unpack-file.c
+++ w/builtin/unpack-file.c
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ static const char usage_msg[] =
 int cmd_unpack_file(int argc,
 		    const char **argv,
 		    const char *prefix UNUSED,
-		    struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		    bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct object_id oid;
 
diff --git c/builtin/unpack-objects.c w/builtin/unpack-objects.c
index 3392a3b87d..73e2e450c9 100644
--- c/builtin/unpack-objects.c
+++ w/builtin/unpack-objects.c
@@ -617,7 +617,7 @@ static void unpack_all(void)
 int cmd_unpack_objects(int argc,
 		       const char **argv,
 		       const char *prefix UNUSED,
-		       struct repository *repo)
+		       bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int i;
 	struct object_id oid;
@@ -631,7 +631,7 @@ int cmd_unpack_objects(int argc,
 
 	show_usage_if_asked(argc, argv, unpack_usage);
 
-	fsck_options_init(&fsck_options, repo, FSCK_OPTIONS_STRICT);
+	fsck_options_init(&fsck_options, the_repository, FSCK_OPTIONS_STRICT);
 
 	for (i = 1 ; i < argc; i++) {
 		const char *arg = argv[i];
diff --git c/builtin/update-index.c w/builtin/update-index.c
index 241abd4332..d3398392b2 100644
--- c/builtin/update-index.c
+++ w/builtin/update-index.c
@@ -915,7 +915,7 @@ static enum parse_opt_result reupdate_callback(
 int cmd_update_index(int argc,
 		     const char **argv,
 		     const char *prefix,
-		     struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		     bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int newfd, entries, has_errors = 0, nul_term_line = 0;
 	enum uc_mode untracked_cache = UC_UNSPECIFIED;
diff --git c/builtin/update-ref.c w/builtin/update-ref.c
index 6355c3dd3e..1511ce43bd 100644
--- c/builtin/update-ref.c
+++ w/builtin/update-ref.c
@@ -810,7 +810,7 @@ static void update_refs_stdin(unsigned int flags)
 int cmd_update_ref(int argc,
 		   const char **argv,
 		   const char *prefix,
-		   struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		   bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	const char *refname, *oldval;
 	struct object_id oid, oldoid;
diff --git c/builtin/update-server-info.c w/builtin/update-server-info.c
index 4c12968a83..2d13e710e1 100644
--- c/builtin/update-server-info.c
+++ w/builtin/update-server-info.c
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
 #include "builtin.h"
 #include "config.h"
 #include "environment.h"
@@ -13,7 +14,7 @@ static const char * const update_server_info_usage[] = {
 int cmd_update_server_info(int argc,
 			   const char **argv,
 			   const char *prefix,
-			   struct repository *repo)
+			   bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int force = 0;
 	struct option options[] = {
@@ -21,12 +22,12 @@ int cmd_update_server_info(int argc,
 		OPT_END()
 	};
 
-	repo_config(repo, git_default_config, NULL);
+	repo_config(the_repository, git_default_config, NULL);
 
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options,
 			     update_server_info_usage, 0);
 	if (argc > 0)
 		usage_with_options(update_server_info_usage, options);
 
-	return !!update_server_info(repo, force);
+	return !!update_server_info(the_repository, force);
 }
diff --git c/builtin/upload-archive.c w/builtin/upload-archive.c
index 718e74b3ac..510540dd78 100644
--- c/builtin/upload-archive.c
+++ w/builtin/upload-archive.c
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ static const char deadchild[] =
 int cmd_upload_archive_writer(int argc,
 			      const char **argv,
 			      const char *prefix,
-			      struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+			      bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct strvec sent_argv = STRVEC_INIT;
 	const char *arg_cmd = "argument ";
@@ -85,9 +85,9 @@ static ssize_t process_input(int child_fd, int band)
 }
 
 int cmd_upload_archive(int argc,
-const char **argv,
-const char *prefix,
-struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		       const char **argv,
+		       const char *prefix,
+		       bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct child_process writer = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 
diff --git c/builtin/upload-pack.c w/builtin/upload-pack.c
index 32831fb879..ffd5a4a70c 100644
--- c/builtin/upload-pack.c
+++ w/builtin/upload-pack.c
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ static const char * const upload_pack_usage[] = {
 int cmd_upload_pack(int argc,
 		    const char **argv,
 		    const char *prefix,
-		    struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		    bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	const char *dir;
 	int strict = 0;
diff --git c/builtin/url-parse.c w/builtin/url-parse.c
index 7e705538c0..87309bd58c 100644
--- c/builtin/url-parse.c
+++ w/builtin/url-parse.c
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ static char *extract_component(enum url_component component,
 int cmd_url_parse(int argc,
 		  const char **argv,
 		  const char *prefix,
-		  struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		  bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct url_info info;
 	enum url_component selected = URL_NONE;
diff --git c/builtin/var.c w/builtin/var.c
index cc3a43cde2..102e1ce58d 100644
--- c/builtin/var.c
+++ w/builtin/var.c
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ static int show_config(const char *var, const char *value,
 int cmd_var(int argc,
 	    const char **argv,
 	    const char *prefix UNUSED,
-	    struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+	    bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	const struct git_var *git_var;
 	char *val;
diff --git c/builtin/verify-commit.c w/builtin/verify-commit.c
index 62398acd72..c10f4d31a2 100644
--- c/builtin/verify-commit.c
+++ w/builtin/verify-commit.c
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
  *
  * Based on git-verify-tag
  */
+#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
 #include "builtin.h"
 #include "config.h"
 #include "environment.h"
@@ -54,7 +55,7 @@ static int verify_commit(struct repository *repo, const char *name, unsigned fla
 int cmd_verify_commit(int argc,
 		      const char **argv,
 		      const char *prefix,
-		      struct repository *repo)
+		      bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int i = 1, verbose = 0, had_error = 0;
 	unsigned flags = 0;
@@ -64,7 +65,7 @@ int cmd_verify_commit(int argc,
 		OPT_END()
 	};
 
-	repo_config(repo, git_default_config, NULL);
+	repo_config(the_repository, git_default_config, NULL);
 
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, verify_commit_options,
 			     verify_commit_usage, PARSE_OPT_KEEP_ARGV0);
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ int cmd_verify_commit(int argc,
 	 * was received in the process of writing the gpg input: */
 	signal(SIGPIPE, SIG_IGN);
 	while (i < argc)
-		if (verify_commit(repo, argv[i++], flags))
+		if (verify_commit(the_repository, argv[i++], flags))
 			had_error = 1;
 	return had_error;
 }
diff --git c/builtin/verify-pack.c w/builtin/verify-pack.c
index 65fd6629a0..04d40333c9 100644
--- c/builtin/verify-pack.c
+++ w/builtin/verify-pack.c
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ static const char * const verify_pack_usage[] = {
 int cmd_verify_pack(int argc,
 		    const char **argv,
 		    const char *prefix,
-		    struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		    bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int err = 0;
 	unsigned int flags = 0;
diff --git c/builtin/verify-tag.c w/builtin/verify-tag.c
index 4a261b2369..ed019201de 100644
--- c/builtin/verify-tag.c
+++ w/builtin/verify-tag.c
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
  *
  * Based on git-verify-tag.sh
  */
+#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
 #include "builtin.h"
 #include "config.h"
 #include "environment.h"
@@ -23,7 +24,7 @@ static const char * const verify_tag_usage[] = {
 int cmd_verify_tag(int argc,
 		   const char **argv,
 		   const char *prefix,
-		   struct repository *repo)
+		   bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int i = 1, verbose = 0, had_error = 0;
 	unsigned flags = 0;
@@ -35,7 +36,7 @@ int cmd_verify_tag(int argc,
 		OPT_END()
 	};
 
-	repo_config(repo, git_default_config, NULL);
+	repo_config(the_repository, git_default_config, NULL);
 
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, verify_tag_options,
 			     verify_tag_usage, PARSE_OPT_KEEP_ARGV0);
@@ -56,12 +57,12 @@ int cmd_verify_tag(int argc,
 		struct object_id oid;
 		const char *name = argv[i++];
 
-		if (repo_get_oid(repo, name, &oid)) {
+		if (repo_get_oid(the_repository, name, &oid)) {
 			had_error = !!error("tag '%s' not found.", name);
 			continue;
 		}
 
-		if (gpg_verify_tag(repo, &oid, name, flags)) {
+		if (gpg_verify_tag(the_repository, &oid, name, flags)) {
 			had_error = 1;
 			continue;
 		}
diff --git c/builtin/worktree.c w/builtin/worktree.c
index 654d27c3e1..db29e28432 100644
--- c/builtin/worktree.c
+++ w/builtin/worktree.c
@@ -1469,7 +1469,7 @@ static int repair(int ac, const char **av, const char *prefix,
 int cmd_worktree(int ac,
 		 const char **av,
 		 const char *prefix,
-		 struct repository *repo)
+		 bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	parse_opt_subcommand_fn *fn = NULL;
 	struct option options[] = {
@@ -1494,5 +1494,5 @@ int cmd_worktree(int ac,
 	prepare_repo_settings(the_repository);
 	the_repository->settings.command_requires_full_index = 0;
 
-	return fn(ac, av, prefix, repo);
+	return fn(ac, av, prefix, the_repository);
 }
diff --git c/builtin/write-tree.c w/builtin/write-tree.c
index e3bd1a40db..5c906d4c06 100644
--- c/builtin/write-tree.c
+++ w/builtin/write-tree.c
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ static const char * const write_tree_usage[] = {
 int cmd_write_tree(int argc,
 		   const char **argv,
 		   const char *cmd_prefix,
-		   struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+		   bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	int flags = 0, ret;
 	const char *tree_prefix = NULL;
diff --git c/git.c w/git.c
index 96df15b5cd..ff0b2720a2 100644
--- c/git.c
+++ w/git.c
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 
 struct cmd_struct {
 	const char *cmd;
-	int (*fn)(int, const char **, const char *, struct repository *);
+	int (*fn)(int, const char **, const char *, bool);
 	unsigned int option;
 };
 
@@ -507,7 +507,7 @@ static int run_builtin(struct cmd_struct *p, int argc, const char **argv, struct
 	trace2_cmd_name(p->cmd);
 
 	validate_cache_entries(repo->index);
-	status = p->fn(argc, argv, prefix, no_repo ? NULL : repo);
+	status = p->fn(argc, argv, prefix, !no_repo);
 	validate_cache_entries(repo->index);
 
 	if (status)
diff --git c/help.c w/help.c
index 46241492ce..df1dc3d398 100644
--- c/help.c
+++ w/help.c
@@ -830,7 +830,7 @@ void get_version_info(struct strbuf *buf, int show_build_options)
 	}
 }
 
-int cmd_version(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repository UNUSED)
+int cmd_version(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, bool has_repo UNUSED)
 {
 	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
 	int build_options = 0;

Re: [PATCH] do not pass "repo" to builtin commmand implementations

[Hardik Kumar]

This would certainly help make it more obvious as not use the pointer
parameter. But would you not consider to eventually move towards
something more efiicient in the future?

Re: [PATCH] do not pass "repo" to builtin commmand implementations

[Junio C Hamano]

"Hardik Kumar" <hardikxk@gmail.com> writes:

> This would certainly help make it more obvious as not use the pointer
> parameter. But would you not consider to eventually move towards
> something more efiicient in the future?

It is unclear what kind of more efficient alternative you have in
mind.

The primary motivation for this change is to make the implementation
of built-in commands less error-prone and harder to abuse.  The
implementation of 'git foo' in cmd_foo() in builtin/foo.c performs
one-time initialization (such as calling git_config()) and
finalization that cannot be repeated, making it an anti-pattern to
call cmd_foo() from within cmd_bar().  Refraining from pretending
these functions can operate on an arbitrary caller-supplied
repository instance is one step toward preventing such misuse.

However, another motivation for this change is to encourage
developers who want to aid the libification effort to refactor code
out of cmd_foo() into reusable helper functions.  Instead of keeping
those helpers within builtin/foo.c, they can be moved to library
files outside the builtin/ directory and take a pointer to 'struct
repository'.

The top-level cmd_foo() can still access 'the_repository' directly
and orchestrate the execution of 'git foo' by passing a pointer to
these helper functions.  That way, more code becomes reusable.

Re: [PATCH] builtin: replace the_repository parameter in is_bare_repository()

[Hardik Kumar]

On Fri Aug 28, 2026 at 1:58 AM IST, Junio C Hamano wrote:
> "Hardik Kumar" <hardikxk@gmail.com> writes:
>
>>> In general, builtin/foo.c::cmd_foo() are concrete programs that work
>>> on specific repository (i.e., the_repository), and there is not much
>>> reason to rewrite the use of the_repository to use "repo" given by
>>> the caller which is git potty.  You'd also need to deal with the
>>> case where "repo" is NULL (hint: "cd / && git foo -h").
>>
>> Right, but would safety check be required for single instance or better
>> to find and work on only the specific ones which could lead to an
>> exception.
>
> I do not quite get what you mean.  In a single function you use
> the_repository and repo interchangeably, relying on repo, when it is
> not NULL), being the same as the_repository for correctness.  If
> they ever refer to different things, then your updated code is less
> consistent than the original, which would not be an improvement.
>
> I actually think a good medium size project is to fix the last
> parameter given to cmd_foo() built-in command implementations that
> is a pointer to "struct repository".  It was a misguided design.
>
> This pointer is either NULL or the_repository; it never takes any
> other value.  It is misleading and invites confusion that these
> functions can take arbitrary repository instance.  It also invites
> people to replace all references in cmd_foo() to "the_repository"
> with "repo", which may lead to an error.  Depending on where
> parse_options() call appears in the cmd_foo(), "cd / && git foo -h"
> will cause segfaults with such a change.
>
> If we change the function signature of cmd_foo() to receive a "bool"
> that says "true" if the command was run inside a repository and
> "false" otherwise, cmd_foo() can still tell if the command was run
> outside a repository, and programmers will not be misled to use
> anything other than "the_repository" as the repository to work on.
>
> The utility functions builtin/foo.c borrows from outside builtin/
> directory are being "libified" to reduce the hardcoded dependence on
> the_repository, and cmd_foo() can call these functions with
> the_repository as a parameter.  But we have no reason to waste our
> time updating (and also reviewing patches that make such updates)
> the built-in implementations themselves to take a pointer to an
> arbitrary repository.

Understood. Thanks for the clarification.

Re: [PATCH] builtin: replace the_repository parameter in is_bare_repository()

[Hardik Kumar]

On Fri Aug 28, 2026 at 12:39 AM IST, Junio C Hamano wrote:

>> The patch leaves some instances of this case that would require
>> additional changes rather than simply replacing the arguments passed to
>> the function call.
>>
>> - Only update sites that do not introduce any functional changes.
>
> How did you make sure that the places touched by this patch do not?
>
> How do you deal with repo==NULL case in these code paths?

I verified by running the entire test suite which passed fine. In
addition to that the methods in `repository.c` should already handle
such a case if the `repo` were to ever be NULL or not initialized as the
same pointer is what is passed to all callers.

Also the repo should always be NOT NULL and then git just throws an
error about the inexistence of it.