gh-dashed-claude-marketplace-plugins-git-absorb/references/configuration.md

Configuration Reference

Complete guide to configuring git-absorb behavior via .gitconfig.

Quick Reference

[absorb]
    maxStack = 50
    oneFixupPerCommit = true
    autoStageIfNothingStaged = true
    fixupTargetAlwaysSHA = false
    forceAuthor = false
    forceDetach = false
    createSquashCommits = false

Configuration Options

maxStack

Default: 10

Purpose: Maximum number of commits to search when run without --base.

When to configure:

• Working on feature branches with >10 commits
• Seeing "WARN stack limit reached" messages
• Want to absorb into older commits

Recommended values:

• Small projects: 20-30
• Medium projects: 50
• Large feature branches: 100+

Configuration:

# Local (current repository only)
git config absorb.maxStack 50

# Global (all repositories)
git config --global absorb.maxStack 50

In .gitconfig:

[absorb]
    maxStack = 50

Warning message when limit reached:

WARN stack limit reached, limit: 10

Alternative: Use --base <branch> flag to specify range without changing config:

git absorb --base main  # searches all commits since main

---

oneFixupPerCommit

Default: false

Purpose: Generate only one fixup commit per target commit instead of per hunk.

Effect:

• false: Multiple fixup commits if multiple hunks absorb into same commit
• true: Single consolidated fixup commit per target

When to enable:

• Prefer cleaner rebase history
• Don't need per-hunk granularity
• Many small changes to same commits

Configuration:

git config absorb.oneFixupPerCommit true
git config --global absorb.oneFixupPerCommit true

In .gitconfig:

[absorb]
    oneFixupPerCommit = true

Example difference:

Without oneFixupPerCommit:

fixup! Add feature X  (for hunk 1)
fixup! Add feature X  (for hunk 2)
fixup! Add feature X  (for hunk 3)

With oneFixupPerCommit:

fixup! Add feature X  (all hunks consolidated)

Command-line alternative:

git absorb --one-fixup-per-commit

---

autoStageIfNothingStaged

Default: false

Purpose: Automatically stage all changes when nothing is staged.

Effect:

• false: Only consider explicitly staged files (requires git add)
• true: Auto-stage all changes if index is empty, unstage remainder after absorb

When to enable:

• Frequently run git add . before absorbing
• Want streamlined workflow
• Trust git-absorb with all working directory changes

Configuration:

git config absorb.autoStageIfNothingStaged true
git config --global absorb.autoStageIfNothingStaged true

In .gitconfig:

[absorb]
    autoStageIfNothingStaged = true

Workflow with this enabled:

# Make changes (don't stage)
vim file1.py file2.py

# Run absorb directly (no git add needed)
git absorb --and-rebase
# -> auto-stages all changes
# -> absorbs what it can
# -> unstages remainder

Warning: Be careful with this if you have unrelated changes in working directory.

---

fixupTargetAlwaysSHA

Default: false

Purpose: Always use commit SHA in fixup messages instead of commit summary.

Effect:

• false: Use commit summary if unique, fall back to SHA for duplicates
• true: Always use SHA

When to enable:

• Commit messages have many duplicates
• Prefer consistency in fixup references
• Working with auto-generated commit messages

Configuration:

git config absorb.fixupTargetAlwaysSHA true
git config --global absorb.fixupTargetAlwaysSHA true

In .gitconfig:

[absorb]
    fixupTargetAlwaysSHA = true

Example difference:

Default (false):

fixup! Add user authentication
fixup! abc123  (if "Add user authentication" appears multiple times)

With fixupTargetAlwaysSHA = true:

fixup! abc123
fixup! def456

---

forceAuthor

Default: false

Purpose: Generate fixups for commits authored by anyone, not just you.

Effect:

• false: Only modify your own commits (filtered by git author)
• true: Can modify any author's commits

When to enable:

• Pair programming environments
• Shared feature branches with multiple authors
• Taking over someone else's work

Configuration:

git config absorb.forceAuthor true
git config --global absorb.forceAuthor true

In .gitconfig:

[absorb]
    forceAuthor = true

Security consideration: Only enable if you have permission to modify others' commits.

Command-line alternative:

git absorb --force-author

---

forceDetach

Default: false

Purpose: Allow generating fixups when HEAD is detached (not on a branch).

Effect:

• false: Refuse to run when HEAD is detached
• true: Run even in detached HEAD state

When to enable:

• Frequently work in detached HEAD state
• Using git-absorb during cherry-pick/bisect workflows
• Advanced git workflows

Configuration:

git config absorb.forceDetach true
git config --global absorb.forceDetach true

In .gitconfig:

[absorb]
    forceDetach = true

Warning: Detached HEAD state can be confusing. Only enable if you understand the implications.

Command-line alternative:

git absorb --force-detach

---

createSquashCommits

Default: false

Purpose: Generate squash commits instead of fixup commits.

Effect:

• false: Create fixup! commits (message discarded during autosquash)
• true: Create squash! commits (message kept and editable during autosquash)

When to enable:

• Need to document why changes were added
• Want to edit commit messages during rebase
• Organizational requirements for commit message detail

Configuration:

git config absorb.createSquashCommits true
git config --global absorb.createSquashCommits true

In .gitconfig:

[absorb]
    createSquashCommits = true

Example difference:

With fixup! (default):

fixup! Add feature X
# During rebase: message discarded, change absorbed silently

With squash! (createSquashCommits = true):

squash! Add feature X
# During rebase: editor opens, can edit combined message

Command-line alternative:

git absorb --squash

---

Configuration Scope

Local vs Global

Local (repository-specific):

git config absorb.maxStack 50

• Stored in .git/config
• Only affects current repository
• Use for project-specific settings

Global (all repositories):

git config --global absorb.maxStack 50

• Stored in ~/.gitconfig
• Affects all repositories
• Use for personal preferences

Checking Current Configuration

View all absorb settings:

git config --get-regexp absorb

View specific setting:

git config absorb.maxStack

View with source:

git config --list --show-origin | grep absorb

Removing Configuration

Remove local setting:

git config --unset absorb.maxStack

Remove global setting:

git config --global --unset absorb.maxStack

---

Recommended Configurations

Conservative (default behavior)

[absorb]
    maxStack = 10
    oneFixupPerCommit = false
    autoStageIfNothingStaged = false
    fixupTargetAlwaysSHA = false
    forceAuthor = false
    forceDetach = false
    createSquashCommits = false

Balanced (recommended for most users)

[absorb]
    maxStack = 50
    oneFixupPerCommit = true
    autoStageIfNothingStaged = false
    fixupTargetAlwaysSHA = false
    forceAuthor = false
    forceDetach = false
    createSquashCommits = false

Aggressive (streamlined workflow)

[absorb]
    maxStack = 100
    oneFixupPerCommit = true
    autoStageIfNothingStaged = true
    fixupTargetAlwaysSHA = false
    forceAuthor = true
    forceDetach = false
    createSquashCommits = false

Team collaboration

[absorb]
    maxStack = 50
    oneFixupPerCommit = true
    autoStageIfNothingStaged = false
    fixupTargetAlwaysSHA = true
    forceAuthor = true  # Allow fixing teammates' commits
    forceDetach = false
    createSquashCommits = false

---

Command-Line Flags Override Configuration

All configuration options can be overridden with command-line flags:

Configuration	Command-Line Flag
oneFixupPerCommit	--one-fixup-per-commit / -F
forceAuthor	--force-author
forceDetach	--force-detach
createSquashCommits	--squash / -s
maxStack	--base <commit>

Example:

# Even with forceAuthor = false in config
git absorb --force-author  # Will absorb into any author's commits