In git log --name-status, what does the T type ("file changed") mean?

Question

man git-log in --name-status paragraph refers to --diff-filter, which, in turn, says that T is "Changed", and M is "Modified".

man git-diff says

T: change in the type of the file.

I created a test repo.

• Changing file executable bit results in M.
• Deleting a file and creating a directory with the same name results in D and A.
• Replacing a text file with a binary file results in M again (I know that git evaluates file types on the fly, but it was worth trying).

So what does T "Changed" mean there?

Answer 1

M means that the content of the file has been Modified.
T means that the Type of the file has been changed, e.g. it used to be a regular file, but has been changed into a symbolic link, etc.