Merge branch 'dt/refs-pseudo'

To prepare for allowing a different "ref" backend to be plugged in
to the system, update_ref()/delete_ref() have been taught about
ref-like things like MERGE_HEAD that are per-worktree (they will
always be written to the filesystem inside $GIT_DIR).

* dt/refs-pseudo:
  pseudoref: check return values from read_ref()
  sequencer: replace write_cherry_pick_head with update_ref
  bisect: use update_ref
  pseudorefs: create and use pseudoref update and delete functions
  refs: add ref_type function
  refs: introduce pseudoref and per-worktree ref concepts

1 files changed, 21 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/Documentation/glossary-content.txt b/Documentation/glossary-content.txt
index ab18f4baca..8c6478b2f2 100644
--- a/Documentation/glossary-content.txt
+++ b/Documentation/glossary-content.txt
@@ -411,6 +411,27 @@ exclude;;
 	core Git. Porcelains expose more of a <<def_SCM,SCM>>
 	interface than the <<def_plumbing,plumbing>>.
 
+[[def_per_worktree_ref]]per-worktree ref::
+	Refs that are per-<<def_working_tree,worktree>>, rather than
+	global.  This is presently only <<def_HEAD,HEAD>>, but might
+	later include other unusual refs.
+
+[[def_pseudoref]]pseudoref::
+	Pseudorefs are a class of files under `$GIT_DIR` which behave
+	like refs for the purposes of rev-parse, but which are treated
+	specially by git.  Pseudorefs both have names that are all-caps,
+	and always start with a line consisting of a
+	<<def_SHA1,SHA-1>> followed by whitespace.  So, HEAD is not a
+	pseudoref, because it is sometimes a symbolic ref.  They might
+	optionally contain some additional data.  `MERGE_HEAD` and
+	`CHERRY_PICK_HEAD` are examples.  Unlike
+	<<def_per_worktree_ref,per-worktree refs>>, these files cannot
+	be symbolic refs, and never have reflogs.  They also cannot be
+	updated through the normal ref update machinery.  Instead,
+	they are updated by directly writing to the files.  However,
+	they can be read as if they were refs, so `git rev-parse
+	MERGE_HEAD` will work.
+
 [[def_pull]]pull::
 	Pulling a <<def_branch,branch>> means to <<def_fetch,fetch>> it and
 	<<def_merge,merge>> it.  See also linkgit:git-pull[1].