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+sub-process API
+===============
+
+The sub-process API makes it possible to run background sub-processes
+for the entire lifetime of a Git invocation. If Git needs to communicate
+with an external process multiple times, then this can reduces the process
+invocation overhead. Git and the sub-process communicate through stdin and
+stdout.
+
+The sub-processes are kept in a hashmap by command name and looked up
+via the subprocess_find_entry function.  If an existing instance can not
+be found then a new process should be created and started.  When the
+parent git command terminates, all sub-processes are also terminated.
+
+This API is based on the run-command API.
+
+Data structures
+---------------
+
+* `struct subprocess_entry`
+
+The sub-process structure.  Members should not be accessed directly.
+
+Types
+-----
+
+'int(*subprocess_start_fn)(struct subprocess_entry *entry)'::
+
+	User-supplied function to initialize the sub-process.  This is
+	typically used to negotiate the interface version and capabilities.
+
+
+Functions
+---------
+
+`cmd2process_cmp`::
+
+	Function to test two subprocess hashmap entries for equality.
+
+`subprocess_start`::
+
+	Start a subprocess and add it to the subprocess hashmap.
+
+`subprocess_stop`::
+
+	Kill a subprocess and remove it from the subprocess hashmap.
+
+`subprocess_find_entry`::
+
+	Find a subprocess in the subprocess hashmap.
+
+`subprocess_get_child_process`::
+
+	Get the underlying `struct child_process` from a subprocess.
+
+`subprocess_read_status`::
+
+	Helper function to read packets looking for the last "status=<foo>"
+	key/value pair.