[PATCH 1/2] orphan/unborn: add to the glossary and use them consistently

[PATCH 1/2] orphan/unborn: add to the glossary and use them consistently

[Junio C Hamano]

To orphan is a verb that denotes the act of getting on an unborn
branch, and a few references to "orphan branch" in our documentation
are misuses of the word.  They caused end-user confusion, which was
made even worse because we did not have the term defined in the
glossary document.  Add entries for "unborn" branch and "orphan"
operation to the glossary, and adjust existing documentation
accordingly.

Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
---

 Documentation/config/advice.txt    |  2 +-
 Documentation/git-checkout.txt     |  2 +-
 Documentation/git-switch.txt       |  2 +-
 Documentation/git-worktree.txt     |  4 ++--
 Documentation/glossary-content.txt | 18 ++++++++++++++++++
 5 files changed, 23 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Documentation/config/advice.txt b/Documentation/config/advice.txt
index c548a91e67..6aaee01d7f 100644
--- a/Documentation/config/advice.txt
+++ b/Documentation/config/advice.txt
@@ -140,6 +140,6 @@ advice.*::
 		Advice shown when a fast-forward is not possible.
 	worktreeAddOrphan::
 		Advice shown when a user tries to create a worktree from an
-		invalid reference, to instruct how to create a new orphan
+		invalid reference, to instruct how to create a new unborn
 		branch instead.
 --
diff --git a/Documentation/git-checkout.txt b/Documentation/git-checkout.txt
index 4af0904f47..3d526613d5 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-checkout.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-checkout.txt
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ variable.
 	below for details.
 
 --orphan <new-branch>::
-	Create a new 'orphan' branch, named `<new-branch>`, started from
+	Create a new unborn branch, named `<new-branch>`, started from
 	`<start-point>` and switch to it.  The first commit made on this
 	new branch will have no parents and it will be the root of a new
 	history totally disconnected from all the other branches and
diff --git a/Documentation/git-switch.txt b/Documentation/git-switch.txt
index c60fc9c138..3e23a82cf2 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-switch.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-switch.txt
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ name, the guessing is aborted.  You can explicitly give a name with
 	`branch.autoSetupMerge` configuration variable is true.
 
 --orphan <new-branch>::
-	Create a new 'orphan' branch, named `<new-branch>`. All
+	Create a new unborn branch, named `<new-branch>`. All
 	tracked files are removed.
 
 --ignore-other-worktrees::
diff --git a/Documentation/git-worktree.txt b/Documentation/git-worktree.txt
index 93d76f5d66..2a240f53ba 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-worktree.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-worktree.txt
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ command will refuse to create the worktree (unless `--force` is used).
 If `<commit-ish>` is omitted, neither `--detach`, or `--orphan` is
 used, and there are no valid local branches (or remote branches if
 `--guess-remote` is specified) then, as a convenience, the new worktree is
-associated with a new orphan branch named `<branch>` (after
+associated with a new unborn branch named `<branch>` (after
 `$(basename <path>)` if neither `-b` or `-B` is used) as if `--orphan` was
 passed to the command. In the event the repository has a remote and
 `--guess-remote` is used, but no remote or local branches exist, then the
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ This can also be set up as the default behaviour by using the
 
 --orphan::
 	With `add`, make the new worktree and index empty, associating
-	the worktree with a new orphan/unborn branch named `<new-branch>`.
+	the worktree with a new unborn branch named `<new-branch>`.
 
 --porcelain::
 	With `list`, output in an easy-to-parse format for scripts.
diff --git a/Documentation/glossary-content.txt b/Documentation/glossary-content.txt
index 5a537268e2..c67b7f3ec1 100644
--- a/Documentation/glossary-content.txt
+++ b/Documentation/glossary-content.txt
@@ -294,6 +294,12 @@ This commit is referred to as a "merge commit", or sometimes just a
 [[def_octopus]]octopus::
 	To <<def_merge,merge>> more than two <<def_branch,branches>>.
 
+[[def_orphan]]orphan::
+	The act of getting on a <<def_branch,branch>> that does not
+	exist yet (i.e., an <<def_unborn,unborn>> branch).  After
+	such an operation, the commit first created becomes a commit
+	without a parent, starting a new history.
+
 [[def_origin]]origin::
 	The default upstream <<def_repository,repository>>. Most projects have
 	at least one upstream project which they track. By default
@@ -674,6 +680,18 @@ The most notable example is `HEAD`.
 	object,
 	etc.
 
+[[def_unborn]]unborn::
+	The <<def_HEAD,HEAD>> can point at a <<def_branch,branch>>
+	that does not yet exist and that does not have any commit on
+	it yet, and such a branch is called an unborn branch.  The
+	most typical way users encounter an unborn branch is by
+	creating a repository anew without cloning from elsewhere.
+	The HEAD would point at the 'main' (or 'master', depending
+	on your configuration) branch that is yet to be born.  Also
+	some operations can get you on an unborn branch with their
+	<<def_orphan,orphan>> option.
+
+
 [[def_unmerged_index]]unmerged index::
 	An <<def_index,index>> which contains unmerged
 	<<def_index_entry,index entries>>.
-- 
2.43.0

[PATCH 2/2] orphan/unborn: fix use of 'orphan' in end-user facing messages

[Junio C Hamano]

"orphan branch" is not even grammatical ("orphaned branch" is), and
we have been using "unborn branch" to mean the state where the HEAD
points at a branch that does not yet exist.

Update end-user facing messages to correct them.  There are cases
other random words are used (e.g., "unparented branch") but now we
have a glossary entry, use the term "unborn branch" consistently.

Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
---
 builtin/checkout.c      | 2 +-
 builtin/worktree.c      | 6 +++---
 t/t2400-worktree-add.sh | 6 +++---
 3 files changed, 7 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)

diff --git a/builtin/checkout.c b/builtin/checkout.c
index f53612f468..9d250587df 100644
--- a/builtin/checkout.c
+++ b/builtin/checkout.c
@@ -1620,7 +1620,7 @@ static struct option *add_common_switch_branch_options(
 			parse_opt_tracking_mode),
 		OPT__FORCE(&opts->force, N_("force checkout (throw away local modifications)"),
 			   PARSE_OPT_NOCOMPLETE),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "orphan", &opts->new_orphan_branch, N_("new-branch"), N_("new unparented branch")),
+		OPT_STRING(0, "orphan", &opts->new_orphan_branch, N_("new-branch"), N_("new unborn branch")),
 		OPT_BOOL_F(0, "overwrite-ignore", &opts->overwrite_ignore,
 			   N_("update ignored files (default)"),
 			   PARSE_OPT_NOCOMPLETE),
diff --git a/builtin/worktree.c b/builtin/worktree.c
index 10db70b7ec..f0853a9927 100644
--- a/builtin/worktree.c
+++ b/builtin/worktree.c
@@ -49,14 +49,14 @@
 	_("No possible source branch, inferring '--orphan'")
 
 #define WORKTREE_ADD_ORPHAN_WITH_DASH_B_HINT_TEXT \
-	_("If you meant to create a worktree containing a new orphan branch\n" \
+	_("If you meant to create a worktree containing a new unborn branch\n" \
 	"(branch with no commits) for this repository, you can do so\n" \
 	"using the --orphan flag:\n" \
 	"\n" \
 	"    git worktree add --orphan -b %s %s\n")
 
 #define WORKTREE_ADD_ORPHAN_NO_DASH_B_HINT_TEXT \
-	_("If you meant to create a worktree containing a new orphan branch\n" \
+	_("If you meant to create a worktree containing a new unborn branch\n" \
 	"(branch with no commits) for this repository, you can do so\n" \
 	"using the --orphan flag:\n" \
 	"\n" \
@@ -784,7 +784,7 @@ static int add(int ac, const char **av, const char *prefix)
 			   N_("create a new branch")),
 		OPT_STRING('B', NULL, &new_branch_force, N_("branch"),
 			   N_("create or reset a branch")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "orphan", &opts.orphan, N_("create unborn/orphaned branch")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "orphan", &opts.orphan, N_("create unborn branch")),
 		OPT_BOOL('d', "detach", &opts.detach, N_("detach HEAD at named commit")),
 		OPT_BOOL(0, "checkout", &opts.checkout, N_("populate the new working tree")),
 		OPT_BOOL(0, "lock", &keep_locked, N_("keep the new working tree locked")),
diff --git a/t/t2400-worktree-add.sh b/t/t2400-worktree-add.sh
index 051363acbb..3c12c3932b 100755
--- a/t/t2400-worktree-add.sh
+++ b/t/t2400-worktree-add.sh
@@ -414,7 +414,7 @@ test_wt_add_orphan_hint () {
 		git -C repo switch --orphan noref &&
 		test_must_fail git -C repo worktree add $opts foobar/ 2>actual &&
 		! grep "error: unknown switch" actual &&
-		grep "hint: If you meant to create a worktree containing a new orphan branch" actual &&
+		grep "hint: If you meant to create a worktree containing a new unborn branch" actual &&
 		if [ $use_branch -eq 1 ]
 		then
 			grep -E "^hint: +git worktree add --orphan -b [^ ]+ [^ ]+$" actual
@@ -435,7 +435,7 @@ test_expect_success "'worktree add' doesn't show orphan hint in bad/orphan HEAD
 	(cd repo && test_commit commit) &&
 	test_must_fail git -C repo worktree add --quiet foobar_branch foobar/ 2>actual &&
 	! grep "error: unknown switch" actual &&
-	! grep "hint: If you meant to create a worktree containing a new orphan branch" actual
+	! grep "hint: If you meant to create a worktree containing a new unborn branch" actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'local clone from linked checkout' '
@@ -708,7 +708,7 @@ test_expect_success 'git worktree --no-guess-remote option overrides config' '
 test_dwim_orphan () {
 	local info_text="No possible source branch, inferring '--orphan'" &&
 	local fetch_error_text="fatal: No local or remote refs exist despite at least one remote" &&
-	local orphan_hint="hint: If you meant to create a worktree containing a new orphan branch" &&
+	local orphan_hint="hint: If you meant to create a worktree containing a new unborn branch" &&
 	local invalid_ref_regex="^fatal: invalid reference: " &&
 	local bad_combo_regex="^fatal: '[-a-z]*' and '[-a-z]*' cannot be used together" &&
 
-- 
2.43.0

Re: [PATCH 2/2] orphan/unborn: fix use of 'orphan' in end-user facing messages

[Junio C Hamano]

The two-patch series, whose second part is the message I am
responding to, did not see much reaction, but since it came
during an end-user puzzlement and was written to make the docs less
puzzling, I am tempted to merge it down to 'next'.

Thanks.

Re: [PATCH 2/2] orphan/unborn: fix use of 'orphan' in end-user facing messages

[Rubén Justo]

On 20-dic-2023 12:01:51, Junio C Hamano wrote:
> The two-patch series, whose second part is the message I am
> responding to, did not see much reaction, but since it came
> during an end-user puzzlement and was written to make the docs less
> puzzling, I am tempted to merge it down to 'next'.
> 
> Thanks.
> 

If you need some positive feedback;  I've read your series and it looks
good to me and going in a good direction.

I think "unborn branch" is a more accurate term than "orphaned branch".
It's not perfect, but I don't have a better one to offer.

A nit in 1/2, which of course is not worth a re-roll, is a double blank
line near the end;  which I suspect is unintentional.

Just in case anyone else is looking for the thread where the puzzlement
was reported:

https://lore.kernel.org/git/FE2AD666-88DE-4F70-8D6D-3A426689EB41@me.com/

Thank you.