Checking if a git repository needs to be updated

Question

I made a small Vim distribution that uses vundle. I decided to make a small function that checks if the repository must be updated.

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
"Update the repository
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
"A function to update if necessary
function! Get_update()
    "Get the current path and change the directory to update the good
    "repository
    let l:current_path = expand("<sfile>:p:h")
    let l:path = '~/.vim-mahewin-repository'
    exec 'cd' l:path

    let l:last_local_commit = system('git rev-parse HEAD')
    let l:last_remote_comit = system('git ls-remote origin -h refs/heads/master |cut -f1')

    if l:last_local_commit != l:last_remote_comit
        echo  'Need to be updated, launches updated'
        :!git pull `git remote` `git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD`
    endif

    exec 'cd' l:current_path
endfunction

It's not very nice, but I have not found out how to do it better. I'm open to advice.

Answer 1

Your function has the side-effect of switching the directory to the file's path. To be side-effect-free, you should let l:current_path = getcwd() instead. Better yet, use the --git-dir and --work-tree options to git(1) to avoid having to cd at all.

You always query the remote named origin, but pull from `git remote`. That inconsistent looks like a bug.

I don't see any reason to use --abbrev-ref when the result is not intended for human consumption. Just use the full commit id.