This repo uses two levels of git submodules:
Note, when cloning huge git repos, you can pass --depth=1 to limit the number of commits pulled. This option also works with the git submodule command.
As a long time user of git submodules in the Yoe Distribution, I feel submodules solve a very practical problem very simply.
[cbrake@mars hugo]$ git clone https://github.com/google/docsy-example.git
Cloning into 'docsy-example'...
remote: Enumerating objects: 7, done.
remote: Counting objects: 100% (7/7), done.
remote: Compressing objects: 100% (7/7), done.
remote: Total 1120 (delta 1), reused 0 (delta 0), pack-reused 1113
Receiving objects: 100% (1120/1120), 2.47 MiB | 734.00 KiB/s, done.
Resolving deltas: 100% (569/569), done.
[cbrake@mars hugo]$ cd docsy-example/
[cbrake@mars docsy-example]$ git submodule update --init --re
--rebase --recommend-shallow --recursive --reference --remote
[cbrake@mars docsy-example]$ git submodule update --init --recursive --depth=1
Submodule 'themes/docsy' (https://github.com/google/docsy) registered for path 'themes/docsy'
Cloning into '/scratch/hugo/docsy-example/themes/docsy'...
remote: Total 0 (delta 0), reused 0 (delta 0), pack-reused 0
remote: Enumerating objects: 23, done.
remote: Counting objects: 100% (23/23), done.
remote: Compressing objects: 100% (12/12), done.
remote: Total 12 (delta 8), reused 3 (delta 0), pack-reused 0
Unpacking objects: 100% (12/12), 1.49 KiB | 762.00 KiB/s, done.
From https://github.com/google/docsy
* branch 9030b750190321a5624515f66edc23c249a6f3ac -> FETCH_HEAD
Submodule path 'themes/docsy': checked out '9030b750190321a5624515f66edc23c249a6f3ac'
Submodule 'assets/vendor/Font-Awesome' (https://github.com/FortAwesome/Font-Awesome.git) registered for path 'themes/docsy/assets/vendor/Font-Awesome'
Submodule 'assets/vendor/bootstrap' (https://github.com/twbs/bootstrap.git) registered for path 'themes/docsy/assets/vendor/bootstrap'
Cloning into '/scratch/hugo/docsy-example/themes/docsy/assets/vendor/Font-Awesome'...
Cloning into '/scratch/hugo/docsy-example/themes/docsy/assets/vendor/bootstrap'...
remote: Total 0 (delta 0), reused 0 (delta 0), pack-reused 0
remote: Enumerating objects: 378, done.
remote: Counting objects: 100% (378/378), done.
remote: Compressing objects: 100% (183/183), done.
remote: Total 195 (delta 104), reused 78 (delta 11), pack-reused 0
Receiving objects: 100% (195/195), 1.23 MiB | 794.00 KiB/s, done.
Resolving deltas: 100% (104/104), completed with 91 local objects.
From https://github.com/FortAwesome/Font-Awesome
* branch 538a5bc4cf7989821d052e3ff919e2bead07021c -> FETCH_HEAD
Submodule path 'themes/docsy/assets/vendor/Font-Awesome': checked out '538a5bc4cf7989821d052e3ff919e2bead07021c'
remote: Total 0 (delta 0), reused 0 (delta 0), pack-reused 0
remote: Enumerating objects: 633, done.
remote: Counting objects: 100% (633/633), done.
remote: Compressing objects: 100% (463/463), done.
remote: Total 480 (delta 121), reused 176 (delta 13), pack-reused 0
Receiving objects: 100% (480/480), 1.44 MiB | 859.00 KiB/s, done.
Resolving deltas: 100% (121/121), completed with 78 local objects.
From https://github.com/twbs/bootstrap
* branch 3b558734382ce58b51e5fc676453bfd53bba9201 -> FETCH_HEAD
Submodule path 'themes/docsy/assets/vendor/bootstrap': checked out '3b558734382ce58b51e5fc676453bfd53bba9201'