CodingGuidelines: recommend gender-neutral description

Technical writing seeks to convey information with minimal
friction. One way that a reader can experience friction is if they
encounter a description of "a user" that is later simplified using a
gendered pronoun. If the reader does not consider that pronoun to
apply to them, then they can experience cognitive dissonance that
removes focus from the information.

Give some basic tips to guide us avoid unnecessary uses of gendered
description.

Using a gendered pronoun is appropriate when referring to a specific
person.

There are acceptable existing uses of gendered pronouns within the
Git codebase, such as:

* References to real people (e.g. Linus Torvalds, "the Git maintainer").
  Do not misgender real people. If there is any doubt to the gender of a
  person, then avoid using pronouns.

* References to fictional people with clear genders (e.g. Alice and
  Bob).

* Sample text used in test cases (e.g t3702, t6432).

* The official text of the GPL license contains uses of "he or she",
  but using singular "they" (or modifying the text in some other
  way) is not within the scope of the Git project.

* Literal email messages in Documentation/howto/ should not be edited
  for grammatical concerns such as this, unless we update the entire
  document to fit the standard documentation format. If such an effort is
  taken on, then the authorship would change and no longer refer to the
  exact mail message.

* External projects consumed in contrib/ should not deviate solely for
  style reasons. Recommended edits should be contributed to those
  projects directly.

Other cases within the Git project were cleaned up by the previous
changes.

Co-authored-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Signed-off-by: Derrick Stolee <dstolee@microsoft.com>
Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
1 file changed
tree: 038d1662a320212691947dc3a82fb003a38dc61d
  1. .github/
  2. block-sha1/
  3. builtin/
  4. ci/
  5. compat/
  6. contrib/
  7. Documentation/
  8. ewah/
  9. git-gui/
  10. gitk-git/
  11. gitweb/
  12. mergetools/
  13. negotiator/
  14. perl/
  15. po/
  16. ppc/
  17. refs/
  18. sha1dc/
  19. sha256/
  20. t/
  21. templates/
  22. trace2/
  23. xdiff/
  24. .cirrus.yml
  25. .clang-format
  26. .editorconfig
  27. .gitattributes
  28. .gitignore
  29. .gitmodules
  30. .mailmap
  31. .travis.yml
  32. .tsan-suppressions
  33. abspath.c
  34. aclocal.m4
  35. add-interactive.c
  36. add-interactive.h
  37. add-patch.c
  38. advice.c
  39. advice.h
  40. alias.c
  41. alias.h
  42. alloc.c
  43. alloc.h
  44. apply.c
  45. apply.h
  46. archive-tar.c
  47. archive-zip.c
  48. archive.c
  49. archive.h
  50. attr.c
  51. attr.h
  52. banned.h
  53. base85.c
  54. bisect.c
  55. bisect.h
  56. blame.c
  57. blame.h
  58. blob.c
  59. blob.h
  60. bloom.c
  61. bloom.h
  62. branch.c
  63. branch.h
  64. builtin.h
  65. bulk-checkin.c
  66. bulk-checkin.h
  67. bundle.c
  68. bundle.h
  69. cache-tree.c
  70. cache-tree.h
  71. cache.h
  72. chdir-notify.c
  73. chdir-notify.h
  74. check-builtins.sh
  75. check_bindir
  76. checkout.c
  77. checkout.h
  78. chunk-format.c
  79. chunk-format.h
  80. CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md
  81. color.c
  82. color.h
  83. column.c
  84. column.h
  85. combine-diff.c
  86. command-list.txt
  87. commit-graph.c
  88. commit-graph.h
  89. commit-reach.c
  90. commit-reach.h
  91. commit-slab-decl.h
  92. commit-slab-impl.h
  93. commit-slab.h
  94. commit.c
  95. commit.h
  96. common-main.c
  97. config.c
  98. config.h
  99. config.mak.dev
  100. config.mak.in
  101. config.mak.uname
  102. configure.ac
  103. connect.c
  104. connect.h
  105. connected.c
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  107. convert.c
  108. convert.h
  109. copy.c
  110. COPYING
  111. credential.c
  112. credential.h
  113. csum-file.c
  114. csum-file.h
  115. ctype.c
  116. daemon.c
  117. date.c
  118. decorate.c
  119. decorate.h
  120. delta-islands.c
  121. delta-islands.h
  122. delta.h
  123. detect-compiler
  124. diff-delta.c
  125. diff-lib.c
  126. diff-merges.c
  127. diff-merges.h
  128. diff-no-index.c
  129. diff.c
  130. diff.h
  131. diffcore-break.c
  132. diffcore-delta.c
  133. diffcore-order.c
  134. diffcore-pickaxe.c
  135. diffcore-rename.c
  136. diffcore-rotate.c
  137. diffcore.h
  138. dir-iterator.c
  139. dir-iterator.h
  140. dir.c
  141. dir.h
  142. editor.c
  143. entry.c
  144. environment.c
  145. environment.h
  146. exec-cmd.c
  147. exec-cmd.h
  148. fetch-negotiator.c
  149. fetch-negotiator.h
  150. fetch-pack.c
  151. fetch-pack.h
  152. fmt-merge-msg.c
  153. fmt-merge-msg.h
  154. fsck.c
  155. fsck.h
  156. fsmonitor.c
  157. fsmonitor.h
  158. fuzz-commit-graph.c
  159. fuzz-pack-headers.c
  160. fuzz-pack-idx.c
  161. generate-cmdlist.sh
  162. generate-configlist.sh
  163. gettext.c
  164. gettext.h
  165. git-add--interactive.perl
  166. git-archimport.perl
  167. git-bisect.sh
  168. git-compat-util.h
  169. git-cvsexportcommit.perl
  170. git-cvsimport.perl
  171. git-cvsserver.perl
  172. git-difftool--helper.sh
  173. git-filter-branch.sh
  174. git-instaweb.sh
  175. git-merge-octopus.sh
  176. git-merge-one-file.sh
  177. git-merge-resolve.sh
  178. git-mergetool--lib.sh
  179. git-mergetool.sh
  180. git-p4.py
  181. git-quiltimport.sh
  182. git-rebase--preserve-merges.sh
  183. git-request-pull.sh
  184. git-send-email.perl
  185. git-sh-i18n.sh
  186. git-sh-setup.sh
  187. git-submodule.sh
  188. git-svn.perl
  189. GIT-VERSION-GEN
  190. git-web--browse.sh
  191. git.c
  192. git.rc
  193. gpg-interface.c
  194. gpg-interface.h
  195. graph.c
  196. graph.h
  197. grep.c
  198. grep.h
  199. hash-lookup.c
  200. hash-lookup.h
  201. hash.h
  202. hashmap.c
  203. hashmap.h
  204. help.c
  205. help.h
  206. hex.c
  207. http-backend.c
  208. http-fetch.c
  209. http-push.c
  210. http-walker.c
  211. http.c
  212. http.h
  213. ident.c
  214. imap-send.c
  215. INSTALL
  216. iterator.h
  217. json-writer.c
  218. json-writer.h
  219. khash.h
  220. kwset.c
  221. kwset.h
  222. levenshtein.c
  223. levenshtein.h
  224. LGPL-2.1
  225. line-log.c
  226. line-log.h
  227. line-range.c
  228. line-range.h
  229. linear-assignment.c
  230. linear-assignment.h
  231. list-objects-filter-options.c
  232. list-objects-filter-options.h
  233. list-objects-filter.c
  234. list-objects-filter.h
  235. list-objects.c
  236. list-objects.h
  237. list.h
  238. ll-merge.c
  239. ll-merge.h
  240. lockfile.c
  241. lockfile.h
  242. log-tree.c
  243. log-tree.h
  244. ls-refs.c
  245. ls-refs.h
  246. mailinfo.c
  247. mailinfo.h
  248. mailmap.c
  249. mailmap.h
  250. Makefile
  251. match-trees.c
  252. mem-pool.c
  253. mem-pool.h
  254. merge-blobs.c
  255. merge-blobs.h
  256. merge-ort-wrappers.c
  257. merge-ort-wrappers.h
  258. merge-ort.c
  259. merge-ort.h
  260. merge-recursive.c
  261. merge-recursive.h
  262. merge.c
  263. mergesort.c
  264. mergesort.h
  265. midx.c
  266. midx.h
  267. name-hash.c
  268. notes-cache.c
  269. notes-cache.h
  270. notes-merge.c
  271. notes-merge.h
  272. notes-utils.c
  273. notes-utils.h
  274. notes.c
  275. notes.h
  276. object-file.c
  277. object-name.c
  278. object-store.h
  279. object.c
  280. object.h
  281. oid-array.c
  282. oid-array.h
  283. oidmap.c
  284. oidmap.h
  285. oidset.c
  286. oidset.h
  287. pack-bitmap-write.c
  288. pack-bitmap.c
  289. pack-bitmap.h
  290. pack-check.c
  291. pack-objects.c
  292. pack-objects.h
  293. pack-revindex.c
  294. pack-revindex.h
  295. pack-write.c
  296. pack.h
  297. packfile.c
  298. packfile.h
  299. pager.c
  300. parse-options-cb.c
  301. parse-options.c
  302. parse-options.h
  303. patch-delta.c
  304. patch-ids.c
  305. patch-ids.h
  306. path.c
  307. path.h
  308. pathspec.c
  309. pathspec.h
  310. pkt-line.c
  311. pkt-line.h
  312. preload-index.c
  313. pretty.c
  314. pretty.h
  315. prio-queue.c
  316. prio-queue.h
  317. progress.c
  318. progress.h
  319. promisor-remote.c
  320. promisor-remote.h
  321. prompt.c
  322. prompt.h
  323. protocol.c
  324. protocol.h
  325. prune-packed.c
  326. prune-packed.h
  327. quote.c
  328. quote.h
  329. range-diff.c
  330. range-diff.h
  331. reachable.c
  332. reachable.h
  333. read-cache.c
  334. README.md
  335. rebase-interactive.c
  336. rebase-interactive.h
  337. rebase.c
  338. rebase.h
  339. ref-filter.c
  340. ref-filter.h
  341. reflog-walk.c
  342. reflog-walk.h
  343. refs.c
  344. refs.h
  345. refspec.c
  346. refspec.h
  347. remote-curl.c
  348. remote.c
  349. remote.h
  350. replace-object.c
  351. replace-object.h
  352. repo-settings.c
  353. repository.c
  354. repository.h
  355. rerere.c
  356. rerere.h
  357. reset.c
  358. reset.h
  359. resolve-undo.c
  360. resolve-undo.h
  361. revision.c
  362. revision.h
  363. run-command.c
  364. run-command.h
  365. send-pack.c
  366. send-pack.h
  367. sequencer.c
  368. sequencer.h
  369. serve.c
  370. serve.h
  371. server-info.c
  372. setup.c
  373. sh-i18n--envsubst.c
  374. sha1dc_git.c
  375. sha1dc_git.h
  376. shallow.c
  377. shallow.h
  378. shell.c
  379. shortlog.h
  380. sideband.c
  381. sideband.h
  382. sigchain.c
  383. sigchain.h
  384. split-index.c
  385. split-index.h
  386. stable-qsort.c
  387. strbuf.c
  388. strbuf.h
  389. streaming.c
  390. streaming.h
  391. string-list.c
  392. string-list.h
  393. strmap.c
  394. strmap.h
  395. strvec.c
  396. strvec.h
  397. sub-process.c
  398. sub-process.h
  399. submodule-config.c
  400. submodule-config.h
  401. submodule.c
  402. submodule.h
  403. symlinks.c
  404. tag.c
  405. tag.h
  406. tar.h
  407. tempfile.c
  408. tempfile.h
  409. thread-utils.c
  410. thread-utils.h
  411. tmp-objdir.c
  412. tmp-objdir.h
  413. trace.c
  414. trace.h
  415. trace2.c
  416. trace2.h
  417. trailer.c
  418. trailer.h
  419. transport-helper.c
  420. transport-internal.h
  421. transport.c
  422. transport.h
  423. tree-diff.c
  424. tree-walk.c
  425. tree-walk.h
  426. tree.c
  427. tree.h
  428. unicode-width.h
  429. unimplemented.sh
  430. unix-socket.c
  431. unix-socket.h
  432. unpack-trees.c
  433. unpack-trees.h
  434. upload-pack.c
  435. upload-pack.h
  436. url.c
  437. url.h
  438. urlmatch.c
  439. urlmatch.h
  440. usage.c
  441. userdiff.c
  442. userdiff.h
  443. utf8.c
  444. utf8.h
  445. varint.c
  446. varint.h
  447. version.c
  448. version.h
  449. versioncmp.c
  450. walker.c
  451. walker.h
  452. wildmatch.c
  453. wildmatch.h
  454. worktree.c
  455. worktree.h
  456. wrap-for-bin.sh
  457. wrapper.c
  458. write-or-die.c
  459. ws.c
  460. wt-status.c
  461. wt-status.h
  462. xdiff-interface.c
  463. xdiff-interface.h
  464. zlib.c
README.md

Build status

Git - fast, scalable, distributed revision control system

Git is a fast, scalable, distributed revision control system with an unusually rich command set that provides both high-level operations and full access to internals.

Git is an Open Source project covered by the GNU General Public License version 2 (some parts of it are under different licenses, compatible with the GPLv2). It was originally written by Linus Torvalds with help of a group of hackers around the net.

Please read the file INSTALL for installation instructions.

Many Git online resources are accessible from https://git-scm.com/ including full documentation and Git related tools.

See Documentation/gittutorial.txt to get started, then see Documentation/giteveryday.txt for a useful minimum set of commands, and Documentation/git-<commandname>.txt for documentation of each command. If git has been correctly installed, then the tutorial can also be read with man gittutorial or git help tutorial, and the documentation of each command with man git-<commandname> or git help <commandname>.

CVS users may also want to read Documentation/gitcvs-migration.txt (man gitcvs-migration or git help cvs-migration if git is installed).

The user discussion and development of Git take place on the Git mailing list -- everyone is welcome to post bug reports, feature requests, comments and patches to git@vger.kernel.org (read Documentation/SubmittingPatches for instructions on patch submission). To subscribe to the list, send an email with just “subscribe git” in the body to majordomo@vger.kernel.org. The mailing list archives are available at https://lore.kernel.org/git/, http://marc.info/?l=git and other archival sites.

Issues which are security relevant should be disclosed privately to the Git Security mailing list git-security@googlegroups.com.

The maintainer frequently sends the “What's cooking” reports that list the current status of various development topics to the mailing list. The discussion following them give a good reference for project status, development direction and remaining tasks.

The name “git” was given by Linus Torvalds when he wrote the very first version. He described the tool as “the stupid content tracker” and the name as (depending on your mood):

  • random three-letter combination that is pronounceable, and not actually used by any common UNIX command. The fact that it is a mispronunciation of “get” may or may not be relevant.
  • stupid. contemptible and despicable. simple. Take your pick from the dictionary of slang.
  • “global information tracker”: you're in a good mood, and it actually works for you. Angels sing, and a light suddenly fills the room.
  • “goddamn idiotic truckload of sh*t”: when it breaks