Git - Submodules are not processed when cloning a git project.

[rerdavies]

Type: Bug

When cloning a git project with submodules, all submodules in the project should be cloned and initialized as well.

Actual result:

When cloning a new github project that contains submodules, VsCode does not process any git submodules in the project. After cloning a project with submodules, you then have to issue the following command from a command prompt.

  git submodule update --init --recursive

in order to clone and initialize all the project's submodules.

Expected behaviour:

Cloning a project in Github should install and initialize all the project's modules without requiring further actions by the user.

Instead of

 git glone .....arguments....

VsCode should perform

git clone --recursive ... same arguments as above...

Repro:

The following github project has submodules.

 https://github.com/rerdavies/pipedal

although most significant github projects also have submodules. Submodules in a github project are not rare at all.

An example of a more lightweight git project with submodules that isn't mine:

 https://github.com/mikeoliphant/neural-amp-modeler-lv2

VS Code version: Code 1.92.2 (fee1edb, 2024-08-14T17:29:30.058Z)
OS version: Linux arm64 6.6.31+rpt-rpi-v8
Modes:

System Info

Item	Value
CPUs	Cortex-A72 (4 x 1800)
GPU Status	2d_canvas: enabled canvas_oop_rasterization: enabled_on direct_rendering_display_compositor: disabled_off_ok gpu_compositing: enabled multiple_raster_threads: enabled_on opengl: enabled_on rasterization: enabled raw_draw: disabled_off_ok skia_graphite: disabled_off video_decode: enabled video_encode: disabled_software vulkan: disabled_off webgl: enabled webgl2: enabled webgpu: disabled_off webnn: disabled_off
Load (avg)	9, 7, 4
Memory (System)	7.63GB (5.27GB free)
Process Argv	--crash-reporter-id d19e8c4c-fa5d-4b18-8c21-540f116ab765
Screen Reader	no
VM	0%
DESKTOP_SESSION	LXDE-pi-wayfire
XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP	undefined
XDG_SESSION_DESKTOP	LXDE-pi-wayfire
XDG_SESSION_TYPE	wayland

Extensions (8)

Extension	Author (truncated)	Version
cmake-format	che	0.6.11
vscode-github-actions	git	0.26.3
cmake-tools	ms-	1.19.49
cpptools	ms-	1.21.4
cpptools-extension-pack	ms-	1.3.0
hexeditor	ms-	1.10.0
vscode-xml	red	0.27.1
cmake	twx	0.0.17

(1 theme extensions excluded)

A/B Experiments

vsliv368cf:30146710
vspor879:30202332
vspor708:30202333
vspor363:30204092
vscod805cf:30301675
binariesv615:30325510
vsaa593cf:30376535
py29gd2263:31024239
c4g48928:30535728
azure-dev_surveyone:30548225
2i9eh265:30646982
962ge761:30959799
pythongtdpath:30769146
welcomedialogc:30910334
pythonnoceb:30805159
asynctok:30898717
pythonregdiag2:30936856
pythonmypyd1:30879173
2e7ec940:31000449
pythontbext0:30879054
accentitlementsc:30995553
dsvsc016:30899300
dsvsc017:30899301
dsvsc018:30899302
cppperfnew:31000557
dsvsc020:30976470
pythonait:31006305
dsvsc021:30996838
g316j359:31013175
pythoncenvpt:31062603
a69g1124:31058053
dvdeprecation:31068756
dwnewjupyter:31046869
impr_priority:31102340
refactort:31108082
pythonrstrctxt:31112756
flighttreat:31119336
wkspc-onlycs-t:31111718
wkspc-ranged-t:31125599
fje88620:31121564
aajjf12562:31125793

[rerdavies]

At the risk of sounding ungrateful, I have to ask.....

Is there actually a use-case where anyone would EVER want to non-recursively clone a git repository. If you were to reverse the buttons ( Clone, and Clone Non-Recursively), would anyone EVER click on the second button? I think not.

I know it sounds brave, but I think it is actually not. All you're doing is preserving a truly unfortunate git-ism. The right thing to do, I think, is to change the behavior of the existing button and always clone and init recursively. Or perhaps, if you're feeling cowardly ( :-) ) -- careful, that's what I meant, careful -- add a Resursive checkbox that defaults to true. Although I truly think that you don't need the option. Clones should always be recursive. Anything less produces a broken clone that won't build.

Apologies for not having tracked the issue more carefully. We don't get notifications on the intermediate actions.