# `GitRef`

A git ref name (`git check-ref-format --allow-onelevel`): a branch, a tag, a full ref or a commit's hash, `main`, `refs/tags/v1.2.0`.

[Software](types.md#software); not ordered; since Jadpo 0.1.0.

## Make one

Build one from its text, `GitRef("main")`, which checks it: text that isn't one breaks `format`.

`text.parse(raw, as: GitRef)` reads one from its text; text that isn't one at all fails `malformed`, such as `.hidden`, `refs/heads/.hidden` or `main.lock`.

## Text, JSON and storage

`text.from` writes its canonical text, the one form `text.parse` reads back. JSON sends its canonical text as a string.

| Text | JSON |
|---|---|
| `main` | `"main"` |
| `refs/heads/feature/x-1` | `"refs/heads/feature/x-1"` |
| `v1.2.0` | `"v1.2.0"` |
| `8d3f2a1c9b7e6d5f4a3b2c1d0e9f8a7b6c5d4e3f` | `"8d3f2a1c9b7e6d5f4a3b2c1d0e9f8a7b6c5d4e3f"` |

It is stored in one column named for the field, of type `text`. `v1.2.0` is stored as `'v1.2.0'`.

## Shown to people

`text.format(value, locale:)` shows it to people in their locale.

With `locale: Locale.en_gb`:

| Value | Shown |
|---|---|
| `main` | `main` |
| `refs/heads/feature/x-1` | `refs/heads/feature/x-1` |
| `v1.2.0` | `v1.2.0` |
| `8d3f2a1c9b7e6d5f4a3b2c1d0e9f8a7b6c5d4e3f` | `8d3f2a1c9b7e6d5f4a3b2c1d0e9f8a7b6c5d4e3f` |

## Operations

It has the contract's own operations: `text.parse`, `text.from`, `text.format`, `json.read`, `json.write` and `==`. It isn't ordered, so `<` and sorting don't take it. [Every standard type meets one contract](../topics/every-standard-type-meets-one-contract.md) says how they work.