Linus Torvalds Frustrated with ‘Garbage’ Link Tags in Git Commits
Linus Torvalds, the creator of the Linux kernel, has expressed frustration with the increasing use of ‘garbage’ link tags in Git commits that he believes are unhelpful and redundant. In a recent post on the Linux kernel mailing list, Torvalds criticized the practice of including ‘Link:’ tags that point to the same information already present in the commit messages. He argues that such links waste time and make his job of reviewing pull requests more difficult.
Torvalds has had enough and is now more strict about accepting pull requests that include these link tags. He has previously raised this issue multiple times, including in 2022, but feels that the problem has persisted for years. Torvalds is calling for a more thoughtful approach to commit messages, where they explain what is happening rather than adding unnecessary links that do not add value.
He emphasized that the links are not useful and only serve to make his job more challenging. Torvalds pointed out that he has never found the original submission email to be useful, and he is tired of the ‘potentially useful’ argument that lacks any evidence. He believes that these links literally double the effort for him when he tries to be careful about patches.
Torvalds also expressed frustration with the idea that such links might be useful in some alternate universe, comparing it to the concept of pigs flying. He stated that the cost of these links is real and that the effort wasted is significant. While he acknowledges that links can be useful in certain cases, he argues that the current practice is not helpful and that the community should focus on making commit messages more relevant and concise.
In addition, Torvalds suggested that a ‘perfect’ model might involve automation to ensure that links are only added when there is actual discussion about the issue. However, he feels that such a model might be too complicated unless someone is specifically looking to use AI for this purpose. He also mentioned that patch series with a larger number of patches and a clear ‘story’ might benefit from including links, as long as they add value rather than redundancy.
Torvalds’ comments have sparked a longer discussion within the community, with some users defending the use of links as potentially useful, while others agree with his criticism that they are largely unnecessary. The ongoing debate highlights the importance of clarity and efficiency in open-source development practices, as well as the need for better communication within collaborative software projects.