Merge branch 'ph/strbuf' into kh/commit

* ph/strbuf:
  Clean up stripspace a bit, use strbuf even more.
  Add strbuf_read_file().
  rerere: Fix use of an empty strbuf.buf
  Small cache_tree_write refactor.
  Make builtin-rerere use of strbuf nicer and more efficient.
  Add strbuf_cmp.
  strbuf_setlen(): do not barf on setting length of an empty buffer to 0
  sq_quote_argv and add_to_string rework with strbuf's.
  Full rework of quote_c_style and write_name_quoted.
  Rework unquote_c_style to work on a strbuf.
  strbuf API additions and enhancements.
  nfv?asprintf are broken without va_copy, workaround them.
  Fix the expansion pattern of the pseudo-static path buffer.

31 files changed, 731 insertions, 898 deletions

diff --git a/archive-tar.c b/archive-tar.c
index a87bc4b83..e1bced560 100644
--- a/archive-tar.c
+++ b/archive-tar.c
@@ -238,15 +238,14 @@ static int write_tar_entry(const unsigned char *sha1,
                            const char *filename, unsigned mode, int stage)
 {
 	static struct strbuf path = STRBUF_INIT;
-	int filenamelen = strlen(filename);
 	void *buffer;
 	enum object_type type;
 	unsigned long size;
 
-	strbuf_grow(&path, MAX(PATH_MAX, baselen + filenamelen + 1));
 	strbuf_reset(&path);
+	strbuf_grow(&path, PATH_MAX);
 	strbuf_add(&path, base, baselen);
-	strbuf_add(&path, filename, filenamelen);
+	strbuf_addstr(&path, filename);
 	if (S_ISDIR(mode) || S_ISGITLINK(mode)) {
 		strbuf_addch(&path, '/');
 		buffer = NULL;
diff --git a/builtin-apply.c b/builtin-apply.c
index db337f1ac..01c9d6064 100644
--- a/builtin-apply.c
+++ b/builtin-apply.c
@@ -163,15 +163,14 @@ static void say_patch_name(FILE *output, const char *pre, struct patch *patch, c
 	fputs(pre, output);
 	if (patch->old_name && patch->new_name &&
 	    strcmp(patch->old_name, patch->new_name)) {
-		write_name_quoted(NULL, 0, patch->old_name, 1, output);
+		quote_c_style(patch->old_name, NULL, output, 0);
 		fputs(" => ", output);
-		write_name_quoted(NULL, 0, patch->new_name, 1, output);
-	}
-	else {
+		quote_c_style(patch->new_name, NULL, output, 0);
+	} else {
 		const char *n = patch->new_name;
 		if (!n)
 			n = patch->old_name;
-		write_name_quoted(NULL, 0, n, 1, output);
+		quote_c_style(n, NULL, output, 0);
 	}
 	fputs(post, output);
 }
@@ -231,35 +230,33 @@ static char *find_name(const char *line, char *def, int p_value, int terminate)
 {
 	int len;
 	const char *start = line;
-	char *name;
 
 	if (*line == '"') {
+		struct strbuf name;
+
 		/* Proposed "new-style" GNU patch/diff format; see
 		 * http://marc.theaimsgroup.com/?l=git&m=112927316408690&w=2
 		 */
-		name = unquote_c_style(line, NULL);
-		if (name) {
-			char *cp = name;
-			while (p_value) {
+		strbuf_init(&name, 0);
+		if (!unquote_c_style(&name, line, NULL)) {
+			char *cp;
+
+			for (cp = name.buf; p_value; p_value--) {
 				cp = strchr(cp, '/');
 				if (!cp)
 					break;
 				cp++;
-				p_value--;
 			}
 			if (cp) {
 				/* name can later be freed, so we need
 				 * to memmove, not just return cp
 				 */
-				memmove(name, cp, strlen(cp) + 1);
+				strbuf_remove(&name, 0, cp - name.buf);
 				free(def);
-				return name;
-			}
-			else {
-				free(name);
-				name = NULL;
+				return name.buf;
 			}
 		}
+		strbuf_release(&name);
 	}
 
 	for (;;) {
@@ -567,29 +564,30 @@ static const char *stop_at_slash(const char *line, int llen)
  */
 static char *git_header_name(char *line, int llen)
 {
-	int len;
 	const char *name;
 	const char *second = NULL;
+	size_t len;
 
 	line += strlen("diff --git ");
 	llen -= strlen("diff --git ");
 
 	if (*line == '"') {
 		const char *cp;
-		char *first = unquote_c_style(line, &second);
-		if (!first)
-			return NULL;
+		struct strbuf first;
+		struct strbuf sp;
+
+		strbuf_init(&first, 0);
+		strbuf_init(&sp, 0);
+
+		if (unquote_c_style(&first, line, &second))
+			goto free_and_fail1;
 
 		/* advance to the first slash */
-		cp = stop_at_slash(first, strlen(first));
-		if (!cp || cp == first) {
-			/* we do not accept absolute paths */
-		free_first_and_fail:
-			free(first);
-			return NULL;
-		}
-		len = strlen(cp+1);
-		memmove(first, cp+1, len+1); /* including NUL */
+		cp = stop_at_slash(first.buf, first.len);
+		/* we do not accept absolute paths */
+		if (!cp || cp == first.buf)
+			goto free_and_fail1;
+		strbuf_remove(&first, 0, cp + 1 - first.buf);
 
 		/* second points at one past closing dq of name.
 		 * find the second name.
@@ -598,40 +596,40 @@ static char *git_header_name(char *line, int llen)
 			second++;
 
 		if (line + llen <= second)
-			goto free_first_and_fail;
+			goto free_and_fail1;
 		if (*second == '"') {
-			char *sp = unquote_c_style(second, NULL);
-			if (!sp)
-				goto free_first_and_fail;
-			cp = stop_at_slash(sp, strlen(sp));
-			if (!cp || cp == sp) {
-			free_both_and_fail:
-				free(sp);
-				goto free_first_and_fail;
-			}
+			if (unquote_c_style(&sp, second, NULL))
+				goto free_and_fail1;
+			cp = stop_at_slash(sp.buf, sp.len);
+			if (!cp || cp == sp.buf)
+				goto free_and_fail1;
 			/* They must match, otherwise ignore */
-			if (strcmp(cp+1, first))
-				goto free_both_and_fail;
-			free(sp);
-			return first;
+			if (strcmp(cp + 1, first.buf))
+				goto free_and_fail1;
+			strbuf_release(&sp);
+			return first.buf;
 		}
 
 		/* unquoted second */
 		cp = stop_at_slash(second, line + llen - second);
 		if (!cp || cp == second)
-			goto free_first_and_fail;
+			goto free_and_fail1;
 		cp++;
-		if (line + llen - cp != len + 1 ||
-		    memcmp(first, cp, len))
-			goto free_first_and_fail;
-		return first;
+		if (line + llen - cp != first.len + 1 ||
+		    memcmp(first.buf, cp, first.len))
+			goto free_and_fail1;
+		return first.buf;
+
+	free_and_fail1:
+		strbuf_release(&first);
+		strbuf_release(&sp);
+		return NULL;
 	}
 
 	/* unquoted first name */
 	name = stop_at_slash(line, llen);
 	if (!name || name == line)
 		return NULL;
-
 	name++;
 
 	/* since the first name is unquoted, a dq if exists must be
@@ -639,28 +637,30 @@ static char *git_header_name(char *line, int llen)
 	 */
 	for (second = name; second < line + llen; second++) {
 		if (*second == '"') {
-			const char *cp = second;
+			struct strbuf sp;
 			const char *np;
-			char *sp = unquote_c_style(second, NULL);
-
-			if (!sp)
-				return NULL;
-			np = stop_at_slash(sp, strlen(sp));
-			if (!np || np == sp) {
-			free_second_and_fail:
-				free(sp);
-				return NULL;
-			}
+
+			strbuf_init(&sp, 0);
+			if (unquote_c_style(&sp, second, NULL))
+				goto free_and_fail2;
+
+			np = stop_at_slash(sp.buf, sp.len);
+			if (!np || np == sp.buf)
+				goto free_and_fail2;
 			np++;
-			len = strlen(np);
-			if (len < cp - name &&
+
+			len = sp.buf + sp.len - np;
+			if (len < second - name &&
 			    !strncmp(np, name, len) &&
 			    isspace(name[len])) {
 				/* Good */
-				memmove(sp, np, len + 1);
-				return sp;
+				strbuf_remove(&sp, 0, np - sp.buf);
+				return sp.buf;
 			}
-			goto free_second_and_fail;
+
+		free_and_fail2:
+			strbuf_release(&sp);
+			return NULL;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -1378,61 +1378,50 @@ static const char minuses[]= "--------------------------------------------------
 
 static void show_stats(struct patch *patch)
 {
-	const char *prefix = "";
-	char *name = patch->new_name;
-	char *qname = NULL;
-	int len, max, add, del, total;
-
-	if (!name)
-		name = patch->old_name;
+	struct strbuf qname;
+	char *cp = patch->new_name ? patch->new_name : patch->old_name;
+	int max, add, del;
 
-	if (0 < (len = quote_c_style(name, NULL, NULL, 0))) {
-		qname = xmalloc(len + 1);
-		quote_c_style(name, qname, NULL, 0);
-		name = qname;
-	}
+	strbuf_init(&qname, 0);
+	quote_c_style(cp, &qname, NULL, 0);
 
 	/*
 	 * "scale" the filename
 	 */
-	len = strlen(name);
 	max = max_len;
 	if (max > 50)
 		max = 50;
-	if (len > max) {
-		char *slash;
-		prefix = "...";
-		max -= 3;
-		name += len - max;
-		slash = strchr(name, '/');
-		if (slash)
-			name = slash;
+
+	if (qname.len > max) {
+		cp = strchr(qname.buf + qname.len + 3 - max, '/');
+		if (!cp)
+			cp = qname.buf + qname.len + 3 - max;
+		strbuf_splice(&qname, 0, cp - qname.buf, "...", 3);
+	}
+
+	if (patch->is_binary) {
+		printf(" %-*s |  Bin\n", max, qname.buf);
+		strbuf_release(&qname);
+		return;
 	}
-	len = max;
+
+	printf(" %-*s |", max, qname.buf);
+	strbuf_release(&qname);
 
 	/*
 	 * scale the add/delete
 	 */
-	max = max_change;
-	if (max + len > 70)
-		max = 70 - len;
-
+	max = max + max_change > 70 ? 70 - max : max_change;
 	add = patch->lines_added;
 	del = patch->lines_deleted;
-	total = add + del;
 
 	if (max_change > 0) {
-		total = (total * max + max_change / 2) / max_change;
+		int total = ((add + del) * max + max_change / 2) / max_change;
 		add = (add * max + max_change / 2) / max_change;
 		del = total - add;
 	}
-	if (patch->is_binary)
-		printf(" %s%-*s |  Bin\n", prefix, len, name);
-	else
-		printf(" %s%-*s |%5d %.*s%.*s\n", prefix,
-		       len, name, patch->lines_added + patch->lines_deleted,
-		       add, pluses, del, minuses);
-	free(qname);
+	printf("%5d %.*s%.*s\n", patch->lines_added + patch->lines_deleted,
+		add, pluses, del, minuses);
 }
 
 static int read_old_data(struct stat *st, const char *path, struct strbuf *buf)
@@ -2227,13 +2216,8 @@ static void numstat_patch_list(struct patch *patch)
 		if (patch->is_binary)
 			printf("-\t-\t");
 		else
-			printf("%d\t%d\t",
-			       patch->lines_added, patch->lines_deleted);
-		if (line_termination && quote_c_style(name, NULL, NULL, 0))
-			quote_c_style(name, NULL, stdout, 0);
-		else
-			fputs(name, stdout);
-		putchar(line_termination);
+			printf("%d\t%d\t", patch->lines_added, patch->lines_deleted);
+		write_name_quoted(name, stdout, line_termination);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/builtin-blame.c b/builtin-blame.c
index e364b6c6c..16c0ca820 100644
--- a/builtin-blame.c
+++ b/builtin-blame.c
@@ -1430,8 +1430,7 @@ static void get_commit_info(struct commit *commit,
 static void write_filename_info(const char *path)
 {
 	printf("filename ");
-	write_name_quoted(NULL, 0, path, 1, stdout);
-	putchar('\n');
+	write_name_quoted(path, stdout, '\n');
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/builtin-check-attr.c b/builtin-check-attr.c
index d94973379..6afdfa10a 100644
--- a/builtin-check-attr.c
+++ b/builtin-check-attr.c
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ int cmd_check_attr(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 			else if (ATTR_UNSET(value))
 				value = "unspecified";
 
-			write_name_quoted("", 0, argv[i], 1, stdout);
+			quote_c_style(argv[i], NULL, stdout, 0);
 			printf(": %s: %s\n", argv[j+1], value);
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/builtin-checkout-index.c b/builtin-checkout-index.c
index a18ecc4ba..70d619da8 100644
--- a/builtin-checkout-index.c
+++ b/builtin-checkout-index.c
@@ -66,9 +66,7 @@ static void write_tempfile_record(const char *name, int prefix_length)
 		fputs(topath[checkout_stage], stdout);
 
 	putchar('\t');
-	write_name_quoted("", 0, name + prefix_length,
-		line_termination, stdout);
-	putchar(line_termination);
+	write_name_quoted(name + prefix_length, stdout, line_termination);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
 		topath[i][0] = 0;
@@ -270,26 +268,27 @@ int cmd_checkout_index(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	}
 
 	if (read_from_stdin) {
-		struct strbuf buf;
+		struct strbuf buf, nbuf;
+
 		if (all)
 			die("git-checkout-index: don't mix '--all' and '--stdin'");
+
 		strbuf_init(&buf, 0);
-		while (1) {
-			char *path_name;
+		strbuf_init(&nbuf, 0);
+		while (strbuf_getline(&buf, stdin, line_termination) != EOF) {
 			const char *p;
-			if (strbuf_getline(&buf, stdin, line_termination) == EOF)
-				break;
-			if (line_termination && buf.buf[0] == '"')
-				path_name = unquote_c_style(buf.buf, NULL);
-			else
-				path_name = buf.buf;
-			p = prefix_path(prefix, prefix_length, path_name);
+			if (line_termination && buf.buf[0] == '"') {
+				strbuf_reset(&nbuf);
+				if (unquote_c_style(&nbuf, buf.buf, NULL))
+					die("line is badly quoted");
+				strbuf_swap(&buf, &nbuf);
+			}
+			p = prefix_path(prefix, prefix_length, buf.buf);
 			checkout_file(p, prefix_length);
-			if (p < path_name || p > path_name + strlen(path_name))
+			if (p < buf.buf || p > buf.buf + buf.len)
 				free((char *)p);
-			if (path_name != buf.buf)
-				free(path_name);
 		}
+		strbuf_release(&nbuf);
 		strbuf_release(&buf);
 	}
 
diff --git a/builtin-ls-files.c b/builtin-ls-files.c
index 48dd3f77a..2e6f43bb9 100644
--- a/builtin-ls-files.c
+++ b/builtin-ls-files.c
@@ -84,8 +84,7 @@ static void show_dir_entry(const char *tag, struct dir_entry *ent)
 		return;
 
 	fputs(tag, stdout);
-	write_name_quoted("", 0, ent->name + offset, line_terminator, stdout);
-	putchar(line_terminator);
+	write_name_quoted(ent->name + offset, stdout, line_terminator);
 }
 
 static void show_other_files(struct dir_struct *dir)
@@ -208,21 +207,15 @@ static void show_ce_entry(const char *tag, struct cache_entry *ce)
 
 	if (!show_stage) {
 		fputs(tag, stdout);
-		write_name_quoted("", 0, ce->name + offset,
-				  line_terminator, stdout);
-		putchar(line_terminator);
-	}
-	else {
+	} else {
 		printf("%s%06o %s %d\t",
 		       tag,
 		       ntohl(ce->ce_mode),
 		       abbrev ? find_unique_abbrev(ce->sha1,abbrev)
 				: sha1_to_hex(ce->sha1),
 		       ce_stage(ce));
-		write_name_quoted("", 0, ce->name + offset,
-				  line_terminator, stdout);
-		putchar(line_terminator);
 	}
+	write_name_quoted(ce->name + offset, stdout, line_terminator);
 }
 
 static void show_files(struct dir_struct *dir, const char *prefix)
diff --git a/builtin-ls-tree.c b/builtin-ls-tree.c
index cb4be4fab..7abe333ce 100644
--- a/builtin-ls-tree.c
+++ b/builtin-ls-tree.c
@@ -112,10 +112,8 @@ static int show_tree(const unsigned char *sha1, const char *base, int baselen,
 			       abbrev ? find_unique_abbrev(sha1, abbrev)
 			              : sha1_to_hex(sha1));
 	}
-	write_name_quoted(base + chomp_prefix, baselen - chomp_prefix,
-			  pathname,
-			  line_termination, stdout);
-	putchar(line_termination);
+	write_name_quotedpfx(base + chomp_prefix, baselen - chomp_prefix,
+			  pathname, stdout, line_termination);
 	return retval;
 }
 
diff --git a/builtin-rerere.c b/builtin-rerere.c
index 58288f61a..b8206744c 100644
--- a/builtin-rerere.c
+++ b/builtin-rerere.c
@@ -72,13 +72,9 @@ static int handle_file(const char *path,
 	SHA_CTX ctx;
 	char buf[1024];
 	int hunk = 0, hunk_no = 0;
-	struct strbuf minus, plus;
-	struct strbuf *one = &minus, *two = &plus;
+	struct strbuf one, two;
 	FILE *f = fopen(path, "r");
-	FILE *out;
-
-	strbuf_init(&minus, 0);
-	strbuf_init(&plus,  0);
+	FILE *out = NULL;
 
 	if (!f)
 		return error("Could not open %s", path);
@@ -89,51 +85,50 @@ static int handle_file(const char *path,
 			fclose(f);
 			return error("Could not write %s", output);
 		}
-	} else
-		out = NULL;
+	}
 
 	if (sha1)
 		SHA1_Init(&ctx);
 
+	strbuf_init(&one, 0);
+	strbuf_init(&two,  0);
 	while (fgets(buf, sizeof(buf), f)) {
 		if (!prefixcmp(buf, "<<<<<<< "))
 			hunk = 1;
 		else if (!prefixcmp(buf, "======="))
 			hunk = 2;
 		else if (!prefixcmp(buf, ">>>>>>> ")) {
-			int one_is_longer = (one->len > two->len);
-			int common_len = one_is_longer ? two->len : one->len;
-			int cmp = memcmp(one->buf, two->buf, common_len);
+			int cmp = strbuf_cmp(&one, &two);
 
 			hunk_no++;
 			hunk = 0;
-			if ((cmp > 0) || ((cmp == 0) && one_is_longer)) {
-				struct strbuf *swap = one;
-				one = two;
-				two = swap;
+			if (cmp > 0) {
+				strbuf_swap(&one, &two);
 			}
 			if (out) {
 				fputs("<<<<<<<\n", out);
-				fwrite(one->buf, one->len, 1, out);
+				fwrite(one.buf, one.len, 1, out);
 				fputs("=======\n", out);
-				fwrite(two->buf, two->len, 1, out);
+				fwrite(two.buf, two.len, 1, out);
 				fputs(">>>>>>>\n", out);
 			}
 			if (sha1) {
-				SHA1_Update(&ctx, one->buf, one->len);
-				SHA1_Update(&ctx, "\0", 1);
-				SHA1_Update(&ctx, two->buf, two->len);
-				SHA1_Update(&ctx, "\0", 1);
+				SHA1_Update(&ctx, one.buf ? one.buf : "",
+					    one.len + 1);
+				SHA1_Update(&ctx, two.buf ? two.buf : "",
+					    two.len + 1);
 			}
-			strbuf_release(one);
-			strbuf_release(two);
+			strbuf_reset(&one);
+			strbuf_reset(&two);
 		} else if (hunk == 1)
-			strbuf_addstr(one, buf);
+			strbuf_addstr(&one, buf);
 		else if (hunk == 2)
-			strbuf_addstr(two, buf);
+			strbuf_addstr(&two, buf);
 		else if (out)
 			fputs(buf, out);
 	}
+	strbuf_release(&one);
+	strbuf_release(&two);
 
 	fclose(f);
 	if (out)
diff --git a/builtin-stripspace.c b/builtin-stripspace.c
index 1ce284710..c0b21301b 100644
--- a/builtin-stripspace.c
+++ b/builtin-stripspace.c
@@ -8,17 +8,13 @@
  */
 static size_t cleanup(char *line, size_t len)
 {
-	if (len) {
-		if (line[len - 1] == '\n')
-			len--;
-
-		while (len) {
-			unsigned char c = line[len - 1];
-			if (!isspace(c))
-				break;
-			len--;
-		}
+	while (len) {
+		unsigned char c = line[len - 1];
+		if (!isspace(c))
+			break;
+		len--;
 	}
+
 	return len;
 }
 
@@ -34,42 +30,42 @@ static size_t cleanup(char *line, size_t len)
  * If the input has only empty lines and spaces,
  * no output will be produced.
  *
- * If last line has a newline at the end, it will be removed.
+ * If last line does not have a newline at the end, one is added.
  *
  * Enable skip_comments to skip every line starting with "#".
  */
-size_t stripspace(char *buffer, size_t length, int skip_comments)
+void stripspace(struct strbuf *sb, int skip_comments)
 {
-	int empties = -1;
+	int empties = 0;
 	size_t i, j, len, newlen;
 	char *eol;
 
-	for (i = j = 0; i < length; i += len, j += newlen) {
-		eol = memchr(buffer + i, '\n', length - i);
-		len = eol ? eol - (buffer + i) + 1 : length - i;
+	/* We may have to add a newline. */
+	strbuf_grow(sb, 1);
 
-		if (skip_comments && len && buffer[i] == '#') {
+	for (i = j = 0; i < sb->len; i += len, j += newlen) {
+		eol = memchr(sb->buf + i, '\n', sb->len - i);
+		len = eol ? eol - (sb->buf + i) + 1 : sb->len - i;
+
+		if (skip_comments && len && sb->buf[i] == '#') {
 			newlen = 0;
 			continue;
 		}
-		newlen = cleanup(buffer + i, len);
+		newlen = cleanup(sb->buf + i, len);
 
 		/* Not just an empty line? */
 		if (newlen) {
-			if (empties != -1)
-				buffer[j++] = '\n';
-			if (empties > 0)
-				buffer[j++] = '\n';
+			if (empties > 0 && j > 0)
+				sb->buf[j++] = '\n';
 			empties = 0;
-			memmove(buffer + j, buffer + i, newlen);
-			continue;
+			memmove(sb->buf + j, sb->buf + i, newlen);
+			sb->buf[newlen + j++] = '\n';
+		} else {
+			empties++;
 		}
-		if (empties < 0)
-			continue;
-		empties++;
 	}
 
-	return j;
+	strbuf_setlen(sb, j);
 }
 
 int cmd_stripspace(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
@@ -85,9 +81,7 @@ int cmd_stripspace(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	if (strbuf_read(&buf, 0, 1024) < 0)
 		die("could not read the input");
 
-	strbuf_setlen(&buf, stripspace(buf.buf, buf.len, strip_comments));
-	if (buf.len)
-		strbuf_addch(&buf, '\n');
+	stripspace(&buf, strip_comments);
 
 	write_or_die(1, buf.buf, buf.len);
 	strbuf_release(&buf);
diff --git a/builtin-tag.c b/builtin-tag.c
index 82ebda11b..6132cac21 100644
--- a/builtin-tag.c
+++ b/builtin-tag.c
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ static void launch_editor(const char *path, struct strbuf *buffer)
 	const char *editor, *terminal;
 	struct child_process child;
 	const char *args[3];
-	int fd;
 
 	editor = getenv("GIT_EDITOR");
 	if (!editor && editor_program)
@@ -52,13 +51,9 @@ static void launch_editor(const char *path, struct strbuf *buffer)
 	if (run_command(&child))
 		die("There was a problem with the editor %s.", editor);
 
-	fd = open(path, O_RDONLY);
-	if (fd < 0)
-		die("could not open '%s': %s", path, strerror(errno));
-	if (strbuf_read(buffer, fd, 0) < 0) {
-		die("could not read message file '%s': %s", path, strerror(errno));
-	}
-	close(fd);
+	if (strbuf_read_file(buffer, path) < 0)
+		die("could not read message file '%s': %s",
+		    path, strerror(errno));
 }
 
 struct tag_filter {
@@ -296,14 +291,11 @@ static void create_tag(const unsigned char *object, const char *tag,
 		free(path);
 	}
 
-	strbuf_setlen(buf, stripspace(buf->buf, buf->len, 1));
+	stripspace(buf, 1);
 
 	if (!message && !buf->len)
 		die("no tag message?");
 
-	/* insert the header and add the '\n' if needed: */
-	if (buf->len)
-		strbuf_addch(buf, '\n');
 	strbuf_insert(buf, 0, header_buf, header_len);
 
 	if (sign && do_sign(buf) < 0)
diff --git a/builtin-update-index.c b/builtin-update-index.c
index acd5ab592..c76879ed7 100644
--- a/builtin-update-index.c
+++ b/builtin-update-index.c
@@ -295,8 +295,11 @@ static void update_one(const char *path, const char *prefix, int prefix_length)
 static void read_index_info(int line_termination)
 {
 	struct strbuf buf;
+	struct strbuf uq;
+
 	strbuf_init(&buf, 0);
-	while (1) {
+	strbuf_init(&uq, 0);
+	while (strbuf_getline(&buf, stdin, line_termination) != EOF) {
 		char *ptr, *tab;
 		char *path_name;
 		unsigned char sha1[20];
@@ -320,9 +323,6 @@ static void read_index_info(int line_termination)
 		 * This format is to put higher order stages into the
 		 * index file and matches git-ls-files --stage output.
 		 */
-		if (strbuf_getline(&buf, stdin, line_termination) == EOF)
-			break;
-
 		errno = 0;
 		ul = strtoul(buf.buf, &ptr, 8);
 		if (ptr == buf.buf || *ptr != ' '
@@ -347,15 +347,17 @@ static void read_index_info(int line_termination)
 		if (get_sha1_hex(tab - 40, sha1) || tab[-41] != ' ')
 			goto bad_line;
 
-		if (line_termination && ptr[0] == '"')
-			path_name = unquote_c_style(ptr, NULL);
-		else
-			path_name = ptr;
+		path_name = ptr;
+		if (line_termination && path_name[0] == '"') {
+			strbuf_reset(&uq);
+			if (unquote_c_style(&uq, path_name, NULL)) {
+				die("git-update-index: bad quoting of path name");
+			}
+			path_name = uq.buf;
+		}
 
 		if (!verify_path(path_name)) {
 			fprintf(stderr, "Ignoring path %s\n", path_name);
-			if (path_name != ptr)
-				free(path_name);
 			continue;
 		}
 
@@ -383,6 +385,7 @@ static void read_index_info(int line_termination)
 		die("malformed index info %s", buf.buf);
 	}
 	strbuf_release(&buf);
+	strbuf_release(&uq);
 }
 
 static const char update_index_usage[] =
@@ -705,26 +708,26 @@ int cmd_update_index(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 			free((char*)p);
 	}
 	if (read_from_stdin) {
-		struct strbuf buf;
+		struct strbuf buf, nbuf;
+
 		strbuf_init(&buf, 0);
-		while (1) {
-			char *path_name;
+		strbuf_init(&nbuf, 0);
+		while (strbuf_getline(&buf, stdin, line_termination) != EOF) {
 			const char *p;
-			if (strbuf_getline(&buf, stdin, line_termination) == EOF)
-				break;
-			if (line_termination && buf.buf[0] == '"')
-				path_name = unquote_c_style(buf.buf, NULL);
-			else
-				path_name = buf.buf;
-			p = prefix_path(prefix, prefix_length, path_name);
+			if (line_termination && buf.buf[0] == '"') {
+				strbuf_reset(&nbuf);
+				if (unquote_c_style(&nbuf, buf.buf, NULL))
+					die("line is badly quoted");
+				strbuf_swap(&buf, &nbuf);
+			}
+			p = prefix_path(prefix, prefix_length, buf.buf);
 			update_one(p, NULL, 0);
 			if (set_executable_bit)
 				chmod_path(set_executable_bit, p);
-			if (p < path_name || p > path_name + strlen(path_name))
-				free((char*) p);
-			if (path_name != buf.buf)
-				free(path_name);
+			if (p < buf.buf || p > buf.buf + buf.len)
+				free((char *)p);
 		}
+		strbuf_release(&nbuf);
 		strbuf_release(&buf);
 	}
 
diff --git a/builtin.h b/builtin.h
index 03ee7bf78..d6f2c76b8 100644
--- a/builtin.h
+++ b/builtin.h
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ extern const char git_version_string[];
 extern const char git_usage_string[];
 
 extern void help_unknown_cmd(const char *cmd);
-extern size_t stripspace(char *buffer, size_t length, int skip_comments);
 extern int write_tree(unsigned char *sha1, int missing_ok, const char *prefix);
 extern void prune_packed_objects(int);
 
diff --git a/cache-tree.c b/cache-tree.c
index 5471844af..50b35264f 100644
--- a/cache-tree.c
+++ b/cache-tree.c
@@ -369,10 +369,8 @@ int cache_tree_update(struct cache_tree *it,
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static void write_one(struct cache_tree *it,
-		       char *path,
-		       int pathlen,
-			   struct strbuf *buffer)
+static void write_one(struct strbuf *buffer, struct cache_tree *it,
+                      const char *path, int pathlen)
 {
 	int i;
 
@@ -407,20 +405,13 @@ static void write_one(struct cache_tree *it,
 					     prev->name, prev->namelen) <= 0)
 				die("fatal - unsorted cache subtree");
 		}
-		write_one(down->cache_tree, down->name, down->namelen, buffer);
+		write_one(buffer, down->cache_tree, down->name, down->namelen);
 	}
 }
 
-void *cache_tree_write(struct cache_tree *root, unsigned long *size_p)
+void cache_tree_write(struct strbuf *sb, struct cache_tree *root)
 {
-	char path[PATH_MAX];
-	struct strbuf buffer;
-
-	path[0] = 0;
-	strbuf_init(&buffer, 0);
-	write_one(root, path, 0, &buffer);
-	*size_p = buffer.len;
-	return strbuf_detach(&buffer);
+	write_one(sb, root, "", 0);
 }
 
 static struct cache_tree *read_one(const char **buffer, unsigned long *size_p)
diff --git a/cache-tree.h b/cache-tree.h
index 119407e3a..8243228e4 100644
--- a/cache-tree.h
+++ b/cache-tree.h
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ void cache_tree_free(struct cache_tree **);
 void cache_tree_invalidate_path(struct cache_tree *, const char *);
 struct cache_tree_sub *cache_tree_sub(struct cache_tree *, const char *);
 
-void *cache_tree_write(struct cache_tree *root, unsigned long *size_p);
+void cache_tree_write(struct strbuf *, struct cache_tree *root);
 struct cache_tree *cache_tree_read(const char *buffer, unsigned long size);
 
 int cache_tree_fully_valid(struct cache_tree *);
diff --git a/cache.h b/cache.h
index 8650d6233..916ee5155 100644
--- a/cache.h
+++ b/cache.h
@@ -585,8 +585,6 @@ extern void *alloc_object_node(void);
 extern void alloc_report(void);
 
 /* trace.c */
-extern int nfasprintf(char **str, const char *fmt, ...);
-extern int nfvasprintf(char **str, const char *fmt, va_list va);
 extern void trace_printf(const char *format, ...);
 extern void trace_argv_printf(const char **argv, int count, const char *format, ...);
 
diff --git a/combine-diff.c b/combine-diff.c
index ef622340a..fe5a2a195 100644
--- a/combine-diff.c
+++ b/combine-diff.c
@@ -650,10 +650,7 @@ static void dump_quoted_path(const char *prefix, const char *path,
 			     const char *c_meta, const char *c_reset)
 {
 	printf("%s%s", c_meta, prefix);
-	if (quote_c_style(path, NULL, NULL, 0))
-		quote_c_style(path, NULL, stdout, 0);
-	else
-		printf("%s", path);
+	quote_c_style(path, NULL, stdout, 0);
 	printf("%s\n", c_reset);
 }
 
@@ -900,16 +897,7 @@ static void show_raw_diff(struct combine_diff_path *p, int num_parent, struct re
 		putchar(inter_name_termination);
 	}
 
-	if (line_termination) {
-		if (quote_c_style(p->path, NULL, NULL, 0))
-			quote_c_style(p->path, NULL, stdout, 0);
-		else
-			printf("%s", p->path);
-		putchar(line_termination);
-	}
-	else {
-		printf("%s%c", p->path, line_termination);
-	}
+	write_name_quoted(p->path, stdout, line_termination);
 }
 
 void show_combined_diff(struct combine_diff_path *p,
diff --git a/commit.c b/commit.c
index f86fa776c..55b08ec0b 100644
--- a/commit.c
+++ b/commit.c
@@ -656,7 +656,7 @@ static char *replace_encoding_header(char *buf, const char *encoding)
 	strbuf_attach(&tmp, buf, strlen(buf), strlen(buf) + 1);
 	if (is_encoding_utf8(encoding)) {
 		/* we have re-coded to UTF-8; drop the header */
-		strbuf_splice(&tmp, start, len, NULL, 0);
+		strbuf_remove(&tmp, start, len);
 	} else {
 		/* just replaces XXXX in 'encoding XXXX\n' */
 		strbuf_splice(&tmp, start + strlen("encoding "),
diff --git a/connect.c b/connect.c
index 1653a0ef7..06d279e37 100644
--- a/connect.c
+++ b/connect.c
@@ -577,16 +577,13 @@ pid_t git_connect(int fd[2], char *url, const char *prog, int flags)
 	if (pid < 0)
 		die("unable to fork");
 	if (!pid) {
-		char command[MAX_CMD_LEN];
-		char *posn = command;
-		int size = MAX_CMD_LEN;
-		int of = 0;
+		struct strbuf cmd;
 
-		of |= add_to_string(&posn, &size, prog, 0);
-		of |= add_to_string(&posn, &size, " ", 0);
-		of |= add_to_string(&posn, &size, path, 1);
-
-		if (of)
+		strbuf_init(&cmd, MAX_CMD_LEN);
+		strbuf_addstr(&cmd, prog);
+		strbuf_addch(&cmd, ' ');
+		sq_quote_buf(&cmd, path);
+		if (cmd.len >= MAX_CMD_LEN)
 			die("command line too long");
 
 		dup2(pipefd[1][0], 0);
@@ -606,10 +603,10 @@ pid_t git_connect(int fd[2], char *url, const char *prog, int flags)
 				ssh_basename++;
 
 			if (!port)
-				execlp(ssh, ssh_basename, host, command, NULL);
+				execlp(ssh, ssh_basename, host, cmd.buf, NULL);
 			else
 				execlp(ssh, ssh_basename, "-p", port, host,
-				       command, NULL);
+				       cmd.buf, NULL);
 		}
 		else {
 			unsetenv(ALTERNATE_DB_ENVIRONMENT);
@@ -618,7 +615,7 @@ pid_t git_connect(int fd[2], char *url, const char *prog, int flags)
 			unsetenv(GIT_WORK_TREE_ENVIRONMENT);
 			unsetenv(GRAFT_ENVIRONMENT);
 			unsetenv(INDEX_ENVIRONMENT);
-			execlp("sh", "sh", "-c", command, NULL);
+			execlp("sh", "sh", "-c", cmd.buf, NULL);
 		}
 		die("exec failed");
 	}
diff --git a/diff.c b/diff.c
index 2216d756d..fb6d077f0 100644
--- a/diff.c
+++ b/diff.c
@@ -181,44 +181,23 @@ int git_diff_ui_config(const char *var, const char *value)
 	return git_default_config(var, value);
 }
 
-static char *quote_one(const char *str)
-{
-	int needlen;
-	char *xp;
-
-	if (!str)
-		return NULL;
-	needlen = quote_c_style(str, NULL, NULL, 0);
-	if (!needlen)
-		return xstrdup(str);
-	xp = xmalloc(needlen + 1);
-	quote_c_style(str, xp, NULL, 0);
-	return xp;
-}
-
 static char *quote_two(const char *one, const char *two)
 {
 	int need_one = quote_c_style(one, NULL, NULL, 1);
 	int need_two = quote_c_style(two, NULL, NULL, 1);
-	char *xp;
+	struct strbuf res;
 
+	strbuf_init(&res, 0);
 	if (need_one + need_two) {
-		if (!need_one) need_one = strlen(one);
-		if (!need_two) need_one = strlen(two);
-
-		xp = xmalloc(need_one + need_two + 3);
-		xp[0] = '"';
-		quote_c_style(one, xp + 1, NULL, 1);
-		quote_c_style(two, xp + need_one + 1, NULL, 1);
-		strcpy(xp + need_one + need_two + 1, "\"");
-		return xp;
+		strbuf_addch(&res, '"');
+		quote_c_style(one, &res, NULL, 1);
+		quote_c_style(two, &res, NULL, 1);
+		strbuf_addch(&res, '"');
+	} else {
+		strbuf_addstr(&res, one);
+		strbuf_addstr(&res, two);
 	}
-	need_one = strlen(one);
-	need_two = strlen(two);
-	xp = xmalloc(need_one + need_two + 1);
-	strcpy(xp, one);
-	strcpy(xp + need_one, two);
-	return xp;
+	return res.buf;
 }
 
 static const char *external_diff(void)
@@ -670,27 +649,20 @@ static char *pprint_rename(const char *a, const char *b)
 {
 	const char *old = a;
 	const char *new = b;
-	char *name = NULL;
+	struct strbuf name;
 	int pfx_length, sfx_length;
 	int len_a = strlen(a);
 	int len_b = strlen(b);
+	int a_midlen, b_midlen;
 	int qlen_a = quote_c_style(a, NULL, NULL, 0);
 	int qlen_b = quote_c_style(b, NULL, NULL, 0);
 
+	strbuf_init(&name, 0);
 	if (qlen_a || qlen_b) {
-		if (qlen_a) len_a = qlen_a;
-		if (qlen_b) len_b = qlen_b;
-		name = xmalloc( len_a + len_b + 5 );
-		if (qlen_a)
-			quote_c_style(a, name, NULL, 0);
-		else
-			memcpy(name, a, len_a);
-		memcpy(name + len_a, " => ", 4);
-		if (qlen_b)
-			quote_c_style(b, name + len_a + 4, NULL, 0);
-		else
-			memcpy(name + len_a + 4, b, len_b + 1);
-		return name;
+		quote_c_style(a, &name, NULL, 0);
+		strbuf_addstr(&name, " => ");
+		quote_c_style(b, &name, NULL, 0);
+		return name.buf;
 	}
 
 	/* Find common prefix */
@@ -719,24 +691,26 @@ static char *pprint_rename(const char *a, const char *b)
 	 * pfx{sfx-a => sfx-b}
 	 * name-a => name-b
 	 */
+	a_midlen = len_a - pfx_length - sfx_length;
+	b_midlen = len_b - pfx_length - sfx_length;
+	if (a_midlen < 0)
+		a_midlen = 0;
+	if (b_midlen < 0)
+		b_midlen = 0;
+
+	strbuf_grow(&name, pfx_length + a_midlen + b_midlen + sfx_length + 7);
 	if (pfx_length + sfx_length) {
-		int a_midlen = len_a - pfx_length - sfx_length;
-		int b_midlen = len_b - pfx_length - sfx_length;
-		if (a_midlen < 0) a_midlen = 0;
-		if (b_midlen < 0) b_midlen = 0;
-
-		name = xmalloc(pfx_length + a_midlen + b_midlen + sfx_length + 7);
-		sprintf(name, "%.*s{%.*s => %.*s}%s",
-			pfx_length, a,
-			a_midlen, a + pfx_length,
-			b_midlen, b + pfx_length,
-			a + len_a - sfx_length);
+		strbuf_add(&name, a, pfx_length);
+		strbuf_addch(&name, '{');
 	}
-	else {
-		name = xmalloc(len_a + len_b + 5);
-		sprintf(name, "%s => %s", a, b);
+	strbuf_add(&name, a + pfx_length, a_midlen);
+	strbuf_addstr(&name, " => ");
+	strbuf_add(&name, b + pfx_length, b_midlen);
+	if (pfx_length + sfx_length) {
+		strbuf_addch(&name, '}');
+		strbuf_add(&name, a + len_a - sfx_length, sfx_length);
 	}
-	return name;
+	return name.buf;
 }
 
 struct diffstat_t {
@@ -849,12 +823,13 @@ static void show_stats(struct diffstat_t* data, struct diff_options *options)
 		int change = file->added + file->deleted;
 
 		if (!file->is_renamed) {  /* renames are already quoted by pprint_rename */
-			len = quote_c_style(file->name, NULL, NULL, 0);
-			if (len) {
-				char *qname = xmalloc(len + 1);
-				quote_c_style(file->name, qname, NULL, 0);
+			struct strbuf buf;
+			strbuf_init(&buf, 0);
+			if (quote_c_style(file->name, &buf, NULL, 0)) {
 				free(file->name);
-				file->name = qname;
+				file->name = buf.buf;
+			} else {
+				strbuf_release(&buf);
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -992,12 +967,12 @@ static void show_numstat(struct diffstat_t* data, struct diff_options *options)
 			printf("-\t-\t");
 		else
 			printf("%d\t%d\t", file->added, file->deleted);
-		if (options->line_termination && !file->is_renamed &&
-		    quote_c_style(file->name, NULL, NULL, 0))
-			quote_c_style(file->name, NULL, stdout, 0);
-		else
+		if (!file->is_renamed) {
+			write_name_quoted(file->name, stdout, options->line_termination);
+		} else {
 			fputs(file->name, stdout);
-		putchar(options->line_termination);
+			putchar(options->line_termination);
+		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1941,50 +1916,46 @@ static int similarity_index(struct diff_filepair *p)
 static void run_diff(struct diff_filepair *p, struct diff_options *o)
 {
 	const char *pgm = external_diff();
-	char msg[PATH_MAX*2+300], *xfrm_msg;
-	struct diff_filespec *one;
-	struct diff_filespec *two;
+	struct strbuf msg;
+	char *xfrm_msg;
+	struct diff_filespec *one = p->one;
+	struct diff_filespec *two = p->two;
 	const char *name;
 	const char *other;
-	char *name_munged, *other_munged;
 	int complete_rewrite = 0;
-	int len;
+
 
 	if (DIFF_PAIR_UNMERGED(p)) {
-		/* unmerged */
 		run_diff_cmd(pgm, p->one->path, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, o, 0);
 		return;
 	}
 
-	name = p->one->path;
+	name  = p->one->path;
 	other = (strcmp(name, p->two->path) ? p->two->path : NULL);
-	name_munged = quote_one(name);
-	other_munged = quote_one(other);
-	one = p->one; two = p->two;
-
 	diff_fill_sha1_info(one);
 	diff_fill_sha1_info(two);
 
-	len = 0;
+	strbuf_init(&msg, PATH_MAX * 2 + 300);
 	switch (p->status) {
 	case DIFF_STATUS_COPIED:
-		len += snprintf(msg + len, sizeof(msg) - len,
-				"similarity index %d%%\n"
-				"copy from %s\n"
-				"copy to %s\n",
-				similarity_index(p), name_munged, other_munged);
+		strbuf_addf(&msg, "similarity index %d%%", similarity_index(p));
+		strbuf_addstr(&msg, "\ncopy from ");
+		quote_c_style(name, &msg, NULL, 0);
+		strbuf_addstr(&msg, "\ncopy to ");
+		quote_c_style(other, &msg, NULL, 0);
+		strbuf_addch(&msg, '\n');
 		break;
 	case DIFF_STATUS_RENAMED:
-		len += snprintf(msg + len, sizeof(msg) - len,
-				"similarity index %d%%\n"
-				"rename from %s\n"
-				"rename to %s\n",
-				similarity_index(p), name_munged, other_munged);
+		strbuf_addf(&msg, "similarity index %d%%", similarity_index(p));
+		strbuf_addstr(&msg, "\nrename from ");
+		quote_c_style(name, &msg, NULL, 0);
+		strbuf_addstr(&msg, "\nrename to ");
+		quote_c_style(other, &msg, NULL, 0);
+		strbuf_addch(&msg, '\n');
 		break;
 	case DIFF_STATUS_MODIFIED:
 		if (p->score) {
-			len += snprintf(msg + len, sizeof(msg) - len,
-					"dissimilarity index %d%%\n",
+			strbuf_addf(&msg, "dissimilarity index %d%%\n",
 					similarity_index(p));
 			complete_rewrite = 1;
 			break;
@@ -2004,19 +1975,17 @@ static void run_diff(struct diff_filepair *p, struct diff_options *o)
 			    (!fill_mmfile(&mf, two) && diff_filespec_is_binary(two)))
 				abbrev = 40;
 		}
-		len += snprintf(msg + len, sizeof(msg) - len,
-				"index %.*s..%.*s",
+		strbuf_addf(&msg, "index %.*s..%.*s",
 				abbrev, sha1_to_hex(one->sha1),
 				abbrev, sha1_to_hex(two->sha1));
 		if (one->mode == two->mode)
-			len += snprintf(msg + len, sizeof(msg) - len,
-					" %06o", one->mode);
-		len += snprintf(msg + len, sizeof(msg) - len, "\n");
+			strbuf_addf(&msg, " %06o", one->mode);
+		strbuf_addch(&msg, '\n');
 	}
 
-	if (len)
-		msg[--len] = 0;
-	xfrm_msg = len ? msg : NULL;
+	if (msg.len)
+		strbuf_setlen(&msg, msg.len - 1);
+	xfrm_msg = msg.len ? msg.buf : NULL;
 
 	if (!pgm &&
 	    DIFF_FILE_VALID(one) && DIFF_FILE_VALID(two) &&
@@ -2035,8 +2004,7 @@ static void run_diff(struct diff_filepair *p, struct diff_options *o)
 		run_diff_cmd(pgm, name, other, one, two, xfrm_msg, o,
 			     complete_rewrite);
 
-	free(name_munged);
-	free(other_munged);
+	strbuf_release(&msg);
 }
 
 static void run_diffstat(struct diff_filepair *p, struct diff_options *o,
@@ -2492,72 +2460,30 @@ const char *diff_unique_abbrev(const unsigned char *sha1, int len)
 	return sha1_to_hex(sha1);
 }
 
-static void diff_flush_raw(struct diff_filepair *p,
-			   struct diff_options *options)
+static void diff_flush_raw(struct diff_filepair *p, struct diff_options *opt)
 {
-	int two_paths;
-	char status[10];
-	int abbrev = options->abbrev;
-	const char *path_one, *path_two;
-	int inter_name_termination = '\t';
-	int line_termination = options->line_termination;
-
-	if (!line_termination)
-		inter_name_termination = 0;
+	int line_termination = opt->line_termination;
+	int inter_name_termination = line_termination ? '\t' : '\0';
 
-	path_one = p->one->path;
-	path_two = p->two->path;
-	if (line_termination) {
-		path_one = quote_one(path_one);
-		path_two = quote_one(path_two);
+	if (!(opt->output_format & DIFF_FORMAT_NAME_STATUS)) {
+		printf(":%06o %06o %s ", p->one->mode, p->two->mode,
+		       diff_unique_abbrev(p->one->sha1, opt->abbrev));
+		printf("%s ", diff_unique_abbrev(p->two->sha1, opt->abbrev));
 	}
-
-	if (p->score)
-		sprintf(status, "%c%03d", p->status, similarity_index(p));
-	else {
-		status[0] = p->status;
-		status[1] = 0;
-	}
-	switch (p->status) {
-	case DIFF_STATUS_COPIED:
-	case DIFF_STATUS_RENAMED:
-		two_paths = 1;
-		break;
-	case DIFF_STATUS_ADDED:
-	case DIFF_STATUS_DELETED:
-		two_paths = 0;
-		break;
-	default:
-		two_paths = 0;
-		break;
-	}
-	if (!(options->output_format & DIFF_FORMAT_NAME_STATUS)) {
-		printf(":%06o %06o %s ",
-		       p->one->mode, p->two->mode,
-		       diff_unique_abbrev(p->one->sha1, abbrev));
-		printf("%s ",
-		       diff_unique_abbrev(p->two->sha1, abbrev));
+	if (p->score) {
+		printf("%c%03d%c", p->status, similarity_index(p),
+			   inter_name_termination);
+	} else {
+		printf("%c%c", p->status, inter_name_termination);
 	}
-	printf("%s%c%s", status, inter_name_termination,
-			two_paths || p->one->mode ?  path_one : path_two);
-	if (two_paths)
-		printf("%c%s", inter_name_termination, path_two);
-	putchar(line_termination);
-	if (path_one != p->one->path)
-		free((void*)path_one);
-	if (path_two != p->two->path)
-		free((void*)path_two);
-}
 
-static void diff_flush_name(struct diff_filepair *p, struct diff_options *opt)
-{
-	char *path = p->two->path;
-
-	if (opt->line_termination)
-		path = quote_one(p->two->path);
-	printf("%s%c", path, opt->line_termination);
-	if (p->two->path != path)
-		free(path);
+	if (p->status == DIFF_STATUS_COPIED || p->status == DIFF_STATUS_RENAMED) {
+		write_name_quoted(p->one->path, stdout, inter_name_termination);
+		write_name_quoted(p->two->path, stdout, line_termination);
+	} else {
+		const char *path = p->one->mode ? p->one->path : p->two->path;
+		write_name_quoted(path, stdout, line_termination);
+	}
 }
 
 int diff_unmodified_pair(struct diff_filepair *p)
@@ -2567,14 +2493,11 @@ int diff_unmodified_pair(struct diff_filepair *p)
 	 * let transformers to produce diff_filepairs any way they want,
 	 * and filter and clean them up here before producing the output.
 	 */
-	struct diff_filespec *one, *two;
+	struct diff_filespec *one = p->one, *two = p->two;
 
 	if (DIFF_PAIR_UNMERGED(p))
 		return 0; /* unmerged is interesting */
 
-	one = p->one;
-	two = p->two;
-
 	/* deletion, addition, mode or type change
 	 * and rename are all interesting.
 	 */
@@ -2763,32 +2686,27 @@ static void flush_one_pair(struct diff_filepair *p, struct diff_options *opt)
 	else if (fmt & (DIFF_FORMAT_RAW | DIFF_FORMAT_NAME_STATUS))
 		diff_flush_raw(p, opt);
 	else if (fmt & DIFF_FORMAT_NAME)
-		diff_flush_name(p, opt);
+		write_name_quoted(p->two->path, stdout, opt->line_termination);
 }
 
 static void show_file_mode_name(const char *newdelete, struct diff_filespec *fs)
 {
-	char *name = quote_one(fs->path);
 	if (fs->mode)
-		printf(" %s mode %06o %s\n", newdelete, fs->mode, name);
+		printf(" %s mode %06o ", newdelete, fs->mode);
 	else
-		printf(" %s %s\n", newdelete, name);
-	free(name);
+		printf(" %s ", newdelete);
+	write_name_quoted(fs->path, stdout, '\n');
 }
 
 
 static void show_mode_change(struct diff_filepair *p, int show_name)
 {
 	if (p->one->mode && p->two->mode && p->one->mode != p->two->mode) {
+		printf(" mode change %06o => %06o%c", p->one->mode, p->two->mode,
+			show_name ? ' ' : '\n');
 		if (show_name) {
-			char *name = quote_one(p->two->path);
-			printf(" mode change %06o => %06o %s\n",
-			       p->one->mode, p->two->mode, name);
-			free(name);
+			write_name_quoted(p->two->path, stdout, '\n');
 		}
-		else
-			printf(" mode change %06o => %06o\n",
-			       p->one->mode, p->two->mode);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -2818,12 +2736,11 @@ static void diff_summary(struct diff_filepair *p)
 		break;
 	default:
 		if (p->score) {
-			char *name = quote_one(p->two->path);
-			printf(" rewrite %s (%d%%)\n", name,
-			       similarity_index(p));
-			free(name);
-			show_mode_change(p, 0);
-		} else	show_mode_change(p, 1);
+			puts(" rewrite ");
+			write_name_quoted(p->two->path, stdout, ' ');
+			printf("(%d%%)\n", similarity_index(p));
+		}
+		show_mode_change(p, !p->score);
 		break;
 	}
 }
@@ -2837,14 +2754,14 @@ struct patch_id_t {
 static int remove_space(char *line, int len)
 {
 	int i;
-        char *dst = line;
-        unsigned char c;
+	char *dst = line;
+	unsigned char c;
 
-        for (i = 0; i < len; i++)
-                if (!isspace((c = line[i])))
-                        *dst++ = c;
+	for (i = 0; i < len; i++)
+		if (!isspace((c = line[i])))
+			*dst++ = c;
 
-        return dst - line;
+	return dst - line;
 }
 
 static void patch_id_consume(void *priv, char *line, unsigned long len)
diff --git a/fast-import.c b/fast-import.c
index f9906586e..a870a44e3 100644
--- a/fast-import.c
+++ b/fast-import.c
@@ -1111,9 +1111,7 @@ static int store_object(
 		if (last->no_swap) {
 			last->data = *dat;
 		} else {
-			struct strbuf tmp = *dat;
-			*dat = last->data;
-			last->data = tmp;
+			strbuf_swap(&last->data, dat);
 		}
 		last->offset = e->offset;
 	}
@@ -1761,7 +1759,7 @@ static void load_branch(struct branch *b)
 static void file_change_m(struct branch *b)
 {
 	const char *p = command_buf.buf + 2;
-	char *p_uq;
+	static struct strbuf uq = STRBUF_INIT;
 	const char *endp;
 	struct object_entry *oe = oe;
 	unsigned char sha1[20];
@@ -1799,18 +1797,20 @@ static void file_change_m(struct branch *b)
 	if (*p++ != ' ')
 		die("Missing space after SHA1: %s", command_buf.buf);
 
-	p_uq = unquote_c_style(p, &endp);
-	if (p_uq) {
+	strbuf_reset(&uq);
+	if (!unquote_c_style(&uq, p, &endp)) {
 		if (*endp)
 			die("Garbage after path in: %s", command_buf.buf);
-		p = p_uq;
+		p = uq.buf;
 	}
 
 	if (inline_data) {
 		static struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
 
-		if (!p_uq)
-			p = p_uq = xstrdup(p);
+		if (p != uq.buf) {
+			strbuf_addstr(&uq, p);
+			p = uq.buf;
+		}
 		read_next_command();
 		cmd_data(&buf);
 		store_object(OBJ_BLOB, &buf, &last_blob, sha1, 0);
@@ -1828,56 +1828,54 @@ static void file_change_m(struct branch *b)
 	}
 
 	tree_content_set(&b->branch_tree, p, sha1, S_IFREG | mode, NULL);
-	free(p_uq);
 }
 
 static void file_change_d(struct branch *b)
 {
 	const char *p = command_buf.buf + 2;
-	char *p_uq;
+	static struct strbuf uq = STRBUF_INIT;
 	const char *endp;
 
-	p_uq = unquote_c_style(p, &endp);
-	if (p_uq) {
+	strbuf_reset(&uq);
+	if (!unquote_c_style(&uq, p, &endp)) {
 		if (*endp)
 			die("Garbage after path in: %s", command_buf.buf);
-		p = p_uq;
+		p = uq.buf;
 	}
 	tree_content_remove(&b->branch_tree, p, NULL);
-	free(p_uq);
 }
 
 static void file_change_cr(struct branch *b, int rename)
 {
 	const char *s, *d;
-	char *s_uq, *d_uq;
+	static struct strbuf s_uq = STRBUF_INIT;
+	static struct strbuf d_uq = STRBUF_INIT;
 	const char *endp;
 	struct tree_entry leaf;
 
 	s = command_buf.buf + 2;
-	s_uq = unquote_c_style(s, &endp);
-	if (s_uq) {
+	strbuf_reset(&s_uq);
+	if (!unquote_c_style(&s_uq, s, &endp)) {
 		if (*endp != ' ')
 			die("Missing space after source: %s", command_buf.buf);
-	}
-	else {
+	} else {
 		endp = strchr(s, ' ');
 		if (!endp)
 			die("Missing space after source: %s", command_buf.buf);
-		s_uq = xmemdupz(s, endp - s);
+		strbuf_add(&s_uq, s, endp - s);
 	}
-	s = s_uq;
+	s = s_uq.buf;
 
 	endp++;
 	if (!*endp)
 		die("Missing dest: %s", command_buf.buf);
 
 	d = endp;
-	d_uq = unquote_c_style(d, &endp);
-	if (d_uq) {
+	strbuf_reset(&d_uq);
+	if (!unquote_c_style(&d_uq, d, &endp)) {
 		if (*endp)
 			die("Garbage after dest in: %s", command_buf.buf);
-		d = d_uq;
+		d = d_uq.buf;
 	}
 
 	memset(&leaf, 0, sizeof(leaf));
@@ -1891,9 +1889,6 @@ static void file_change_cr(struct branch *b, int rename)
 		leaf.versions[1].sha1,
 		leaf.versions[1].mode,
 		leaf.tree);
-
-	free(s_uq);
-	free(d_uq);
 }
 
 static void file_change_deleteall(struct branch *b)
diff --git a/git.c b/git.c
index 56ae8cccc..9eaca1d67 100644
--- a/git.c
+++ b/git.c
@@ -187,19 +187,13 @@ static int handle_alias(int *argcp, const char ***argv)
 	if (alias_string) {
 		if (alias_string[0] == '!') {
 			if (*argcp > 1) {
-				int i, sz = PATH_MAX;
-				char *s = xmalloc(sz), *new_alias = s;
+				struct strbuf buf;
 
-				add_to_string(&s, &sz, alias_string, 0);
+				strbuf_init(&buf, PATH_MAX);
+				strbuf_addstr(&buf, alias_string);
+				sq_quote_argv(&buf, (*argv) + 1, *argcp - 1, PATH_MAX);
 				free(alias_string);
-				alias_string = new_alias;
-				for (i = 1; i < *argcp &&
-					!add_to_string(&s, &sz, " ", 0) &&
-					!add_to_string(&s, &sz, (*argv)[i], 1)
-					; i++)
-					; /* do nothing */
-				if (!sz)
-					die("Too many or long arguments");
+				alias_string = buf.buf;
 			}
 			trace_printf("trace: alias to shell cmd: %s => %s\n",
 				     alias_command, alias_string + 1);
diff --git a/imap-send.c b/imap-send.c
index 905d09746..e95cdde06 100644
--- a/imap-send.c
+++ b/imap-send.c
@@ -105,6 +105,19 @@ static void free_generic_messages( message_t * );
 
 static int nfsnprintf( char *buf, int blen, const char *fmt, ... );
 
+static int nfvasprintf(char **strp, const char *fmt, va_list ap)
+{
+	int len;
+	char tmp[8192];
+
+	len = vsnprintf(tmp, sizeof(tmp), fmt, ap);
+	if (len < 0)
+		die("Fatal: Out of memory\n");
+	if (len >= sizeof(tmp))
+		die("imap command overflow !\n");
+	*strp = xmemdupz(tmp, len);
+	return len;
+}
 
 static void arc4_init( void );
 static unsigned char arc4_getbyte( void );
diff --git a/merge-recursive.c b/merge-recursive.c
index 14b56c2f2..86767e6e8 100644
--- a/merge-recursive.c
+++ b/merge-recursive.c
@@ -85,63 +85,58 @@ struct stage_data
 	unsigned processed:1;
 };
 
-struct output_buffer
-{
-	struct output_buffer *next;
-	char *str;
-};
-
 static struct path_list current_file_set = {NULL, 0, 0, 1};
 static struct path_list current_directory_set = {NULL, 0, 0, 1};
 
 static int call_depth = 0;
 static int verbosity = 2;
 static int buffer_output = 1;
-static struct output_buffer *output_list, *output_end;
+static struct strbuf obuf = STRBUF_INIT;
 
-static int show (int v)
+static int show(int v)
 {
 	return (!call_depth && verbosity >= v) || verbosity >= 5;
 }
 
-static void output(int v, const char *fmt, ...)
+static void flush_output(void)
 {
-	va_list args;
-	va_start(args, fmt);
-	if (buffer_output && show(v)) {
-		struct output_buffer *b = xmalloc(sizeof(*b));
-		nfvasprintf(&b->str, fmt, args);
-		b->next = NULL;
-		if (output_end)
-			output_end->next = b;
-		else
-			output_list = b;
-		output_end = b;
-	} else if (show(v)) {
-		int i;
-		for (i = call_depth; i--;)
-			fputs("  ", stdout);
-		vfprintf(stdout, fmt, args);
-		fputc('\n', stdout);
+	if (obuf.len) {
+		fputs(obuf.buf, stdout);
+		strbuf_reset(&obuf);
 	}
-	va_end(args);
 }
 
-static void flush_output(void)
+static void output(int v, const char *fmt, ...)
 {
-	struct output_buffer *b, *n;
-	for (b = output_list; b; b = n) {
-		int i;
-		for (i = call_depth; i--;)
-			fputs("  ", stdout);
-		fputs(b->str, stdout);
-		fputc('\n', stdout);
-		n = b->next;
-		free(b->str);
-		free(b);
+	int len;
+	va_list ap;
+
+	if (!show(v))
+		return;
+
+	strbuf_grow(&obuf, call_depth * 2 + 2);
+	memset(obuf.buf + obuf.len, ' ', call_depth * 2);
+	strbuf_setlen(&obuf, obuf.len + call_depth * 2);
+
+	va_start(ap, fmt);
+	len = vsnprintf(obuf.buf + obuf.len, strbuf_avail(&obuf), fmt, ap);
+	va_end(ap);
+
+	if (len < 0)
+		len = 0;
+	if (len >= strbuf_avail(&obuf)) {
+		strbuf_grow(&obuf, len + 2);
+		va_start(ap, fmt);
+		len = vsnprintf(obuf.buf + obuf.len, strbuf_avail(&obuf), fmt, ap);
+		va_end(ap);
+		if (len >= strbuf_avail(&obuf)) {
+			die("this should not happen, your snprintf is broken");
+		}
 	}
-	output_list = NULL;
-	output_end = NULL;
+	strbuf_setlen(&obuf, obuf.len + len);
+	strbuf_add(&obuf, "\n", 1);
+	if (!buffer_output)
+		flush_output();
 }
 
 static void output_commit_title(struct commit *commit)
diff --git a/mktree.c b/mktree.c
index 9c137dec4..e0da110a9 100644
--- a/mktree.c
+++ b/mktree.c
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ static const char mktree_usage[] = "git-mktree [-z]";
 int main(int ac, char **av)
 {
 	struct strbuf sb;
+	struct strbuf p_uq;
 	unsigned char sha1[20];
 	int line_termination = '\n';
 
@@ -82,14 +83,13 @@ int main(int ac, char **av)
 	}
 
 	strbuf_init(&sb, 0);
-	while (1) {
+	strbuf_init(&p_uq, 0);
+	while (strbuf_getline(&sb, stdin, line_termination) != EOF) {
 		char *ptr, *ntr;
 		unsigned mode;
 		enum object_type type;
 		char *path;
 
-		if (strbuf_getline(&sb, stdin, line_termination) == EOF)
-			break;
 		ptr = sb.buf;
 		/* Input is non-recursive ls-tree output format
 		 * mode SP type SP sha1 TAB name
@@ -109,18 +109,21 @@ int main(int ac, char **av)
 		*ntr++ = 0; /* now at the beginning of SHA1 */
 		if (type != type_from_string(ptr))
 			die("object type %s mismatch (%s)", ptr, typename(type));
-		ntr += 41; /* at the beginning of name */
-		if (line_termination && ntr[0] == '"')
-			path = unquote_c_style(ntr, NULL);
-		else
-			path = ntr;
 
-		append_to_tree(mode, sha1, path);
+		path = ntr + 41;  /* at the beginning of name */
+		if (line_termination && path[0] == '"') {
+			strbuf_reset(&p_uq);
+			if (unquote_c_style(&p_uq, path, NULL)) {
+				die("invalid quoting");
+			}
+			path = p_uq.buf;
+		}
 
-		if (path != ntr)
-			free(path);
+		append_to_tree(mode, sha1, path);
 	}
+	strbuf_release(&p_uq);
 	strbuf_release(&sb);
+
 	write_tree(sha1);
 	puts(sha1_to_hex(sha1));
 	exit(0);
diff --git a/quote.c b/quote.c
index d88bf7515..800fd88c9 100644
--- a/quote.c
+++ b/quote.c
@@ -12,37 +12,31 @@
  *  a'b      ==> a'\''b    ==> 'a'\''b'
  *  a!b      ==> a'\!'b    ==> 'a'\!'b'
  */
-#undef EMIT
-#define EMIT(x) do { if (++len < n) *bp++ = (x); } while(0)
-
 static inline int need_bs_quote(char c)
 {
 	return (c == '\'' || c == '!');
 }
 
-static size_t sq_quote_buf(char *dst, size_t n, const char *src)
+void sq_quote_buf(struct strbuf *dst, const char *src)
 {
-	char c;
-	char *bp = dst;
-	size_t len = 0;
-
-	EMIT('\'');
-	while ((c = *src++)) {
-		if (need_bs_quote(c)) {
-			EMIT('\'');
-			EMIT('\\');
-			EMIT(c);
-			EMIT('\'');
-		} else {
-			EMIT(c);
+	char *to_free = NULL;
+
+	if (dst->buf == src)
+		to_free = strbuf_detach(dst);
+
+	strbuf_addch(dst, '\'');
+	while (*src) {
+		size_t len = strcspn(src, "'\\");
+		strbuf_add(dst, src, len);
+		src += len;
+		while (need_bs_quote(*src)) {
+			strbuf_addstr(dst, "'\\");
+			strbuf_addch(dst, *src++);
+			strbuf_addch(dst, '\'');
 		}
 	}
-	EMIT('\'');
-
-	if ( n )
-		*bp = 0;
-
-	return len;
+	strbuf_addch(dst, '\'');
+	free(to_free);
 }
 
 void sq_quote_print(FILE *stream, const char *src)
@@ -62,11 +56,10 @@ void sq_quote_print(FILE *stream, const char *src)
 	fputc('\'', stream);
 }
 
-char *sq_quote_argv(const char** argv, int count)
+void sq_quote_argv(struct strbuf *dst, const char** argv, int count,
+                   size_t maxlen)
 {
-	char *buf, *to;
 	int i;
-	size_t len = 0;
 
 	/* Count argv if needed. */
 	if (count < 0) {
@@ -74,53 +67,14 @@ char *sq_quote_argv(const char** argv, int count)
 			; /* just counting */
 	}
 
-	/* Special case: no argv. */
-	if (!count)
-		return xcalloc(1,1);
-
-	/* Get destination buffer length. */
-	for (i = 0; i < count; i++)
-		len += sq_quote_buf(NULL, 0, argv[i]) + 1;
-
-	/* Alloc destination buffer. */
-	to = buf = xmalloc(len + 1);
-
 	/* Copy into destination buffer. */
+	strbuf_grow(dst, 32 * count);
 	for (i = 0; i < count; ++i) {
-		*to++ = ' ';
-		to += sq_quote_buf(to, len, argv[i]);
+		strbuf_addch(dst, ' ');
+		sq_quote_buf(dst, argv[i]);
+		if (maxlen && dst->len > maxlen)
+			die("Too many or long arguments");
 	}
-
-	return buf;
-}
-
-/*
- * Append a string to a string buffer, with or without shell quoting.
- * Return true if the buffer overflowed.
- */
-int add_to_string(char **ptrp, int *sizep, const char *str, int quote)
-{
-	char *p = *ptrp;
-	int size = *sizep;
-	int oc;
-	int err = 0;
-
-	if (quote)
-		oc = sq_quote_buf(p, size, str);
-	else {
-		oc = strlen(str);
-		memcpy(p, str, (size <= oc) ? size - 1 : oc);
-	}
-
-	if (size <= oc) {
-		err = 1;
-		oc = size - 1;
-	}
-
-	*ptrp += oc;
-	**ptrp = '\0';
-	*sizep -= oc;
-	return err;
 }
 
 char *sq_dequote(char *arg)
@@ -157,186 +111,213 @@ char *sq_dequote(char *arg)
 	}
 }
 
+/* 1 means: quote as octal
+ * 0 means: quote as octal if (quote_path_fully)
+ * -1 means: never quote
+ * c: quote as "\\c"
+ */
+#define X8(x)   x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x
+#define X16(x)  X8(x), X8(x)
+static signed char const sq_lookup[256] = {
+	/*           0    1    2    3    4    5    6    7 */
+	/* 0x00 */   1,   1,   1,   1,   1,   1,   1, 'a',
+	/* 0x08 */ 'b', 't', 'n', 'v', 'f', 'r',   1,   1,
+	/* 0x10 */ X16(1),
+	/* 0x20 */  -1,  -1, '"',  -1,  -1,  -1,  -1,  -1,
+	/* 0x28 */ X16(-1), X16(-1), X16(-1),
+	/* 0x58 */  -1,  -1,  -1,  -1,'\\',  -1,  -1,  -1,
+	/* 0x60 */ X16(-1), X8(-1),
+	/* 0x78 */  -1,  -1,  -1,  -1,  -1,  -1,  -1,   1,
+	/* 0x80 */ /* set to 0 */
+};
+
+static inline int sq_must_quote(char c) {
+	return sq_lookup[(unsigned char)c] + quote_path_fully > 0;
+}
+
+/* returns the longest prefix not needing a quote up to maxlen if positive.
+   This stops at the first \0 because it's marked as a character needing an
+   escape */
+static size_t next_quote_pos(const char *s, ssize_t maxlen)
+{
+	size_t len;
+	if (maxlen < 0) {
+		for (len = 0; !sq_must_quote(s[len]); len++);
+	} else {
+		for (len = 0; len < maxlen && !sq_must_quote(s[len]); len++);
+	}
+	return len;
+}
+
 /*
  * C-style name quoting.
  *
- * Does one of three things:
- *
- * (1) if outbuf and outfp are both NULL, inspect the input name and
- *     counts the number of bytes that are needed to hold c_style
- *     quoted version of name, counting the double quotes around
- *     it but not terminating NUL, and returns it.  However, if name
- *     does not need c_style quoting, it returns 0.
- *
- * (2) if outbuf is not NULL, it must point at a buffer large enough
- *     to hold the c_style quoted version of name, enclosing double
- *     quotes, and terminating NUL.  Fills outbuf with c_style quoted
- *     version of name enclosed in double-quote pair.  Return value
- *     is undefined.
+ * (1) if sb and fp are both NULL, inspect the input name and counts the
+ *     number of bytes that are needed to hold c_style quoted version of name,
+ *     counting the double quotes around it but not terminating NUL, and
+ *     returns it.
+ *     However, if name does not need c_style quoting, it returns 0.
  *
- * (3) if outfp is not NULL, outputs c_style quoted version of name,
- *     but not enclosed in double-quote pair.  Return value is undefined.
+ * (2) if sb or fp are not NULL, it emits the c_style quoted version
+ *     of name, enclosed with double quotes if asked and needed only.
+ *     Return value is the same as in (1).
  */
-
-static int quote_c_style_counted(const char *name, int namelen,
-				 char *outbuf, FILE *outfp, int no_dq)
+static size_t quote_c_style_counted(const char *name, ssize_t maxlen,
+                                    struct strbuf *sb, FILE *fp, int no_dq)
 {
 #undef EMIT
-#define EMIT(c) \
-	(outbuf ? (*outbuf++ = (c)) : outfp ? fputc(c, outfp) : (count++))
-
-#define EMITQ() EMIT('\\')
+#define EMIT(c)                                 \
+	do {                                        \
+		if (sb) strbuf_addch(sb, (c));          \
+		if (fp) fputc((c), fp);                 \
+		count++;                                \
+	} while (0)
+#define EMITBUF(s, l)                           \
+	do {                                        \
+		if (sb) strbuf_add(sb, (s), (l));       \
+		if (fp) fwrite((s), (l), 1, fp);        \
+		count += (l);                           \
+	} while (0)
+
+	size_t len, count = 0;
+	const char *p = name;
 
-	const char *sp;
-	unsigned char ch;
-	int count = 0, needquote = 0;
+	for (;;) {
+		int ch;
 
-	if (!no_dq)
-		EMIT('"');
-	for (sp = name; sp < name + namelen; sp++) {
-		ch = *sp;
-		if (!ch)
+		len = next_quote_pos(p, maxlen);
+		if (len == maxlen || !p[len])
 			break;
-		if ((ch < ' ') || (ch == '"') || (ch == '\\') ||
-		    (quote_path_fully && (ch >= 0177))) {
-			needquote = 1;
-			switch (ch) {
-			case '\a': EMITQ(); ch = 'a'; break;
-			case '\b': EMITQ(); ch = 'b'; break;
-			case '\f': EMITQ(); ch = 'f'; break;
-			case '\n': EMITQ(); ch = 'n'; break;
-			case '\r': EMITQ(); ch = 'r'; break;
-			case '\t': EMITQ(); ch = 't'; break;
-			case '\v': EMITQ(); ch = 'v'; break;
-
-			case '\\': /* fallthru */
-			case '"': EMITQ(); break;
-			default:
-				/* octal */
-				EMITQ();
-				EMIT(((ch >> 6) & 03) + '0');
-				EMIT(((ch >> 3) & 07) + '0');
-				ch = (ch & 07) + '0';
-				break;
-			}
+
+		if (!no_dq && p == name)
+			EMIT('"');
+
+		EMITBUF(p, len);
+		EMIT('\\');
+		p += len;
+		ch = (unsigned char)*p++;
+		if (sq_lookup[ch] >= ' ') {
+			EMIT(sq_lookup[ch]);
+		} else {
+			EMIT(((ch >> 6) & 03) + '0');
+			EMIT(((ch >> 3) & 07) + '0');
+			EMIT(((ch >> 0) & 07) + '0');
 		}
-		EMIT(ch);
 	}
+
+	EMITBUF(p, len);
+	if (p == name)   /* no ending quote needed */
+		return 0;
+
 	if (!no_dq)
 		EMIT('"');
-	if (outbuf)
-		*outbuf = 0;
+	return count;
+}
 
-	return needquote ? count : 0;
+size_t quote_c_style(const char *name, struct strbuf *sb, FILE *fp, int nodq)
+{
+	return quote_c_style_counted(name, -1, sb, fp, nodq);
 }
 
-int quote_c_style(const char *name, char *outbuf, FILE *outfp, int no_dq)
+void write_name_quoted(const char *name, FILE *fp, int terminator)
 {
-	int cnt = strlen(name);
-	return quote_c_style_counted(name, cnt, outbuf, outfp, no_dq);
+	if (terminator) {
+		quote_c_style(name, NULL, fp, 0);
+	} else {
+		fputs(name, fp);
+	}
+	fputc(terminator, fp);
+}
+
+extern void write_name_quotedpfx(const char *pfx, size_t pfxlen,
+                                 const char *name, FILE *fp, int terminator)
+{
+	int needquote = 0;
+
+	if (terminator) {
+		needquote = next_quote_pos(pfx, pfxlen) < pfxlen
+			|| name[next_quote_pos(name, -1)];
+	}
+	if (needquote) {
+		fputc('"', fp);
+		quote_c_style_counted(pfx, pfxlen, NULL, fp, 1);
+		quote_c_style(name, NULL, fp, 1);
+		fputc('"', fp);
+	} else {
+		fwrite(pfx, pfxlen, 1, fp);
+		fputs(name, fp);
+	}
+	fputc(terminator, fp);
 }
 
 /*
  * C-style name unquoting.
  *
- * Quoted should point at the opening double quote.  Returns
- * an allocated memory that holds unquoted name, which the caller
- * should free when done.  Updates endp pointer to point at
- * one past the ending double quote if given.
+ * Quoted should point at the opening double quote.
+ * + Returns 0 if it was able to unquote the string properly, and appends the
+ *   result in the strbuf `sb'.
+ * + Returns -1 in case of error, and doesn't touch the strbuf. Though note
+ *   that this function will allocate memory in the strbuf, so calling
+ *   strbuf_release is mandatory whichever result unquote_c_style returns.
+ *
+ * Updates endp pointer to point at one past the ending double quote if given.
  */
-
-char *unquote_c_style(const char *quoted, const char **endp)
+int unquote_c_style(struct strbuf *sb, const char *quoted, const char **endp)
 {
-	const char *sp;
-	char *name = NULL, *outp = NULL;
-	int count = 0, ch, ac;
-
-#undef EMIT
-#define EMIT(c) (outp ? (*outp++ = (c)) : (count++))
+	size_t oldlen = sb->len, len;
+	int ch, ac;
 
 	if (*quoted++ != '"')
-		return NULL;
+		return -1;
+
+	for (;;) {
+		len = strcspn(quoted, "\"\\");
+		strbuf_add(sb, quoted, len);
+		quoted += len;
+
+		switch (*quoted++) {
+		  case '"':
+			if (endp)
+				*endp = quoted + 1;
+			return 0;
+		  case '\\':
+			break;
+		  default:
+			goto error;
+		}
+
+		switch ((ch = *quoted++)) {
+		case 'a': ch = '\a'; break;
+		case 'b': ch = '\b'; break;
+		case 'f': ch = '\f'; break;
+		case 'n': ch = '\n'; break;
+		case 'r': ch = '\r'; break;
+		case 't': ch = '\t'; break;
+		case 'v': ch = '\v'; break;
 
-	while (1) {
-		/* first pass counts and allocates, second pass fills */
-		for (sp = quoted; (ch = *sp++) != '"'; ) {
-			if (ch == '\\') {
-				switch (ch = *sp++) {
-				case 'a': ch = '\a'; break;
-				case 'b': ch = '\b'; break;
-				case 'f': ch = '\f'; break;
-				case 'n': ch = '\n'; break;
-				case 'r': ch = '\r'; break;
-				case 't': ch = '\t'; break;
-				case 'v': ch = '\v'; break;
-
-				case '\\': case '"':
-					break; /* verbatim */
-
-				case '0':
-				case '1':
-				case '2':
-				case '3':
-				case '4':
-				case '5':
-				case '6':
-				case '7':
-					/* octal */
+		case '\\': case '"':
+			break; /* verbatim */
+
+		/* octal values with first digit over 4 overflow */
+		case '0': case '1': case '2': case '3':
 					ac = ((ch - '0') << 6);
-					if ((ch = *sp++) < '0' || '7' < ch)
-						return NULL;
+			if ((ch = *quoted++) < '0' || '7' < ch)
+				goto error;
 					ac |= ((ch - '0') << 3);
-					if ((ch = *sp++) < '0' || '7' < ch)
-						return NULL;
+			if ((ch = *quoted++) < '0' || '7' < ch)
+				goto error;
 					ac |= (ch - '0');
 					ch = ac;
 					break;
 				default:
-					return NULL; /* malformed */
-				}
+			goto error;
 			}
-			EMIT(ch);
+		strbuf_addch(sb, ch);
 		}
 
-		if (name) {
-			*outp = 0;
-			if (endp)
-				*endp = sp;
-			return name;
-		}
-		outp = name = xmalloc(count + 1);
-	}
-}
-
-void write_name_quoted(const char *prefix, int prefix_len,
-		       const char *name, int quote, FILE *out)
-{
-	int needquote;
-
-	if (!quote) {
-	no_quote:
-		if (prefix_len)
-			fprintf(out, "%.*s", prefix_len, prefix);
-		fputs(name, out);
-		return;
-	}
-
-	needquote = 0;
-	if (prefix_len)
-		needquote = quote_c_style_counted(prefix, prefix_len,
-						  NULL, NULL, 0);
-	if (!needquote)
-		needquote = quote_c_style(name, NULL, NULL, 0);
-	if (needquote) {
-		fputc('"', out);
-		if (prefix_len)
-			quote_c_style_counted(prefix, prefix_len,
-					      NULL, out, 1);
-		quote_c_style(name, NULL, out, 1);
-		fputc('"', out);
-	}
-	else
-		goto no_quote;
+  error:
+	strbuf_setlen(sb, oldlen);
+	return -1;
 }
 
 /* quoting as a string literal for other languages */
diff --git a/quote.h b/quote.h
index 8a59cc55d..428799099 100644
--- a/quote.h
+++ b/quote.h
@@ -29,13 +29,10 @@
  */
 
 extern void sq_quote_print(FILE *stream, const char *src);
-extern char *sq_quote_argv(const char** argv, int count);
 
-/*
- * Append a string to a string buffer, with or without shell quoting.
- * Return true if the buffer overflowed.
- */
-extern int add_to_string(char **ptrp, int *sizep, const char *str, int quote);
+extern void sq_quote_buf(struct strbuf *, const char *src);
+extern void sq_quote_argv(struct strbuf *, const char **argv, int count,
+                          size_t maxlen);
 
 /* This unwraps what sq_quote() produces in place, but returns
  * NULL if the input does not look like what sq_quote would have
@@ -43,12 +40,12 @@ extern int add_to_string(char **ptrp, int *sizep, const char *str, int quote);
  */
 extern char *sq_dequote(char *);
 
-extern int quote_c_style(const char *name, char *outbuf, FILE *outfp,
-			 int nodq);
-extern char *unquote_c_style(const char *quoted, const char **endp);
+extern int unquote_c_style(struct strbuf *, const char *quoted, const char **endp);
+extern size_t quote_c_style(const char *name, struct strbuf *, FILE *, int no_dq);
 
-extern void write_name_quoted(const char *prefix, int prefix_len,
-			      const char *name, int quote, FILE *out);
+extern void write_name_quoted(const char *name, FILE *, int terminator);
+extern void write_name_quotedpfx(const char *pfx, size_t pfxlen,
+                                 const char *name, FILE *, int terminator);
 
 /* quoting as a string literal for other languages */
 extern void perl_quote_print(FILE *stream, const char *src);
diff --git a/read-cache.c b/read-cache.c
index 2e40a3442..56202d13d 100644
--- a/read-cache.c
+++ b/read-cache.c
@@ -1136,7 +1136,7 @@ int write_index(struct index_state *istate, int newfd)
 {
 	SHA_CTX c;
 	struct cache_header hdr;
-	int i, removed;
+	int i, err, removed;
 	struct cache_entry **cache = istate->cache;
 	int entries = istate->cache_nr;
 
@@ -1165,16 +1165,15 @@ int write_index(struct index_state *istate, int newfd)
 
 	/* Write extension data here */
 	if (istate->cache_tree) {
-		unsigned long sz;
-		void *data = cache_tree_write(istate->cache_tree, &sz);
-		if (data &&
-		    !write_index_ext_header(&c, newfd, CACHE_EXT_TREE, sz) &&
-		    !ce_write(&c, newfd, data, sz))
-			free(data);
-		else {
-			free(data);
+		struct strbuf sb;
+
+		strbuf_init(&sb, 0);
+		cache_tree_write(&sb, istate->cache_tree);
+		err = write_index_ext_header(&c, newfd, CACHE_EXT_TREE, sb.len) < 0
+			|| ce_write(&c, newfd, sb.buf, sb.len) < 0;
+		strbuf_release(&sb);
+		if (err)
 			return -1;
-		}
 	}
 	return ce_flush(&c, newfd);
 }
diff --git a/rsh.c b/rsh.c
index 5754a230e..016d72ead 100644
--- a/rsh.c
+++ b/rsh.c
@@ -10,12 +10,9 @@ int setup_connection(int *fd_in, int *fd_out, const char *remote_prog,
 	char *host;
 	char *path;
 	int sv[2];
-	char command[COMMAND_SIZE];
-	char *posn;
-	int sizen;
-	int of;
 	int i;
 	pid_t pid;
+	struct strbuf cmd;
 
 	if (!strcmp(url, "-")) {
 		*fd_in = 0;
@@ -36,24 +33,23 @@ int setup_connection(int *fd_in, int *fd_out, const char *remote_prog,
 	if (!path) {
 		return error("Bad URL: %s", url);
 	}
+
 	/* $GIT_RSH <host> "env GIT_DIR=<path> <remote_prog> <args...>" */
-	sizen = COMMAND_SIZE;
-	posn = command;
-	of = 0;
-	of |= add_to_string(&posn, &sizen, "env ", 0);
-	of |= add_to_string(&posn, &sizen, GIT_DIR_ENVIRONMENT "=", 0);
-	of |= add_to_string(&posn, &sizen, path, 1);
-	of |= add_to_string(&posn, &sizen, " ", 0);
-	of |= add_to_string(&posn, &sizen, remote_prog, 1);
+	strbuf_init(&cmd, COMMAND_SIZE);
+	strbuf_addstr(&cmd, "env ");
+	strbuf_addstr(&cmd, GIT_DIR_ENVIRONMENT "=");
+	sq_quote_buf(&cmd, path);
+	strbuf_addch(&cmd, ' ');
+	sq_quote_buf(&cmd, remote_prog);
 
-	for ( i = 0 ; i < rmt_argc ; i++ ) {
-		of |= add_to_string(&posn, &sizen, " ", 0);
-		of |= add_to_string(&posn, &sizen, rmt_argv[i], 1);
+	for (i = 0 ; i < rmt_argc ; i++) {
+		strbuf_addch(&cmd, ' ');
+		sq_quote_buf(&cmd, rmt_argv[i]);
 	}
 
-	of |= add_to_string(&posn, &sizen, " -", 0);
+	strbuf_addstr(&cmd, " -");
 
-	if ( of )
+	if (cmd.len >= COMMAND_SIZE)
 		return error("Command line too long");
 
 	if (socketpair(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, 0, sv))
@@ -74,7 +70,7 @@ int setup_connection(int *fd_in, int *fd_out, const char *remote_prog,
 		close(sv[1]);
 		dup2(sv[0], 0);
 		dup2(sv[0], 1);
-		execlp(ssh, ssh_basename, host, command, NULL);
+		execlp(ssh, ssh_basename, host, cmd.buf, NULL);
 	}
 	close(sv[0]);
 	*fd_in = sv[1];
diff --git a/strbuf.c b/strbuf.c
index 59383ac77..d1e338bfb 100644
--- a/strbuf.c
+++ b/strbuf.c
@@ -50,14 +50,16 @@ void strbuf_rtrim(struct strbuf *sb)
 	sb->buf[sb->len] = '\0';
 }
 
-void strbuf_insert(struct strbuf *sb, size_t pos, const void *data, size_t len)
+int strbuf_cmp(struct strbuf *a, struct strbuf *b)
 {
-	strbuf_grow(sb, len);
-	if (pos > sb->len)
-		die("`pos' is too far after the end of the buffer");
-	memmove(sb->buf + pos + len, sb->buf + pos, sb->len - pos);
-	memcpy(sb->buf + pos, data, len);
-	strbuf_setlen(sb, sb->len + len);
+	int cmp;
+	if (a->len < b->len) {
+		cmp = memcmp(a->buf, b->buf, a->len);
+		return cmp ? cmp : -1;
+	} else {
+		cmp = memcmp(a->buf, b->buf, b->len);
+		return cmp ? cmp : a->len != b->len;
+	}
 }
 
 void strbuf_splice(struct strbuf *sb, size_t pos, size_t len,
@@ -79,6 +81,16 @@ void strbuf_splice(struct strbuf *sb, size_t pos, size_t len,
 	strbuf_setlen(sb, sb->len + dlen - len);
 }
 
+void strbuf_insert(struct strbuf *sb, size_t pos, const void *data, size_t len)
+{
+	strbuf_splice(sb, pos, 0, data, len);
+}
+
+void strbuf_remove(struct strbuf *sb, size_t pos, size_t len)
+{
+	strbuf_splice(sb, pos, len, NULL, 0);
+}
+
 void strbuf_add(struct strbuf *sb, const void *data, size_t len)
 {
 	strbuf_grow(sb, len);
@@ -165,3 +177,18 @@ int strbuf_getline(struct strbuf *sb, FILE *fp, int term)
 	sb->buf[sb->len] = '\0';
 	return 0;
 }
+
+int strbuf_read_file(struct strbuf *sb, const char *path)
+{
+	int fd, len;
+
+	fd = open(path, O_RDONLY);
+	if (fd < 0)
+		return -1;
+	len = strbuf_read(sb, fd, 0);
+	close(fd);
+	if (len < 0)
+		return -1;
+
+	return len;
+}
diff --git a/strbuf.h b/strbuf.h
index b2cbd976f..5657e3db1 100644
--- a/strbuf.h
+++ b/strbuf.h
@@ -55,21 +55,30 @@ extern void strbuf_release(struct strbuf *);
 extern void strbuf_reset(struct strbuf *);
 extern char *strbuf_detach(struct strbuf *);
 extern void strbuf_attach(struct strbuf *, void *, size_t, size_t);
+static inline void strbuf_swap(struct strbuf *a, struct strbuf *b) {
+	struct strbuf tmp = *a;
+	*a = *b;
+	*b = tmp;
+}
 
 /*----- strbuf size related -----*/
 static inline size_t strbuf_avail(struct strbuf *sb) {
-    return sb->alloc ? sb->alloc - sb->len - 1 : 0;
-}
-static inline void strbuf_setlen(struct strbuf *sb, size_t len) {
-    assert (len < sb->alloc);
-    sb->len = len;
-    sb->buf[len] = '\0';
+	return sb->alloc ? sb->alloc - sb->len - 1 : 0;
 }
 
 extern void strbuf_grow(struct strbuf *, size_t);
 
+static inline void strbuf_setlen(struct strbuf *sb, size_t len) {
+	if (!sb->alloc)
+		strbuf_grow(sb, 0);
+	assert(len < sb->alloc);
+	sb->len = len;
+	sb->buf[len] = '\0';
+}
+
 /*----- content related -----*/
 extern void strbuf_rtrim(struct strbuf *);
+extern int strbuf_cmp(struct strbuf *, struct strbuf *);
 
 /*----- add data in your buffer -----*/
 static inline void strbuf_addch(struct strbuf *sb, int c) {
@@ -78,12 +87,12 @@ static inline void strbuf_addch(struct strbuf *sb, int c) {
 	sb->buf[sb->len] = '\0';
 }
 
-/* inserts after pos, or appends if pos >= sb->len */
 extern void strbuf_insert(struct strbuf *, size_t pos, const void *, size_t);
+extern void strbuf_remove(struct strbuf *, size_t pos, size_t len);
 
 /* splice pos..pos+len with given data */
 extern void strbuf_splice(struct strbuf *, size_t pos, size_t len,
-						  const void *, size_t);
+                          const void *, size_t);
 
 extern void strbuf_add(struct strbuf *, const void *, size_t);
 static inline void strbuf_addstr(struct strbuf *sb, const char *s) {
@@ -99,7 +108,10 @@ extern void strbuf_addf(struct strbuf *sb, const char *fmt, ...);
 extern size_t strbuf_fread(struct strbuf *, size_t, FILE *);
 /* XXX: if read fails, any partial read is undone */
 extern ssize_t strbuf_read(struct strbuf *, int fd, size_t hint);
+extern int strbuf_read_file(struct strbuf *sb, const char *path);
 
 extern int strbuf_getline(struct strbuf *, FILE *, int);
 
+extern void stripspace(struct strbuf *buf, int skip_comments);
+
 #endif /* STRBUF_H */
diff --git a/trace.c b/trace.c
index 7961a27a2..69fa05e64 100644
--- a/trace.c
+++ b/trace.c
@@ -25,33 +25,6 @@
 #include "cache.h"
 #include "quote.h"
 
-/* Stolen from "imap-send.c". */
-int nfvasprintf(char **strp, const char *fmt, va_list ap)
-{
-	int len;
-	char tmp[1024];
-
-	if ((len = vsnprintf(tmp, sizeof(tmp), fmt, ap)) < 0 ||
-	    !(*strp = xmalloc(len + 1)))
-		die("Fatal: Out of memory\n");
-	if (len >= (int)sizeof(tmp))
-		vsprintf(*strp, fmt, ap);
-	else
-		memcpy(*strp, tmp, len + 1);
-	return len;
-}
-
-int nfasprintf(char **str, const char *fmt, ...)
-{
-	int rc;
-	va_list args;
-
-	va_start(args, fmt);
-	rc = nfvasprintf(str, fmt, args);
-	va_end(args);
-	return rc;
-}
-
 /* Get a trace file descriptor from GIT_TRACE env variable. */
 static int get_trace_fd(int *need_close)
 {
@@ -89,63 +62,65 @@ static int get_trace_fd(int *need_close)
 static const char err_msg[] = "Could not trace into fd given by "
 	"GIT_TRACE environment variable";
 
-void trace_printf(const char *format, ...)
+void trace_printf(const char *fmt, ...)
 {
-	char *trace_str;
-	va_list rest;
-	int need_close = 0;
-	int fd = get_trace_fd(&need_close);
+	struct strbuf buf;
+	va_list ap;
+	int fd, len, need_close = 0;
 
+	fd = get_trace_fd(&need_close);
 	if (!fd)
 		return;
 
-	va_start(rest, format);
-	nfvasprintf(&trace_str, format, rest);
-	va_end(rest);
-
-	write_or_whine_pipe(fd, trace_str, strlen(trace_str), err_msg);
+	strbuf_init(&buf, 0);
+	va_start(ap, fmt);
+	len = vsnprintf(buf.buf, strbuf_avail(&buf), fmt, ap);
+	va_end(ap);
+	if (len >= strbuf_avail(&buf)) {
+		strbuf_grow(&buf, len - strbuf_avail(&buf) + 128);
+		va_start(ap, fmt);
+		len = vsnprintf(buf.buf, strbuf_avail(&buf), fmt, ap);
+		va_end(ap);
+		if (len >= strbuf_avail(&buf))
+			die("broken vsnprintf");
+	}
+	strbuf_setlen(&buf, len);
 
-	free(trace_str);
+	write_or_whine_pipe(fd, buf.buf, buf.len, err_msg);
+	strbuf_release(&buf);
 
 	if (need_close)
 		close(fd);
 }
 
-void trace_argv_printf(const char **argv, int count, const char *format, ...)
+void trace_argv_printf(const char **argv, int count, const char *fmt, ...)
 {
-	char *argv_str, *format_str, *trace_str;
-	size_t argv_len, format_len, trace_len;
-	va_list rest;
-	int need_close = 0;
-	int fd = get_trace_fd(&need_close);
+	struct strbuf buf;
+	va_list ap;
+	int fd, len, need_close = 0;
 
+	fd = get_trace_fd(&need_close);
 	if (!fd)
 		return;
 
-	/* Get the argv string. */
-	argv_str = sq_quote_argv(argv, count);
-	argv_len = strlen(argv_str);
-
-	/* Get the formated string. */
-	va_start(rest, format);
-	nfvasprintf(&format_str, format, rest);
-	va_end(rest);
-
-	/* Allocate buffer for trace string. */
-	format_len = strlen(format_str);
-	trace_len = argv_len + format_len + 1; /* + 1 for \n */
-	trace_str = xmalloc(trace_len + 1);
-
-	/* Copy everything into the trace string. */
-	strncpy(trace_str, format_str, format_len);
-	strncpy(trace_str + format_len, argv_str, argv_len);
-	strcpy(trace_str + trace_len - 1, "\n");
-
-	write_or_whine_pipe(fd, trace_str, trace_len, err_msg);
+	strbuf_init(&buf, 0);
+	va_start(ap, fmt);
+	len = vsnprintf(buf.buf, strbuf_avail(&buf), fmt, ap);
+	va_end(ap);
+	if (len >= strbuf_avail(&buf)) {
+		strbuf_grow(&buf, len - strbuf_avail(&buf) + 128);
+		va_start(ap, fmt);
+		len = vsnprintf(buf.buf, strbuf_avail(&buf), fmt, ap);
+		va_end(ap);
+		if (len >= strbuf_avail(&buf))
+			die("broken vsnprintf");
+	}
+	strbuf_setlen(&buf, len);
 
-	free(argv_str);
-	free(format_str);
-	free(trace_str);
+	sq_quote_argv(&buf, argv, count, 0);
+	strbuf_addch(&buf, '\n');
+	write_or_whine_pipe(fd, buf.buf, buf.len, err_msg);
+	strbuf_release(&buf);
 
 	if (need_close)
 		close(fd);