[JENKINS-29038] recursively update submodules does not recursively sync first

When using feature "additional behaviors->advanced submodules behaviors->Recursively update submodules", the update may fail due to the submodules not being sync'd recursively first.

Checking out Revision e4bfb606a6e031ea2ba43d1111b890bf4db3d435 (refs/remotes/origin/branchwithnestedsubmodulechange)

> /usr/local/git/bin/git config core.sparsecheckout # timeout=10

> /usr/local/git/bin/git checkout -f e4bfb606a6e031ea2ba43d1111b890bf4db3d435

> /usr/local/git/bin/git rev-list e4bfb606a6e031ea2ba43d1111b890bf4db3d435 # timeout=10

> /usr/local/git/bin/git remote # timeout=10

> /usr/local/git/bin/git submodule init # timeout=10

> /usr/local/git/bin/git submodule sync # timeout=10

> /usr/local/git/bin/git config --get remote.origin.url # timeout=10

> /usr/local/git/bin/git submodule update --init --recursive

FATAL: Command "/usr/local/git/bin/git submodule update --init --recursive" returned status code 1:

stdout:

stderr: fatal: reference is not a tree: 11162a5ae76bf4b798afe5fb3f4a13df74165574

Unable to checkout '11162a5ae76bf4b798afe5fb3f4a13df74165574' in submodule path 'submodules/socket.IO-objc/submodules/socket-rocket'

Failed to recurse into submodule path 'submodules/socket.IO-objc'

The console log above shows that "git submodule update" includes the "--recursive" argument, but "git submodule init" and "git submodule sync" do not.

In my particular scenario, I need "git submodule sync --recursive" before the recursive submodule update will succeed.

---
Originally reported by badcorporatelogo, imported from: recursively update submodules does not recursively sync first

• status: Open
  
• priority: Major
  
• component(s): git-plugin
  
• resolution: Unresolved
  
• votes: 5
  
• watchers: 5
  
• imported: 2025-12-02
  

Raw content of original issue

When using feature "additional behaviors->advanced submodules behaviors->Recursively update submodules", the update may fail due to the submodules not being sync'd recursively first.


Checking out Revision e4bfb606a6e031ea2ba43d1111b890bf4db3d435 (refs/remotes/origin/branchwithnestedsubmodulechange)

 > /usr/local/git/bin/git config core.sparsecheckout # timeout=10

 > /usr/local/git/bin/git checkout -f e4bfb606a6e031ea2ba43d1111b890bf4db3d435

 > /usr/local/git/bin/git rev-list e4bfb606a6e031ea2ba43d1111b890bf4db3d435 # timeout=10

 > /usr/local/git/bin/git remote # timeout=10

 > /usr/local/git/bin/git submodule init # timeout=10

 > /usr/local/git/bin/git submodule sync # timeout=10

 > /usr/local/git/bin/git config --get remote.origin.url # timeout=10

 > /usr/local/git/bin/git submodule update --init --recursive

FATAL: Command "/usr/local/git/bin/git submodule update --init --recursive" returned status code 1:

stdout: 

stderr: fatal: reference is not a tree: 11162a5ae76bf4b798afe5fb3f4a13df74165574

Unable to checkout '11162a5ae76bf4b798afe5fb3f4a13df74165574' in submodule path 'submodules/socket.IO-objc/submodules/socket-rocket'

Failed to recurse into submodule path 'submodules/socket.IO-objc'


The console log above shows that "git submodule update" includes the "--recursive" argument, but "git submodule init" and "git submodule sync" do not.


In my particular scenario, I need "git submodule sync --recursive" before the recursive submodule update will succeed.

environment

```
Jenkins 1.607

git-plugin 2.3

slave running OSX
```