[[!comment format=mdwn
 username="joey"
 subject="""comment 2"""
 date="2023-08-22T16:11:56Z"
 content="""
The directory special remote with `importtree=yes exporttree=yes` is indeed
getting fairly close to feature parity with using all unlocked files with
`annex.thin` set.

One big difference is that such a special remote will always be untrusted.
Which might prevent dropping files from elsewhere.

Importing from the directory special remote is slower than just running
`git commit`. And it probably always will be; git is just fast. 
Although importing was sped up significantly a few months ago.

Using annex.thin needs the filesystem to support hard links, or git-annex
stores 2 copies of every file. This is the main reason I'd use a directory
special remote instead sometimes, when using a filesystem like FAT.

Another reason is if there's some requirement that the directory *not* be a
git repository. Eg, if it's published by a web server, but you don't want
to publish all the git history.

Otherwise, I'd always prefer the git repository.
"""]]
