# [QUESTION] How does Git ref backend work 2 messages from 2023-04-12 to 2023-04-12. Participants: ZheNing Hu. Thread: https://gitlist.dev/t/59581 ## ZheNing Hu, 2023-04-12 06:25 Subject: [QUESTION] How does Git ref backend work Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/CAOLTT8Tg_Gkj6jid-sH_A%3D-xajN%3Drd%3DVgh-nqHY5NcJ4-VExbg%40mail.gmail.com ``` 1. I noticed that normally refs transactions use the refs files-backend, looking at the reference transaction of refs files-backend alone: First, it opens a transaction in memory, then multiple update items are added in memory, and finally, when the reference transaction is committed, it creates a ref.lock for each update item, renames it to the real address of the ref. but there seems to be some packed-backend logic coupled inside of files-backend. This makes me wonder why these ref backends are not independent? 2. Is the reftable backend in a usable state? How can I enable it? I couldn't find any clues on https://www.git-scm.com/docs/reftable. 3. Will future git refs backend possibly support external storage media e.g. Redis? Thanks, -- ZheNing Hu ``` ## ZheNing Hu, 2023-04-12 06:48 Subject: Re: [QUESTION] How does Git ref backend work Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/CAOLTT8RAhCY_Xo_jDopggCVEF8t5Kghji4h%2BTd6Gja_3kMSpJQ%40mail.gmail.com In-Reply-To: ``` ZheNing Hu 于2023年4月12日周三 14:25写道： > > 1. I noticed that normally refs transactions use the refs files-backend, > looking at the reference transaction of refs files-backend alone: > First, it opens a transaction in memory, then multiple update items > are added in memory, and finally, when the reference transaction > is committed, it creates a ref.lock for each update item, renames it > to the real address of the ref. > > but there seems to be some packed-backend logic coupled inside of > files-backend. This makes me wonder why these ref backends are not > independent? > > 2. Is the reftable backend in a usable state? How can I enable it? > I couldn't find any clues on https://www.git-scm.com/docs/reftable. > 3. Will future git refs backend possibly support external storage media > e.g. Redis? > I just found a similar discussion on the mailing list: https://lore.kernel.org/git/CAJoAoZn7Nt37Eh17dpLDK+YX2BaEaAaii2rJPXO3L0BmQQkcgQ@mail.gmail.com/ > Thanks, > -- > ZheNing Hu ```