Found this undocumented option:

let g:sleuth_editorconfig_overrides = {
    \ expand('$HOMEBREW_PREFIX/.editorconfig'): '',
    \ }

I think there is a related challenge here with NeoVim. @tpope, I'm not sure if you consider NeoVim a supported user of this plugin (although I use and have been using it regularly together over the last few years). NeoVim has fairly recently merged built-in editorconfig support: neovim/neovim#21633. It would be really nice to be able to disable the editorconfig capabilities of vim-sleuth, whilst retaining its heuristics (which are super-useful in the 80% case where editorconfig is not yet used for a project).

Disabling EditorConfig in Sleuth would cause it to apply heuristics even when a relevant EditorConfig rule exists. Depending on autocommand order this could even cause Sleuth's heuristics to override Neovim's built-in EditorConfig support. Whereas now, the worst case scenario is settings get applied twice. Am I missing something?

@andrewferrier Alternatively, disable Neovim's builtin EditorConfig support in favor of vim-sleuth's (pending neovim/neovim#21649):

let g:editorconfig = v:false

@tpope it's a fair point, current worst case is actually better. Let's stick with what you have.

@gpanders thanks, wasn't aware of that PR.

Found this undocumented option:

let g:sleuth_editorconfig_overrides = {
    \ expand('$HOMEBREW_PREFIX/.editorconfig'): '',
    \ }

I don't think this option supports what I want to do. I want to override editorconfig but only in .git data directories, since I often edit .git/config directly which should always use tabs. Git data directories are not part of the repository so should never be influenced by editorconfig anyway.

I don't think this option supports what I want to do. I want to override editorconfig but only in .git data directories, since I often edit .git/config directly which should always use tabs.

It doesn't do what you want to do, but it solves the problem you're trying to solve. Namely the problem is using *:

[*]
indent_style = space

There's a difference between "this project uses spaces for indentation" and "every file in every subdirectory of this directory should use spaces instead of tabs". Personally, any time I see *, I want to throw the .editorconfig out and start over. Hence the design of the option.

For what you want to do, there's no built-in solution, but it should be straightforward to achieve by sticking a root = true EditorConfig in a Git init template.

Git data directories are not part of the repository so should never be influenced by editorconfig anyway.

Citation needed. I don't see anything in the EditorConfig spec about that. In fact, some usages of EditorConfig assume you do want it to influence .git.

You're right, and I agree about *. Like OP my problem is also related to nested repositories in homebrew. Maybe I will see if I can get this changed over there.

For what you want to do, there's no built-in solution, but it should be straightforward to achieve by sticking a root = true EditorConfig in a Git init template.

Interesting idea! I suppose I can add that to my existing clones as well. Thanks.

I suppose I can add that to my existing clones as well.

If you call git init in an existing repository, it will update the repository with files from the template.

You're right, and I agree about *. Like OP my problem is also related to nested repositories in homebrew. Maybe I will see if I can get this changed over there.

Oh please do. That will help a lot more than just Sleuth users. I think the ideal fix there would be to target not (just?) file extensions but the containing directories. The .gitignore opts in certain paths, and I think the .editorconfig should mirror that, though it doesn't need to be quite so granular.