git-along

Basic concept: creates raw branches for specific files in your repo, so that you can use them

• without polluting the repo
• and let them evolve separately from the code.

Install: go get github.com/nyarly/git-along/along

Rough example of use:

Setup

git along new-stash nixsupport
git along add nixsupport shell.nix
git along add nixsupport .envrc
git remote add along github.com/me/myconfigs
git push -u along nixsupport:nix-thisproject

Day to day

git along diff # to check for changes
git along store nixsupport
git push nixsupport

git pull nixsupport
git along retrieve nixsupport

git-along acts like a specialized porcelain, so it ignores git’s normal rules (e.g. .gitignore), and you’re safe to stash things there. There’s still a little bit of finagling regarding managing the remote for a stash branch, (as well as the open question of naming that concept better…) and maybe automating e.g. .git/info/exclude based on the stash branch contents.

But all in all, it works well for what it’s supposed to do: allow for the control of idiosyncratic project config files.

Future work

• Branching from stash branches
• Figure out what to call "stash branches"
• History
• Remotes