| name | 0.4.4-understand-ref_pointer |
| description | [0.4.4] Named file under .git/refs/ containing a SHA-1; represents a branch tip, tag, or remote-tracking branch; updat |
understand-ref_pointer
CALL NUMBER: git_internals_and_the_object_model.ref_pointer
DEFINITION: Named file under .git/refs/ containing a SHA-1; represents a branch tip, tag, or remote-tracking branch; updated atomically during operations.
Invoke this skill to understand ref_pointer down to its primitives. The RELATIVE ROOT below is the least-fixed-point closure of everything it bundles from — the full import cone, grouped by the lib each prim comes from. Projected from a prover-typed KB (MAP/SWI-Prolog consistency gate): every reference below resolves.
THE RELATIVE ROOT (the import cone, by lib)
from git_internals_and_the_object_model
- heads_namespace (d1): Namespace .git/refs/heads/ containing local branch references; each file = branch name; its SHA-1 = tip commit.
- packed_refs (d1): Consolidated .git/packed-refs file containing refs not in loose format; created by git pack-refs; enables faster startup on repos with many refs.
- ref_transaction (d1): Atomic multi-ref update mechanism; all-or-nothing semantics; used by git update-ref --transaction for safe concurrent modifications.
- reflog (d1): Append-only log at .git/logs/ tracking all ref changes with old SHA, new SHA, timestamp, and actor; enables recovery from accidental resets or branch deletions.
- remotes_namespace (d1): Namespace .git/refs/remotes/ containing remote-tracking branches; updated by fetch, not by user edits; represent server state.
- replace_ref (d1): Reference under refs/replace/ mapping an object SHA to a substitute SHA; transparent to most commands; allows history rewriting without modifying history.
- stash_ref (d1): Pseudo-branch at refs/stash maintained by git stash; each stash entry is a commit whose tree captures working-directory state.
- tags_namespace (d1): Namespace .git/refs/tags/ containing tag references; may point directly at commits (lightweight) or at tag objects (annotated).
- branch_tracking_assignment (d2): Remote-tracking ref establishing upstream relationship; configured via branch..remote and branch..merge; used for push.default and @{upstream}.
- bisect_log (d2): refs/bisect/* pseudo-refs tracking midpoints and test results during git bisect; --no-checkout mode walks history without checkout.
CONSUMERS (what needs this)
tag_object
Projected from the git internals and the object model KB (162 concepts / 159 relations) — consistency-typed by MAP; the facet list after the colon IS the cross-lib dependency web.
(leaf — this is an actual skill.)
