Git: Set up multiple unrelated repositories to feed a single project

Question

I have a number of client projects, each of which has it's own repo. Let's call them Repos 1-3.

Each client project shares the same base framework/template. Let's call it Repo A. I want every client repo to be able to pull the latest changes from Repo A.

I then have a number of features which I have set up as separate repos. Let's call them Repos i-iii. I want every client repo to be able to pull the latest changes from Repo i, ii or iii, depending on which features the client project has.

Example:

Client Repo 1 would pull from Repo A and also say Repo i and iii
Client Repo 2 would pull from Repo A and Repo ii
Client Repo 3 would pull from Repo A, Repo ii and iii

The client projects never need to push back up to any of the repos "feeding them" but I obviously want to be able to create branches on my client project repos so that I can build, test, merge, etc.

With some help from a somewhat-more-git-experienced friend I currently have the following workflow, which works - to an extent.

After setting up a new client repo, I run the following:

git remote add template [Repo A location]
git remote add [feature repo name] [feature repo location]
git checkout –b [project branch name]
git pull template master --allow-unrelated-histories
git pull [feature repo name] master --allow-unrelated-histories (do this for each feature included in this client project)

Using this workflow I am able to:

keep my base template, features and client projects all separate which is nice from a development perspective
keep my client projects up to date with the base template and features by periodically running commands 4 and 5 from the list above

Obviously though, I end up with a combined history which isn't ideal.

Is there a better way of doing this?

Important additional info: The repos share folder structure, i.e. I can't contain Repo A in its own folder and each feature repo in its own folder, etc.

Example:

Repo A (Template)       Repo 1 (Client Proj.)   Repo i (Feature)
|                       |                       |
+-- dir 1               +-- dir 1               +-- dir 1
|   |                   |   |                   |   |
|   +-- dir 1a          |   dir 1a              |   +-- dir 1a
|   |   |               |   |                   |       .
|   |   +-- dir 1ai     |   +-- dir 1ai         |       .
|   |       |           |   |   |               |       .
|   |       +-- file a  |   |   +-- file a      |       +-- dir 1aii
|   |       +-- file b  |   |   +-- file b      |           |
|   |                   |   |   +-- file c      |           +-- file x
|   |                   |   |                   |
|   +-- dir 1b          |   +-- dir 1b          |
|       |               |       |               |
|       +-- file m      |       +-- file m      |
|       +-- file n      |       +-- file n      |
|                       |       +-- file o      |
|                       |                       |
+-- dir 2               +-- dir 2               +-- dir 2
    |                       |                       |       
    +-- dir 2a              +-- dir 2a              +-- dir 2a
    |   |                   |   |                   |   |
    |   +-- file t          |   +-- file t          |   + file u
    |                       |   +-- file u          |
    |                       |   +-- file v          |
    |                       |                       |
    +-- dir 2b              +-- dir 2b              +-- dir 2b
        |                       |                       |
        +-- file p              +-- file p              +-- file r
        +-- file q              +-- file q
                                +-- file r
                                +-- file s

I believe this rules out Git Submodules, but thank you @ElpieKay for the suggestion.

Git: Set up multiple unrelated repositories to feed a single project

0 Answers