[JENKINS-41553] Git plugin should get list of submodules from git submodule status cmd

At the moment, the git plugin tries to get the list of submodule by parsing the config:

git config -f .gitmodules --get-regexp ^submodule\.(.*)\.url

If you switch between different branches, you could end up with submodules defined in the config file but not used by git (as a git submodule status command shows).

The git plugin will then try to update all found submodules in the config and fail when trying to update an unused - but in .git/config - submodule.

That's why it would be better to retrieve the list of submodules from the git submodule status command instead.

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Originally reported by bernard87, imported from: Git plugin should get list of submodules from git submodule status cmd

• status: Open
  
• priority: Minor
  
• component(s): git-plugin
  
• resolution: Unresolved
  
• votes: 2
  
• watchers: 4
  
• imported: 2025-12-02
  

Raw content of original issue

At the moment, the git plugin tries to get the list of submodule by parsing the config:

git config -f .gitmodules --get-regexp ^submodule\.(.*)\.url


If you switch between different branches, you could end up with submodules defined in the config file but not used by git (as a git submodule status command shows).

The git plugin will then try to update all found submodules in the config and fail when trying to update an unused - but in .git/config - submodule.


That's why it would be better to retrieve the list of submodules from the git submodule status command instead.