+/*
+ * If the string "str" begins with the string found in "prefix", return 1.
+ * The "out" parameter is set to "str + strlen(prefix)" (i.e., to the point in
+ * the string right after the prefix).
+ *
+ * Otherwise, return 0 and leave "out" untouched.
+ *
+ * Examples:
+ *
+ * [extract branch name, fail if not a branch]
+ * if (!skip_prefix(ref, "refs/heads/", &branch)
+ * return -1;
+ *
+ * [skip prefix if present, otherwise use whole string]
+ * skip_prefix(name, "refs/heads/", &name);
+ */
+static inline int skip_prefix(const char *str, const char *prefix,
+ const char **out)