See "Tracking empty directories" subthread on git mailing list, starting with http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.version-control.git/165655/focus=165831 The idea is for git to be able to track empty directories without the .keepme (or empty .gitignore) file trick. This was one of the most requested features is native support for tracking empty directories, with 35.2% support (from those who answered question) in "Git User's Survey 2010": https://git.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/GitSurvey2010#17._Which_of_the_following_features_would_you_like_to_see_implemented_in_git.3F There were some concerns about *backwards compatibility* of this feature, see for example this email (which I would summarize here). http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.version-control.git/165655/focus=165847 That's why it is in 1.8.0 proposals. The problem with backward compatibility is twofold. First and more important is while git supports empty tree object (it has it hardcoded for some time, as it is necessary e.g. for initial diff, or merging unrelated branches without common ancestor), and there is no problem with entry for empty tree in a tree object 040000 tree 22d5826c087c4b9dcc72e2131c2cfb061403f7eb empty there is (supposedly) problem when checking out such tree (see email referenced above) with an old git. Second is that tracking empty directories would require extension to the git index (storing trees in index, like we store submodules)... but that is purely local matter. There is also issue with pre-change git automatically removing empty directories, but that is probably matter for pre-commit hook to check, or pre-receive hook in publishing repository. -- Jakub Narebski Poland ShadeHawk on #git -- To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe git" in the body of a message to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html