Re: Git GSoC 2014

Jeff King <peff@peff.net> writes:

I can be backup, if Shawn doesn't want it.

Here's my moonshot:

--- 8< --- Replace object loading/writing layer by libgit2

Git reads objects from storage (loose and packed) through functions in sha1_file.c. Most commands only require very simple, opaque read and write access to the object storage. As a weatherballoon, show that it is feasible to use libgit2 git_odb_* routines for these simple callers.

Aim for passing the git test suite using git_odb_* object storage access, except for tests that verify behavior in the face of storage corruption, replacement objects, alternate storage locations, and similar quirks. Of course it is even better if you pass the test suite without exception.

Language: C
Difficulty: hard
Possible mentors: Thomas Rast and <fill in libgit2 expert>
--- >8 ---

That absolutely requires a co-mentor from the libgit2 side to do, however. Perhaps you could talk someone into it? ;-)

Motivation: I believe that migrating to libgit2 is the better approach,
medium term, than rewriting everything ourselves to be nice, clean and
thread-safe.  I took a shot a while ago at making the pack reading code
thread-safe, but it's adding mess when we could simply replace it all by
the already thread-safe libgit2 calls.  It also helps shake out
incompatibilities in libgit2.

Downside: not listing "code merged" as a goal may not make the project
as shiny, neither for Git nor for the student.