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doc: add plan for non-tracking branches support
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# Remote/`@git` tracking branches

This is a plan to implement more Git-like remote tracking branch UX.

## Objective

`jj` imports all remote branches to local branches by default. As described in
[#1136], this doesn't interact nicely with Git if we have multiple Git remotes
with a number of branches. The `git.auto-local-branch` config can mitigate this
problem, but we'll get locally-deleted branches instead.

The goal of this plan is to implement
* proper support for tracking/non-tracking remote branches
* logically consistent data model for importing/exporting Git refs

[#1136]: https://github.com/martinvonz/jj/issues/1136

## Current data model (as of jj 0.8.0)

Under the current model, all remote branches are "tracking" branches, and
remote changes are merged into the local counterparts.

```
branches
[name]:
local_target?
remote_targets[remote]: target
tags
[name]: target
git_refs
["refs/heads/{name}"]: target # last-known local branches
["refs/remotes/{remote}/{name}"]: target # last-known remote branches
# (copied to remote_targets)
["refs/tags/{name}"]: target # last-known tags
git_head: target?
```

* Remote branches are stored in both `branches[name].remote_targets` and
`git_refs["refs/remotes"]`. These two are kept in sync unless the branch is
removed by `jj branch forget` command.
* Pseudo `@git` remote branches are stored in `git_refs["refs/heads"]`.

## Proposed data model

We'll add a per-remote-branch `state` to distinguish non-tracking branches
from tracking ones.

```
state = new # not merged in the local branch or tag
| tracking # merged in the local branch or tag
| forgotten # to be expunged on the next export
# `ignored` state could be added if we want to manage it by view, not by
# config file. target of ignored remote branch would be absent.
```

We'll add a per-remote view-like object to record the last known remote
branches. It will replace `git_refs` and `branches[name].remote_targets` in
the current model.

```
branches
[name]: target
tags
[name]: target
remotes
["git"]:
branches
[name]: target, state # refs/heads/{name}
tags
[name]: target, state = tracking # refs/tags/{name}
head: target?, state = TBD # refs/HEAD
[remote]:
branches
[name]: target, state # refs/remotes/{remote}/{name}
tags: (empty)
head: (empty)
```

With the proposed data model, we can
* naturally support remote branches which have no local counterparts
* deduplicate `branches[name].remote_targets` and `git_refs["refs/remotes"]`
* eliminate `git_` variables and methods from the view object

The `git.auto-local-branch` config knob is applied when importing new remote
branch.

```rust
fn default_state_for_newly_imported_branch(config, remote) {
if remote == "git" {
State::Tracking
} else if config["git.auto-local-branch"] {
State::Tracking
} else {
State::New
}
}
```

A branch target to be merged is calculated based on the `state`.

```rust
fn target_in_merge_context(known_target, state) {
match state {
State::New => RefTarget::absent(),
State::Tracking => known_target,
State::Forgotten => RefTarget::absent(),
}
}
```

### Mapping to the current data model

* New `remotes["git"].branches` corresponds to `git_refs["refs/heads"]`.
* New `remotes["git"].tags` corresponds to `git_refs["refs/tags"]`.
* New `remotes["git"].head` corresponds to `git_head`.
* New `remotes[remote].branches` corresponds to
`git_refs["refs/remotes/{remote}"]` and `branches[].remote_targets[remote]`.
* If `git_refs["refs/remotes/{remote}"]` exists but `.remote_targets` doesn't,
it means `state = forgotten` in new model.
* `state = new|tracking` doesn't exist in the current model. It's determined
by `git.auto-local-branch` config.

## Common command behaviors

### fetch/import

* `jj git fetch`
1. Fetches remote changes to the backing Git repo.
2. Import changes only for `remotes[remote].branches[glob]` (see below)
* TODO: how about fetched `.tags`?

* `jj git import`
1. Calculates diff from the known `remotes` to the actual git repo.
* `"refs/heads" - remotes["git"].branches`
* `"refs/tags" - remotes["git"].tags`
* `"HEAD" - remotes["git"].head` (unused)
* `"refs/remotes/{remote}" - remotes[remote]`
2. Merges them in local `branches` and `tags` if `state` is `tracking`.
* If the branch is new, the default `state` should be calculated.
* If `state` is `forgotten`, the known branch is supposed to be removed,
and the default `state` should be calculated.
3. Updates `remotes` reflecting the import.
* `absent` entries are removed from `remotes`.

### push/export

* `jj git push`
1. Calculates diff from the known `remotes` to the local changes.
* `branches - remotes[remote].branches`
* If `state` is `new|forgotten`, the known remote branch `target` is
considered `absent`.
* If `state` is `new|forgotten`, and if the local branch `target` is
`absent`, the diff `[absent, remote] - absent` is noop. So it's not
allowed to push deleted branch to untracked remote.
* TODO: Copy Git's `--force-with-lease` behavior?
* ~`tags`~ (not implemented, but should be the same as `branches`)
2. Pushes them to the remote Git repo (as well as remote tracking branches
in the backing Git repo.)
3. Sets `remotes[remote].branches[name].state = tracking`
4. Import changes only for `remotes[remote].branches[glob]`

* `jj git export`
1. Calculates diff from the known `remotes` to the local changes.
* `branches - remotes["git"].branches` if `state` is `tracking`
* If `remotes["git"].branches[name]` is `absent`, the default
`state = tracking` applies.
* If `state` is `forgotten` but local branch exists,
`remotes["git"].branches[name]` is supposed to be removed, and
the default `state = tracking` applies.
* ~`tags`~ (not implemented, but should be the same as `branches`)
* `absent - remotes[remote].branches` if `state` is `forgotten`
2. Applies them to the backing Git repo.
3. Updates `remotes` reflecting the export.
* `absent` entries are removed from `remotes`.

### init/clone

* `jj init`
* Import, track, and merge per `git.auto_local_branch` config.
* If `!git.auto_local_branch`, no `tracking` state will be set.
* https://github.com/martinvonz/jj/issues/1862

* `jj git clone`
* Import, track, and merge per `git.auto_local_branch` config.
* The default branch will be tracked regardless of `git.auto_local_branch`
config. (Since local branch is created for the default remote branch,
it makes sense to track.)

### branch

* `jj branch set {name}`
1. Sets local `branches[name]` entry.
* `jj branch delete {name}`
1. Removes local `branches[name]` entry.
* `jj branch forget {name}`
1. Removes local `branches[name]` entry if exists.
2. Sets all `remotes[remote].branches[name].state = forgotten`.
* `jj branch track {name}@{remote}` (new command)
1. Merges `[local, remote] - [absent]` in local branch.
(same as "fetching/importing existing branch from untracked remote")
2. Sets `remotes[remote].branches[name].state = tracking`.
* `jj branch untrack {name}@{remote}` (new command)
1. Sets `remotes[remote].branches[name].state = new`.
* `jj branch list`
* TODO: hide non-tracking branches by default? ...

Note: desired behavior of `jj branch forget` is to
* discard both local and remote branches (without actually removing branches
at remotes)
* not abandon commits which belongs to those branches (even if the branch is
removed at a remote)

## Command behavior examples

### fetch/import

* Fetching/importing new branch
1. Decides new `state = new|tracking` based on `git.auto_local_branch`
2. If new `state` is `tracking`, merges `[absent, new_remote] - [absent]`
(i.e. creates local branch with `new_remote` target)
3. Sets `remotes[remote].branches[name].state`
* Fetching/importing existing branch from tracking remote
1. Merges `[local, new_remote] - [old_remote]`
* Fetching/importing existing branch from untracked remote
1. Decides new `state = new|tracking` based on `git.auto_local_branch`
2. If new `state` is `tracking`, merges `[local, new_remote] - [absent]`
3. Sets `remotes[remote].branches[name].state`
* Fetching/importing remotely-deleted branch from tracking remote
1. Merges `[local, absent] - [old_remote]`
2. Removes `remotes[remote].branches[name]` (`target` becomes `absent`)
* Fetching/importing remotely-deleted branch from untracked remote
1. Decides new `state = new|tracking` based on `git.auto_local_branch`
2. Noop anyway since `[local, absent] - [absent]` -> `local`
* Fetching previously-forgotten branch from remote
1. Decides new `state = new|tracking` based on `git.auto_local_branch`
2. Merges `[absent, new_remote] - [absent]` -> `new_remote`
(The known `target` of forgotten remote branch is `absent`)
3. Sets `remotes[remote].branches[name].state`

### push/export

* Pushing/exporting new branch, remote doesn't exist
1. Exports `[local, absent] - [absent]` -> `local`
2. Sets `remotes[remote].branches[name].state = tracking`
3. `import_refs()` merges `[local, local] - [absent]` -> `local` (noop)
* Pushing/exporting new branch, untracked remote exists
1. Exports `[local, remote] - [absent]`
* Fails if `local` moved backwards or sideways
2. Sets `remotes[remote].branches[name].state = tracking`
3. `import_refs()` merges `[local, local] - [remote]` -> `local` (noop)
* Pushing/exporting existing branch to tracking remote
1. Exports `[local, remote] - [remote]` -> `local`
2. `import_refs()` merges `[local, local] - [remote]` -> `local` (noop)
* Pushing/exporting existing branch to untracked remote
* Same as new branch
* Pushing/exporting deleted branch to tracking remote
1. Exports `[absent, remote] - [remote]` -> `absent`
2. `import_refs()` merges `[absent, absent] - [remote]` -> `absent`
3. Removes `remotes[remote].branches[name]` (`target` becomes `absent`)
* Pushing/exporting deleted branch to untracked remote
* Noop since `[absent, remote] - [absent]` -> `remote`
* Pushing forgotten branch to untracked remote
* Noop since `[absent, remote] - [absent]` -> `remote`
* Exporting forgotten branch
1. Local branch change is noop since `[absent, absent] - [absent]` -> `absent`
2. Exports `forgotten` state to the backing Git repo:
`[absent, old_remote] - [old_remote]` -> `absent`
(This includes local branch in the pseudo `"git"` remote)
3. Removes `remotes[remote].branches[name]` (`target` becomes `absent`)
* Pushing previously-forgotten branch to remote
* Same as new branch, untracked remote exists
* The known `target` of forgotten remote branch is `absent`

### `@git` remote

* `jj branch untrack {name}@git`
* Maybe rejected (to avoid confusion)?
* It means different local branches of the same name coexist in jj and git.
* `jj git fetch --remote git`
* Maybe rejected (to avoid confusion)?
* Conceptually, it's `git::import_refs()` only for local branches.
* `jj git push --remote git`
* Maybe rejected (to avoid confusion)?
* Conceptually, it's `jj branch track` and `git::export_refs()` only for
local branches.

## Remaining issues

* https://github.com/martinvonz/jj/issues/1278 pushing to tracked remote
* Option could be added to push to all `tracking` remotes?
* Track remote branch locally with different name

## References

* https://github.com/martinvonz/jj/issues/1136
* https://github.com/martinvonz/jj/issues/1666
* https://github.com/martinvonz/jj/issues/1690
* https://github.com/martinvonz/jj/issues/1734
* https://github.com/martinvonz/jj/pull/1739

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