How to use submodules publicly, but symlinks to a single clone locally?

Question

I'm having my first Git Submodule experience.

I have some projects that depend on the same subproject. I keep these projects in sync, so I'm using the "submodule branch" feature (e.g. git submodule add -b master [URL]).

While I'd like the public GitHub repositories to convey the submodule relationship, in my own workflow I'd really just like to have one clone of the shared codebase on my disk. I thought I could just set up the submodules, and then do a switcheroo with a symbolic link. But when I do, I get this:

On branch master Changes not staged for commit:  (use "git add <file>..." to update what will be committed)  (use "git checkout -- <file>..." to discard changes in working directory)      typechange: draem 

So Git apparently sees the fact that it's a symbolic link, instead of following through to the directory.

Is there any workflow where I can appear to be working with submodules, but really only have one clone on my local filesystem?

Answer 1

You can bind mount the submodule's other directory

sudo mount --bind /path/to/main/repo relative/path/to/submodule 

I can't find much info about this method, but saw it listed in this, similar question.

Answer 2

So Git apparently sees the fact that it's a symbolic link, instead of following through to the directory.

Yes, Git would see such a change, because that submodule is declared in the parent repo as a special entry in the index.

Making a symlink would replace that special entry by a file of another type.

What you could do is try playing with GIT_WORK_TREE (as in "Including submodules in git checkout to GIT_WORK_TREE in hook").

But a more simpler solution would be to:

• keep your submodule right where they are.
• add another clone of that submodule repo where you want it (/path/to/sub).
• detect any changes from the original submodule folder with a git --work-tree=/path/to/sub status from within your duplicated submodule folder in your parent repos.