Subtrees

Create, Pull, and Backport Subtree

Create Subtree

Add a new remote called plugin pointing to the plugin’s repository:

git remote add plugin https://path.to/remotes/plugin.git

Then Create a subtree specifying the new folder prefix plugins/demo. plugin is the remote name, and master refers to the master branch on the subtree’s repository:

git subtree add --prefix=plugins/demo plugin master

Pull Subtree Updates

Pull normal commits made in plugin:

git subtree pull --prefix=plugins/demo plugin master

Backport Subtree Updates

Specify commits made in superproject to be backported:

git commit -am "new changes to be backported"

Checkout new branch for merging, set to track subtree repository:

git checkout -b backport plugin/master

Cherry-pick backports:

git cherry-pick -x --strategy=subtree master

Push changes back to plugin source:

git push plugin backport:master

Syntax

• git subtree add -P <prefix> <commit>
• git subtree add -P <prefix> <repository> <ref>
• git subtree pull -P <prefix> <repository> <ref>
• git subtree push -P <prefix> <repository> <ref>
• git subtree merge -P <prefix> <commit>
• git subtree split -P <prefix> [OPTIONS] [<commit>]

Remarks

This is an alternative to using a submodule