The latest version of the distributed system for managing source code, Git 2.50, has been released. Git is known for its high performance and nonlinear development capabilities, enabling branching and merging of code. To maintain the integrity of project history and resist retroactive changes, Git uses implicit hashing of previous commits and requires digital signatures from developers.
The Git code is open-source and distributed under the GPLv2+ license.
A total of 621 changes were made in this new version, with contributions from 98 developers. Notably, 35 of these developers are first-time contributors to the project. Some of the key innovations in Git 2.50 include:
- The ability to divide the base of unreachable objects into several Pack-files (“Cruft Packs”) to improve repository performance. This allows for more efficient handling of repositories with a large number of unreachable objects by dividing them into smaller Pack files.
- Experimental support for MIDX multi-pack indices, which accelerate the addition of new bitmaps for object accessibility in large repositories.
- The removal of old “Recursive” merge operations in favor of the more efficient “ORT” engine (Ostensibly Recursive’s Twin). ORT determines object combinations without the need to create new objects in the repository, enhancing productivity and functionality.
These updates streamline the merging processes and enhance the overall efficiency of managing source code in Git 2.50.