Git Submodule to a subfolder

Question

In svn you can link a repository to any folder in another svn repository. I'm wondering if there is a similar feature for git? Basically I want a git submodule inside my repository, but I want the submodule to be a pointer to a subfolder of another git repository, not the whole repository. Is this possible?

Answer 1

Git does not support partial checkouts, so the submodule must point to a complete repository.

This thread on the Git mail list provides some background information.

This article from Panther Software offers some insight from someone else trying to accomplish a similar goal (i.e. replicate svn:externals using Git).

If both projects are under your control, then I suggest you isolate the "subfolder" that you interested in to its own standalone repo. Then both projects can create submodules that link to it.

Answer 2

I'm running into the same issue. It doesn't look solvable from a git level, at least not in a way that lets you easily pull or push to the parent repo.

However, you can work around this limitation by using a simple symlink:

1. Set up your submodule in a separate directory.
   • git submodule add http://example.com/repo.git ./submodules/repo
2. Create a symlink to the subfolder in the place you want:
   • ln -s ./submodules/repo/subdirectory ./wherever/symlinked_directory

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References:

• http://git-scm.com/book/en/Git-Tools-Submodules
• http://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/unix-creating-symbolic-link-ln-command/

Answer 3

Usually when you're trying to extract a subfolder of some other project, that subfolder should be a separate project in the first place, and both parent projects should be referring to it.

You can extract such a subproject's history using a tool like git subtree. Then you can link the subtree back into your project using either git submodule or git subtree, whichever you prefer.