Re: [RFC] Possibility to choose ~/.config/git/config instead of ~/.gitconfig

[Jonathan Nieder <jrnieder@gmail.com>]

Junio C Hamano wrote:

>                     We already have ETC_GITCONFIG, so the only thing it
> might be nicer to add is the build configurability of ~/.gitconfig file,
> no?

If we were trying to solve a different problem ("my filesystem does
not support filenames starting with '.' with more than three
characters afterward") then I would agree, but in this case no.  HOME
directories are often shared between multiple machines, even machines
with different operating systems.

If I understand correctly, the proposal that started this thread was
to give people a chance to tidy their HOME directory by moving
personal git configuration under ~/.config/git/.  Git would detect it
automatically.  I think the main complication would be phasing in the
change slowly and carefully so people helping each other with git
problems do not get confused:

  "Why is this setting not taking effect?  It's in ~/.config/gitconfig
   just like it should be.  Oh, what git version do you have?"

and

  "Is there no .gitconfig?  Okay, we can assume all the default
   settings are in use.  Now let's..."

That's why I'd be happy to see how an initial patch approaches the
transition, to see how it can be improved to happen smoothly.

Jonathan