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git/Documentation/technical/api-path-walk.txt
Derrick Stolee c8dba310d7 path-walk: allow consumer to specify object types
We add the ability to filter the object types in the path-walk API so
the callback function is called fewer times.

This adds the ability to ask for the commits in a list, as well. We
re-use the empty string for this set of objects because these are passed
directly to the callback function instead of being part of the
'path_stack'.

Future changes will add the ability to visit annotated tags.

Signed-off-by: Derrick Stolee <stolee@gmail.com>
Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
2024-12-20 08:37:05 -08:00

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Path-Walk API
=============
The path-walk API is used to walk reachable objects, but to visit objects
in batches based on a common path they appear in, or by type.
For example, all reachable commits are visited in a group. All tags are
visited in a group. Then, all root trees are visited. At some point, all
blobs reachable via a path `my/dir/to/A` are visited. When there are
multiple paths possible to reach the same object, then only one of those
paths is used to visit the object.
Basics
------
To use the path-walk API, include `path-walk.h` and call
`walk_objects_by_path()` with a customized `path_walk_info` struct. The
struct is used to set all of the options for how the walk should proceed.
Let's dig into the different options and their use.
`path_fn` and `path_fn_data`::
The most important option is the `path_fn` option, which is a
function pointer to the callback that can execute logic on the
object IDs for objects grouped by type and path. This function
also receives a `data` value that corresponds to the
`path_fn_data` member, for providing custom data structures to
this callback function.
`revs`::
To configure the exact details of the reachable set of objects,
use the `revs` member and initialize it using the revision
machinery in `revision.h`. Initialize `revs` using calls such as
`setup_revisions()` or `parse_revision_opt()`. Do not call
`prepare_revision_walk()`, as that will be called within
`walk_objects_by_path()`.
+
It is also important that you do not specify the `--objects` flag for the
`revs` struct. The revision walk should only be used to walk commits, and
the objects will be walked in a separate way based on those starting
commits.
`commits`, `blobs`, `trees`::
By default, these members are enabled and signal that the path-walk
API should call the `path_fn` on objects of these types. Specialized
applications could disable some options to make it simpler to walk
the objects or to have fewer calls to `path_fn`.
+
While it is possible to walk only commits in this way, consumers would be
better off using the revision walk API instead.
Examples
--------
See example usages in:
`t/helper/test-path-walk.c`