X-Git-Url: https://git.tokkee.org/?a=blobdiff_plain;f=Documentation%2Fgit-status.txt;h=38cb741f180e0869a91a61a5f7706eb664b86d91;hb=2177dc69cd693eeb52def931f41ad4f3a766846e;hp=00b699fef71b45c78e298fa48609b553a32fd175;hpb=0cb09a7e0c91725c9ac926f1b6767dce597d19dd;p=git.git

diff --git a/Documentation/git-status.txt b/Documentation/git-status.txt
index 00b699fef..38cb741f1 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-status.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-status.txt
@@ -32,9 +32,10 @@ OPTIONS
 	Show the branch and tracking info even in short-format.
 
 --porcelain::
-	Give the output in a stable, easy-to-parse format for scripts.
-	Currently this is identical to --short output, but is guaranteed
-	not to change in the future, making it safe for scripts.
+	Give the output in an easy-to-parse format for scripts.
+	This is similar to the short output, but will remain stable
+	across git versions and regardless of user configuration. See
+	below for details.
 
 -u[<mode>]::
 --untracked-files[=<mode>]::
@@ -78,23 +79,27 @@ OUTPUT
 The output from this command is designed to be used as a commit
 template comment, and all the output lines are prefixed with '#'.
 The default, long format, is designed to be human readable,
-verbose and descriptive.  They are subject to change in any time.
+verbose and descriptive.  Its contents and format are subject to change
+at any time.
 
 The paths mentioned in the output, unlike many other git commands, are
 made relative to the current directory if you are working in a
 subdirectory (this is on purpose, to help cutting and pasting). See
 the status.relativePaths config option below.
 
-In short-format, the status of each path is shown as
+Short Format
+~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+In the short-format, the status of each path is shown as
 
 	XY PATH1 -> PATH2
 
-where `PATH1` is the path in the `HEAD`, and ` -> PATH2` part is
+where `PATH1` is the path in the `HEAD`, and the ` \-> PATH2` part is
 shown only when `PATH1` corresponds to a different path in the
 index/worktree (i.e. the file is renamed). The 'XY' is a two-letter
 status code.
 
-The fields (including the `->`) are separated from each other by a
+The fields (including the `\->`) are separated from each other by a
 single space. If a filename contains whitespace or other nonprintable
 characters, that field will be quoted in the manner of a C string
 literal: surrounded by ASCII double quote (34) characters, and with
@@ -143,10 +148,25 @@ If -b is used the short-format status is preceded by a line
 
 ## branchname tracking info
 
-There is an alternate -z format recommended for machine parsing.  In
+Porcelain Format
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+The porcelain format is similar to the short format, but is guaranteed
+not to change in a backwards-incompatible way between git versions or
+based on user configuration. This makes it ideal for parsing by scripts.
+The description of the short format above also describes the porcelain
+format, with a few exceptions:
+
+1. The user's color.status configuration is not respected; color will
+   always be off.
+
+2. The user's status.relativePaths configuration is not respected; paths
+   shown will always be relative to the repository root.
+
+There is also an alternate -z format recommended for machine parsing. In
 that format, the status field is the same, but some other things
-change.  First, the '->' is omitted from rename entries and the field
-order is reversed (e.g 'from -> to' becomes 'to from'). Second, a NUL
+change.  First, the '\->' is omitted from rename entries and the field
+order is reversed (e.g 'from \-> to' becomes 'to from'). Second, a NUL
 (ASCII 0) follows each filename, replacing space as a field separator
 and the terminating newline (but a space still separates the status
 field from the first filename).  Third, filenames containing special