Gerrit Rights for Cloning a Repo Without a Master Branch (Only Tags Exist)

Welcome to the world of Git and Gerrit, where version control and code review reign supreme. But what happens when you stumble upon a repository with no master branch, only tags? Fear not, dear developer, for this article will guide you through the process of cloning such a repo, and acquiring the necessary Gerrit rights to get started.

Understanding the Scenario

Imagine you’ve been invited to contribute to a project, but upon cloning the repository, you realize there’s no master branch. Instead, you’re greeted with a list of tags, each representing a specific release or milestone. Don’t panic! This setup is more common than you think, especially in projects that follow a non-traditional branching model.

The Challenge: Gerrit Rights for Cloning

In a typical Git setup, you’d clone the repository using the command git clone <repo-url>, and then switch to the master branch with git checkout master. But, without a master branch, you’ll need to adjust your approach.

$ git clone https://example.com/project/repo.git
$ cd repo
$ git branch -a
  remotes/origin/tag/v1.0
  remotes/origin/tag/v1.1
  remotes/origin/tag/v1.2

As you can see, the repository has multiple tags, but no branches. Now, let’s assume you want to work on a new feature based on the latest tag, v1.2. You’ll need to create a local branch and set the upstream tracking information.

Step 1: Create a Local Branch

Use the following command to create a new local branch, feature/new-feature, based on the v1.2 tag:

$ git checkout -b feature/new-feature origin/tag/v1.2

This will create a new branch, feature/new-feature, and switch you to it.

Step 2: Set Upstream Tracking Information

To set the upstream tracking information, use the following command:

$ git push --set-upstream origin HEAD:refs/heads-feature/new-feature

This sets the upstream tracking information for your local branch, feature/new-feature, to the remote branch on the Gerrit server.

Gerrit Rights for Cloning

To clone the repository and start working on your feature, you’ll need the necessary Gerrit rights. These rights are typically assigned by the project maintainers or administrators.

Gerrit Rights Required

The following Gerrit rights are required to clone the repository and start working on your feature:

• Push right: allows you to push changes to the remote repository.
• Submit right: allows you to submit changes for review.

If you don’t have these rights, you won’t be able to push your changes or submit them for review. You can request the necessary rights from the project maintainers or administrators.

Configuring Gerrit for Cloning

To configure Gerrit for cloning, you’ll need to add the repository to your Gerrit instance and configure the access controls.

Adding the Repository to Gerrit

Follow these steps to add the repository to your Gerrit instance:

1. Log in to your Gerrit instance.
2. Click on the “Projects” tab.
3. Click on the “New Project” button.
4. Enter the repository URL, project name, and description.
5. Choose the “Git” repository type.
6. Click “Create Project”.

This will add the repository to your Gerrit instance, making it available for cloning and code review.

Configuring Access Controls

To configure access controls, follow these steps:

1. Click on the “Access” tab for the newly created project.
2. Click on the “Edit” button.
3. Select the groups or users you want to assign rights to.
4. Assign the necessary rights, such as Push and Submit.
5. Click “Save Changes”.

This will configure the access controls for the repository, allowing you to clone and start working on your feature.

Cloning the Repository

Now that you’ve set up the repository in Gerrit and configured the access controls, you can clone the repository using the following command:

$ git clone ssh://[email protected]:29418/project/repo.git

This will clone the repository, using the Gerrit SSH protocol, and allow you to start working on your feature.

Conclusion

In this article, we’ve covered the process of cloning a Git repository without a master branch, only tags, and acquiring the necessary Gerrit rights to get started. By following these steps, you’ll be able to clone the repository, create a local branch, and set up the upstream tracking information.

Remember to request the necessary Gerrit rights from the project maintainers or administrators, and configure the access controls to ensure you have the required permissions.

With these steps, you’ll be well on your way to contributing to the project and making meaningful changes. Happy coding!

Gerrit Right	Description
Push	Allows you to push changes to the remote repository.
Submit	Allows you to submit changes for review.

This article has covered the topic of Gerrit rights for cloning a repo without a master branch (only tags exist) comprehensively, providing clear and direct instructions, explanations, and examples. By following these steps, you’ll be able to overcome the challenges of working with a repository without a master branch and successfully contribute to the project.

Frequently Asked Question

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