Personally, I think the current label (Reinstall Joomla core files) is better suited

There is a PR to handle the reinstall URL #11497 so you can have a real reinstall package

If it is limited to reinstall core files only, the current label is better. If it performs database update/fix as well then the better choice would be just "Reinstall Joomla".

As mentioned on Joomla! CMS Development it just executes the update again. Which means it does the same thing as what the original update does. Obviously, it doesn't process the schema changes again, that would produce a lot of errors. It does process new schema changes (unprocessed schema changes)

Surprised to see that people still don't know what an update does. There is more to it than replacing files and processing database updates.

Well, certainly a schema change process would cause errors as most (if not all) of the sql servers do not allow IF EXISTS type of check for columns and several other limitations also apply.

And there is nothing to be surprised. Not all of us use/work with every segment of anything, even Joomla. ?

Reinstall means more to me that just replacing files. It is not correct to say "Update again" as that implies it is only useful for people who have already done an update. It might be a fresh 3.6.2 site that they made a mistake and hacked core files and they want to reinstall

Should we have something that checks the integrity of everything in Joomla core files + database and fixes them as well? About files a simple overwrite/delete should be sufficient. But when it comes to database check it usually gets complicated.
May be we can have a some schema definition file format other than plain SQL scripts – may be XML or something better, that can be used to build/fix the db using the appropriate drivers.

This may be an off-topic query. Should I take this to JCMS Google Groups instead?

In the core? There are some external components and services that provide that kind of check iirc

I think having that in the core will help better.

I am even less in favour of just changing it to the word "update" - that is definitely an incorrect description in english as you are definitely not updating when you reinstall the same version

In my opinion the current text is good enough for people to understand that they can reinstall Joomla. Users do not need to know or understand all the things that go on behind the scenes.

Therefore I will close this PR as it will not be merged. Thank you all for your participation.

Reinstall Joomla files suggests they are reinstalled but they are not reinstalled ... they are rewritten and the the update run.

'Update' suggests the site is updated but it is not updated

imho both 'Reinstall Joomla' files and 'Update' are incorrect. Perhaps 'Rerun Update' would be more descriptive because most users know that running the update replaces the files and makes necessary changes to the database ?

You can not rerun an update if the site has never been updated - that makes no sense

But you can't 'Reinstall Joomla files' because they the files are written not installed

Maybe Refresh Joomla files?

If we are really into changing it, then imho, the better substitute could be "Reset Joomla core files"

Why don't you call it Refresh manifests, that is also one of the thing the update does.
Or Remove obsolete files, Update Assets,Flush sessions, convert to utf8mb4

Maybe instead just mentioning one of those actions, use Apply update.