Shortcomings of git submodules
- When cloning repositories with submodules, the submodules must be downloaded separately. If the source repository is moved or becomes unavailable, the submodule folders will be empty after cloning.
- Git submodules have a few significant drawbacks. Firstly, they can lock the repository to a specific version of an external repository. Secondly, there is a lack of effective merge management. Thirdly, it is commonly assumed that the Git repository is not aware that it has become a multi-module repository.
Git Subtree vs. Git Submodule
Git Subtree and Git Submodule are both mechanisms in Git that allow you to incorporate external repositories into your own repository. They provide a way to manage dependencies and include code from other projects while keeping your repository organized and maintainable.
- Git Subtree: Git Subtree allows you to insert a separate repository as a subdirectory within another repository, while still maintaining the ability to push and pull changes to and from the subtree’s repository.
- Git Submodule: Git Submodule allows you to include a separate repository as a submodule within your repository. Submodules are essentially a reference to a specific commit in another repository.
Table of Content
- Git Subtree
- Git Submodule
- Shortcomings of git submodules
- Shortcomings of git subtrees
- FAQs