From: Glen Choo <chooglen@xxxxxxxxxx> In a subsequent commit, we will introduce "protected config", which is easiest to describe in terms of configuration scopes (i.e. it's the union of the 'system', 'global', and 'command' scopes). This description is fine for ML discussions, but it's inadequate for end users because we don't provide a good description of "config scopes" in the public docs. 145d59f482 (config: add '--show-scope' to print the scope of a config value, 2020-02-10) introduced the word "scope" to our public docs, but that only enumerates the scopes and assumes the user can figure out those values mean. Add a SCOPES section to Documentation/git-config.txt that describes the config scopes, their corresponding CLI options, and mentions that some configuration options are only respected in certain scopes. Then, use the word "scope" to simplify the FILES section and change some confusing wording. Signed-off-by: Glen Choo <chooglen@xxxxxxxxxx> --- Documentation/git-config.txt | 64 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-------- 1 file changed, 50 insertions(+), 14 deletions(-) diff --git a/Documentation/git-config.txt b/Documentation/git-config.txt index bdcfd94b642..5e4c95f2423 100644 --- a/Documentation/git-config.txt +++ b/Documentation/git-config.txt @@ -297,8 +297,8 @@ The default is to use a pager. FILES ----- -If not set explicitly with `--file`, there are four files where -'git config' will search for configuration options: +By default, 'git config' will read configuration options from multiple +files: $(prefix)/etc/gitconfig:: System-wide configuration file. @@ -322,27 +322,63 @@ $GIT_DIR/config.worktree:: This is optional and is only searched when `extensions.worktreeConfig` is present in $GIT_DIR/config. -If no further options are given, all reading options will read all of these -files that are available. If the global or the system-wide configuration -file are not available they will be ignored. If the repository configuration -file is not available or readable, 'git config' will exit with a non-zero -error code. However, in neither case will an error message be issued. +You may also provide additional configuration parameters when running any +git command by using the `-c` option. See linkgit:git[1] for details. + +Options will be read from all of these files that are available. If the +global or the system-wide configuration file are not available they will be +ignored. If the repository configuration file is not available or readable, +'git config' will exit with a non-zero error code. However, in neither case +will an error message be issued. The files are read in the order given above, with last value found taking precedence over values read earlier. When multiple values are taken then all values of a key from all files will be used. -You may override individual configuration parameters when running any git -command by using the `-c` option. See linkgit:git[1] for details. - -All writing options will per default write to the repository specific +By default, options are only written to the repository specific configuration file. Note that this also affects options like `--replace-all` and `--unset`. *'git config' will only ever change one file at a time*. -You can override these rules using the `--global`, `--system`, -`--local`, `--worktree`, and `--file` command-line options; see -<<OPTIONS>> above. +You can change the way options are read/written by specifying the path to a +file (`--file`), or by specifying a configuration scope (`--system`, +`--global`, `--local`, `--worktree`); see <<OPTIONS>> above. + +SCOPES +------ + +Each configuration source falls within a configuration scope. The scopes +are: + +system:: + $(prefix)/etc/gitconfig + +global:: + $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/git/config ++ +~/.gitconfig + +local:: + $GIT_DIR/config + +worktree:: + $GIT_DIR/config.worktree + +command:: + environment variables ++ +the `-c` option + +With the exception of 'command', each scope corresponds to a command line +option - `--system`, `--global`, `--local`, `--worktree`. + +When reading options, specifying a scope will only read options from the +files within that scope. When writing options, specifying a scope will write +to the files within that scope (instead of the repository specific +configuration file). See <<OPTIONS>> above for a complete description. +Most configuration options are respected regardless of the scope it is +defined in, but some options are only respected in certain scopes. See the +option's documentation for the full details. ENVIRONMENT ----------- -- gitgitgadget
