$ git fetch
From https://github.com/chaconinc/DbConnector
   c3f01dc..d0354fc  master     -> origin/master
$ git merge origin/master
Updating c3f01dc..d0354fc
Fast-forward
 scripts/connect.sh | 1 +
 src/db.c           | 1 +
 2 files changed, 2 insertions(+)

$ git config --global diff.submodule log
$ git diff
Submodule DbConnector c3f01dc..d0354fc:
  > more efficient db routine
  > better connection routine

$ git submodule update --remote DbConnector
remote: Counting objects: 4, done.
remote: Compressing objects: 100% (2/2), done.
remote: Total 4 (delta 2), reused 4 (delta 2)
Unpacking objects: 100% (4/4), done.
From https://github.com/chaconinc/DbConnector
   3f19983..d0354fc  master     -> origin/master
Submodule path 'DbConnector': checked out 'd0354fc054692d3906c85c3af05ddce39a1c0644'

$ git config -f .gitmodules submodule.DbConnector.branch stable

$ git submodule update --remote
remote: Counting objects: 4, done.
remote: Compressing objects: 100% (2/2), done.
remote: Total 4 (delta 2), reused 4 (delta 2)
Unpacking objects: 100% (4/4), done.
From https://github.com/chaconinc/DbConnector
   27cf5d3..c87d55d  stable -> origin/stable
Submodule path 'DbConnector': checked out 'c87d55d4c6d4b05ee34fbc8cb6f7bf4585ae6687'

$ git status
On branch master
Your branch is up-to-date with 'origin/master'.

Changes not staged for commit:
  (use "git add <file>..." to update what will be committed)
  (use "git checkout -- <file>..." to discard changes in working directory)

  modified:   .gitmodules
  modified:   DbConnector (new commits)

no changes added to commit (use "git add" and/or "git commit -a")

$ git config status.submodulesummary 1

$ git status
On branch master
Your branch is up-to-date with 'origin/master'.

Changes not staged for commit:
  (use "git add <file>..." to update what will be committed)
  (use "git checkout -- <file>..." to discard changes in working directory)

	modified:   .gitmodules
	modified:   DbConnector (new commits)

Submodules changed but not updated:

* DbConnector c3f01dc...c87d55d (4):
  > catch non-null terminated lines

$ git diff
diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
index 6fc0b3d..fd1cc29 100644
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 [submodule "DbConnector"]
        path = DbConnector
        url = https://github.com/chaconinc/DbConnector
+       branch = stable
 Submodule DbConnector c3f01dc..c87d55d:
  > catch non-null terminated lines
  > more robust error handling
  > more efficient db routine
  > better connection routine

$ git log -p --submodule
commit 0a24cfc121a8a3c118e0105ae4ae4c00281cf7ae
Author: Scott Chacon <schacon@gmail.com>
Date:   Wed Sep 17 16:37:02 2014 +0200

    updating DbConnector for bug fixes

diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
index 6fc0b3d..fd1cc29 100644
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 [submodule "DbConnector"]
        path = DbConnector
        url = https://github.com/chaconinc/DbConnector
+       branch = stable
Submodule DbConnector c3f01dc..c87d55d:
  > catch non-null terminated lines
  > more robust error handling
  > more efficient db routine
  > better connection routine

$ git checkout stable
Switched to branch 'stable'

$ git submodule update --remote --merge
remote: Counting objects: 4, done.
remote: Compressing objects: 100% (2/2), done.
remote: Total 4 (delta 2), reused 4 (delta 2)
Unpacking objects: 100% (4/4), done.
From https://github.com/chaconinc/DbConnector
   c87d55d..92c7337  stable     -> origin/stable
Updating c87d55d..92c7337
Fast-forward
 src/main.c | 1 +
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+)
Submodule path 'DbConnector': merged in '92c7337b30ef9e0893e758dac2459d07362ab5ea'

$ cd DbConnector/
$ vim src/db.c
$ git commit -am 'unicode support'
[stable f906e16] unicode support
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+)

$ git submodule update --remote --rebase
First, rewinding head to replay your work on top of it...
Applying: unicode support
Submodule path 'DbConnector': rebased into '5d60ef9bbebf5a0c1c1050f242ceeb54ad58da94'

$ git submodule update --remote
Submodule path 'DbConnector': checked out '5d60ef9bbebf5a0c1c1050f242ceeb54ad58da94'

$ git submodule update --remote
remote: Counting objects: 4, done.
remote: Compressing objects: 100% (3/3), done.
remote: Total 4 (delta 0), reused 4 (delta 0)
Unpacking objects: 100% (4/4), done.
From https://github.com/chaconinc/DbConnector
   5d60ef9..c75e92a  stable     -> origin/stable
error: Your local changes to the following files would be overwritten by checkout:
	scripts/setup.sh
Please, commit your changes or stash them before you can switch branches.
Aborting
Unable to checkout 'c75e92a2b3855c9e5b66f915308390d9db204aca' in submodule path 'DbConnector'

$ git submodule update --remote --merge
Auto-merging scripts/setup.sh
CONFLICT (content): Merge conflict in scripts/setup.sh
Recorded preimage for 'scripts/setup.sh'
Automatic merge failed; fix conflicts and then commit the result.
Unable to merge 'c75e92a2b3855c9e5b66f915308390d9db204aca' in submodule path 'DbConnector'

$ git diff
Submodule DbConnector c87d55d..82d2ad3:
  > Merge from origin/stable
  > updated setup script
  > unicode support
  > remove unnecessary method
  > add new option for conn pooling

$ git push --recurse-submodules=check
The following submodule paths contain changes that can
not be found on any remote:
  DbConnector

Please try

	git push --recurse-submodules=on-demand

or cd to the path and use

	git push

to push them to a remote.

$ git push --recurse-submodules=on-demand
Pushing submodule 'DbConnector'
Counting objects: 9, done.
Delta compression using up to 8 threads.
Compressing objects: 100% (8/8), done.
Writing objects: 100% (9/9), 917 bytes | 0 bytes/s, done.
Total 9 (delta 3), reused 0 (delta 0)
To https://github.com/chaconinc/DbConnector
   c75e92a..82d2ad3  stable -> stable
Counting objects: 2, done.
Delta compression using up to 8 threads.
Compressing objects: 100% (2/2), done.
Writing objects: 100% (2/2), 266 bytes | 0 bytes/s, done.
Total 2 (delta 1), reused 0 (delta 0)
To https://github.com/chaconinc/MainProject
   3d6d338..9a377d1  master -> master

$ git pull
remote: Counting objects: 2, done.
remote: Compressing objects: 100% (1/1), done.
remote: Total 2 (delta 1), reused 2 (delta 1)
Unpacking objects: 100% (2/2), done.
From https://github.com/chaconinc/MainProject
   9a377d1..eb974f8  master     -> origin/master
Fetching submodule DbConnector
warning: Failed to merge submodule DbConnector (merge following commits not found)
Auto-merging DbConnector
CONFLICT (submodule): Merge conflict in DbConnector
Automatic merge failed; fix conflicts and then commit the result.

$ git diff
diff --cc DbConnector
index eb41d76,c771610..0000000
--- a/DbConnector
+++ b/DbConnector

$ cd DbConnector

$ git rev-parse HEAD
eb41d764bccf88be77aced643c13a7fa86714135

$ git branch try-merge c771610
(DbConnector) $ git merge try-merge
Auto-merging src/main.c
CONFLICT (content): Merge conflict in src/main.c
Recorded preimage for 'src/main.c'
Automatic merge failed; fix conflicts and then commit the result.

$ vim src/main.c (1)
$ git add src/main.c
$ git commit -am 'merged our changes'
Recorded resolution for 'src/main.c'.
[master 9fd905e] merged our changes

$ cd .. (2)
$ git diff (3)
diff --cc DbConnector
index eb41d76,c771610..0000000
--- a/DbConnector
+++ b/DbConnector
@@@ -1,1 -1,1 +1,1 @@@
- Subproject commit eb41d764bccf88be77aced643c13a7fa86714135
 -Subproject commit c77161012afbbe1f58b5053316ead08f4b7e6d1d
++Subproject commit 9fd905e5d7f45a0d4cbc43d1ee550f16a30e825a
$ git add DbConnector (4)

$ git commit -m "Merge Tom's Changes" (5)
[master 10d2c60] Merge Tom's Changes

$ git merge origin/master
warning: Failed to merge submodule DbConnector (not fast-forward)
Found a possible merge resolution for the submodule:
 9fd905e5d7f45a0d4cbc43d1ee550f16a30e825a: > merged our changes
If this is correct simply add it to the index for example
by using:

  git update-index --cacheinfo 160000 9fd905e5d7f45a0d4cbc43d1ee550f16a30e825a "DbConnector"

which will accept this suggestion.
Auto-merging DbConnector
CONFLICT (submodule): Merge conflict in DbConnector
Automatic merge failed; fix conflicts and then commit the result.

$ cd DbConnector/
$ git merge 9fd905e
Updating eb41d76..9fd905e
Fast-forward

$ cd ..
$ git add DbConnector
$ git commit -am 'Fast forwarded to a common submodule child'

$ git submodule foreach 'git stash'
Entering 'CryptoLibrary'
No local changes to save
Entering 'DbConnector'
Saved working directory and index state WIP on stable: 82d2ad3 Merge from origin/stable
HEAD is now at 82d2ad3 Merge from origin/stable

$ git submodule foreach 'git checkout -b featureA'
Entering 'CryptoLibrary'
Switched to a new branch 'featureA'
Entering 'DbConnector'
Switched to a new branch 'featureA'

$ git diff; git submodule foreach 'git diff'
Submodule DbConnector contains modified content
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 210f1ae..1f0acdc 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -245,6 +245,8 @@ static int handle_alias(int *argcp, const char ***argv)

      commit_pager_choice();

+     url = url_decode(url_orig);
+
      /* build alias_argv */
      alias_argv = xmalloc(sizeof(*alias_argv) * (argc + 1));
      alias_argv[0] = alias_string + 1;
Entering 'DbConnector'
diff --git a/src/db.c b/src/db.c
index 1aaefb6..5297645 100644
--- a/src/db.c
+++ b/src/db.c
@@ -93,6 +93,11 @@ char *url_decode_mem(const char *url, int len)
        return url_decode_internal(&url, len, NULL, &out, 0);
 }

+char *url_decode(const char *url)
+{
+       return url_decode_mem(url, strlen(url));
+}
+
 char *url_decode_parameter_name(const char **query)
 {
        struct strbuf out = STRBUF_INIT;

$ git config alias.sdiff '!'"git diff && git submodule foreach 'git diff'"
$ git config alias.spush 'push --recurse-submodules=on-demand'
$ git config alias.supdate 'submodule update --remote --merge'