docs: add narrative docs for conditional params

- 'if_genration_match'
- 'if_genration_not_match'
- 'if_metageneration_match'
- 'if_metageneration_not_match'

Toward #460.

docs/generation_metageneration.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+Conditional Requests Via Generation / Metageneration
+====================================================
+
+Concepts
+--------
+
+Metageneration
+::::::::::::::
+
+When you create a :class:`~google.cloud.storage.bucket.Bucket`,
+its :attr:`~google.cloud.storage.bucket.Bucket.metageneration` is initialized
+to ``1``, representing the initial version of the bucket's metadata.
+
+When you first upload a
+:class:`~google.cloud.storage.blob.Blob` ("Object" in the GCS back-end docs),
+its :attr:`~google.cloud.storage.blob.Blob.metageneration` is likewise
+initialized to ``1``.  representing the initial version of the blob's metadata.
+
+The ``metageneration`` attribute is set by the GCS back-end, and is read-only
+in the client library.
+
+WHenever you patch or update the bucket / blob's metadata, its
+``metageneration`` is incremented.
+
+Generation
+::::::::::
+
+Each time you upload a new version of a file to a
+:class:`~google.cloud.storage.blob.Blob` ("Object" in the GCS back-end docs),
+the Blob's :attr:`~google.cloud.storage.blob.generation` is increased, and its
+:attr:`~google.cloud.storage.blob.metageneration` is reset to ``1`` (the first
+metadata version for that generation of the blob).
+
+The ``generation`` attribute is set by the GCS back-end, and is read-only
+in the client library.
+
+See also
+::::::::
+
+- `Storage API Generation Precondition docs`_
+
+.. _Storage API Generation Precondition docs:
+   https://cloud.google.com/storage/docs/generations-preconditions
+
+
+Conditional Parameters
+----------------------
+
+.. _using-if-generation-match:
+
+Using ``if_generation_match``
+:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
+
+Passing the ``if_generation_match`` parameter to a method which retrieves a
+blob resource (e.g.,
+:meth:`Blob.reload <google.cloud.storage.blob.Blob.reload>`) or modifies
+the blob (e.g.,
+:meth:`Blob.update <google.cloud.storage.blob.Blob.update>`)
+makes the operation conditional on whether the blob's current ``generation``
+matches the given value.
+
+As a special case, passing ``0`` as the value for``if_generation_match``
+makes the operation succeed only if there are no live versions of the blob.
+
+
+.. _using-if-generation-not-match:
+
+Using ``if_generation_not_match``
+:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
+
+Passing the ``if_generation_not_match`` parameter to a method which retrieves
+a blob resource (e.g.,
+:meth:`Blob.reload <google.cloud.storage.blob.Blob.reload>`) or modifies
+the blob (e.g.,
+:meth:`Blob.update <google.cloud.storage.blob.Blob.update>`)
+makes the operation conditional on whether the blob's current ``generation``
+does **not** match the given value.
+
+If no live version of the blob exists, the precondition fails.
+
+As a special case, passing ``0`` as the value for ``if_generation_not_match``
+makes the operation succeed only if there **is** a live version of the blob.
+
+
+.. _using-if-metageneration-match:
+
+Using ``if_metageneration_match``
+:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
+
+Passing the ``if_metageneration_match`` parameter to a method which retrieves
+a blob or bucket resource
+(e.g., :meth:`Blob.reaload <google.cloud.storage.blob.Blob.reload>`,
+:meth:`Bucket.reload <google.cloud.storage.bucket.Bucket.reload>`)
+or modifies the blob or bucket (e.g.,
+:meth:`Blob.update <google.cloud.storage.blob.Blob.update>`
+:meth:`Bucket.patch <google.cloud.storage.bucket.Bucket.patch>`)
+makes the operation conditional on whether the resource's current
+``metageneration`` matches the given value.
+
+
+.. _using-if-metageneration-not-match:
+
+Using ``if_metageneration_not_match``
+:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
+
+Passing the ``if_metageneration_not_match`` parameter to a method which
+retrieves a blob or bucket resource
+(e.g., :meth:`Blob.reaload <google.cloud.storage.blob.Blob.reload>`,
+:meth:`Bucket.reload <google.cloud.storage.bucket.Bucket.reload>`)
+or modifies the blob or bucket (e.g.,
+:meth:`Blob.update <google.cloud.storage.blob.Blob.update>`
+:meth:`Bucket.patch <google.cloud.storage.bucket.Bucket.patch>`)
+makes the operation conditional on whether the resource's current
+``metageneration`` does **not** match the given value.

docs/index.rst

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ API Reference
   hmac_key
   notification
   retry_timeout
+  generation_metageneration
 
 Changelog
 ---------