Nested git repositories?

Question

Can I nest git repositories? I have:

 /project_root/
 /project_root/my_project
 /project_root/third_party_git_repository_used_by_my_project

Does it make sense to git init/add the /project_root to ease management of everything locally or do I have to manage my_project and the 3rd party one separately?

Answer 1

I would use one repository per project. That way, the history becomes easier to browse through.

I would also check the version of the third party library I'm using, into the repository of the project using it.

Answer 2

You may be looking for the Git feature called submodules. This feature helps you manage dependent repositories that are nested inside your main repository.

Answer 3

This looks like a job for git submodules. That's the term of art, starting from there you should be able to find what you need. I'm not an expert, so I won't either post a link to a tutorial I can't vet or insult your intelligence.

Answer 4

Place your third party libraries in a separate repository and use submodules to associate them with the main project. Here is a walk-through:

http://book.git-scm.com/5%5Fsubmodules.html

In deciding how to segment a repo I would usually decide based on how often I would modify them. If it is a third-party library and only changes you are making to it is upgrading to a newer version then you should definitely separate it from the main project.

Answer 5

git-subtree will help you work with multiple projects in a single tree and keep separable history for them.