Re: [PATCH] git-tag(1): Refer to git-check-ref-format(1) for <name>

[Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>]

Jari Aalto <jari.aalto@cante.net> writes:

> Explain briefly what characters are prohibited in tag <name>
> and point to git-check-ref-format(1) manual page for
> more information.
> ---

Thanks.

I do not see a reason to reject this patch (other than lack of sign-off),
but at the same time, I wish if we can somehow teach people that the
branches and the tags are just two special cases of refs that follow
exactly the same set of rules, we would not have to apply another similar
patch to git-branch documentation and instead we can teach what the naming
rules are for refs in general.  Then the readers can learn the rule once,
and extend the knowledge to other types of refs (e.g. notes) in the
future.

I however do not think of a way to organize our documentations without too
many levels of indirections (e.g. repeating "X is just a ref and for
naming rules, see check-ref-format(1)" for all types X of refs).  Not
repeating the rules for documentation of each kind of ref will make the
maintenance a lot easier but hurts readability, but the set of rules is
not a large enough to justify the complexity to use a separate include
file at the source level.