Summary

Core's --git intercepts every git-smart-HTTP request globally, so a plugin cannot serve git-over-HTTP under its own prefix. isGitRequest(urlPath) matches by substring regardless of path:

// src/handlers/git.js
export function isGitRequest(urlPath) {
  return urlPath.includes('/info/refs')
    || urlPath.includes('/git-upload-pack')
    || urlPath.includes('/git-receive-pack');
}

The onRequest hook and the git-handler dispatch in server.js both use it, so a request like GET /forge/<owner>/<repo>.git/info/refs?service=git-upload-pack is grabbed by core's git handler — which looks the repo up under the pod root, doesn't find it, and returns 401 — before the plugin that owns /forge ever sees it.

Consumer / proof-of-need

The out-of-tree forge plugin (JavaScriptSolidServer/plugins) hosts git repos at /forge/<owner>/<name>.git and serves smart-HTTP itself (via git-http-backend, the gitscratch/ pattern). With --git enabled on the same server, clone/push to the forge's URLs fail — core shadows them. The forge's browse / UI / anchor / nostr layers work (different paths); only its git transport is shadowed. This blocks using the forge as a real remote on any pod that also runs core --git (which serves the pod's own repos).

It's an either/or today:

• --git on → pod-git works, forge-git shadowed
• --git off → forge-git works, but the pod's own repos lose git-over-HTTP

You can't have both.

Proposed fix

Core's git dispatch should skip paths owned by a plugin — the loader already knows each plugin's prefix (and its api.reservePath claims). Options:

1. Exclude registered plugin prefixes from the git guard (cleanest — a plugin mounted at /forge owns /forge/*, git or not).
2. Exclude api.reservePath-claimed paths from the git guard.
3. A config escape hatch, e.g. gitExclude: ['/forge'].

Any of these lets core pod-git and plugin-served git coexist.

Workaround

A one-line local patch to isGitRequest excluding the plugin prefix (if (urlPath.startsWith('/forge/')) return false;) restores forge git while keeping pod-git — demo-grade, pending the general fix above.