From c31f0b241fdebf119e2d34bf96b87b8c0dfc90c6 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: h <h@kotikot.com>
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 2026 20:40:21 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] TEMPLATES_REF for template development

---
 README.md    | 2 +-
 templates.py | 3 ++-
 2 files changed, 3 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6dea8f8..a2c3ba2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -15,6 +15,6 @@ updateproject backend    # one part
 newproject ~/projects/my-thing --parts backend,frontend,caddy --backend python --frontend svelte --serve bun --defaults
 ```
 
-One part alone is rendered at the root of the project; two parts live in `backend/` and `frontend/`. Templates are cloned from `https://git.kotikot.com/templates` unless `TEMPLATES_DIR` points at a directory with local checkouts.
+One part alone is rendered at the root of the project; two parts live in `backend/` and `frontend/`. Templates are cloned from `https://git.kotikot.com/templates` unless `TEMPLATES_DIR` points at a directory with local checkouts; `TEMPLATES_REF=HEAD` renders their working trees instead of the latest tag.
 
 Requires `uv`; `bun`, `docker` and `pre-commit` are used by the generated projects.
diff --git a/templates.py b/templates.py
index 7892007..96d528e 100644
--- a/templates.py
+++ b/templates.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import questionary
 from copier import run_copy, run_update
 
 SOURCE = os.environ.get("TEMPLATES_DIR", "https://git.kotikot.com/templates")
+REF = os.environ.get("TEMPLATES_REF")
 BACKENDS = {"python": "backend-python"}
 FRONTENDS = {"svelte": "frontend-svelte"}
 SERVE = ["bun", "static", "api"]
@@ -72,7 +73,7 @@ def new(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
     routes = [r for r, ok in (("api", backend), ("frontend", frontend and serve != "api")) if ok]
 
     def copy(name: str, data: dict) -> None:
-        run_copy(template(name), dest, data=data, unsafe=True, defaults=args.defaults)
+        run_copy(template(name), dest, data=data, unsafe=True, defaults=args.defaults, vcs_ref=REF)
 
     dest.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
     copy("infra", {"layout": "single" if single else "parts", "parts": [] if single else stack})