# Alternative to "script/plugin install -x" that works with git

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/alternative-to-script-plugin-install-x-that-works-with-git/150057>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [October 2, 2008, 11:08pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/alternative-to-script-plugin-install-x-that-works-with-git/150057 "2008-10-02T23:08:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Miles\_G](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Miles\_G](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Miles_G)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 11:08pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/alternative-to-script-plugin-install-x-that-works-with-git/150057/1 "2008-10-02T23:08:16Z")

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I miss the svn:externals feature when installing plugins that are  
managed under git. the -x switch used to do this.

I’ve released a gem called externals that manages subprojects in an  
scm agnostic way so that I can use an svn:externals-like workflow with  
git.

It’s used like this: ext install git://github.com/rails/acts\_as\_list.git

This accomplishes the same thing as: script/plugin install -x  
git://github.com/rails/acts\_as\_list.git (if you pretend -x works with  
git)

I maintain a tutorial on how to use this gem to install ext and  
manage/deploy projects with subprojects managed in different SCMs at  
[http://nopugs.com/ext-tutorial](http://nopugs.com/ext-tutorial). I’ve been using it for my own  
projects and I find it really convenient.

The tutorial is rails-centric, though it can be used for any project  
type.

This is my first attempt at releasing a open source project to the  
community, any advice on how to get people interested in this project  
would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Miles

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Miles\_G](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Miles\_G](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Miles_G)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 11:15pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/alternative-to-script-plugin-install-x-that-works-with-git/150057/2 "2008-10-02T23:15:18Z")

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how about git submodule?

git submodule add git://github.com/rails/acts\_as\_list.git vendor/  
plugins/acts\_as\_list  
git submodule init  
git submodule update