User:Glauxosdever/Version Control Software

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Version Control Software (VCS) is fundamental when it comes to managing your source code repository. It basically allows you (singular or plural) to work on several features in parallel and to revert your code to a previous known working state. Most OSDev projects use git as their VCS and github or gitlab for repository hosting. But what happens if your goal is to write an OS that is different to anything that can run git (so no git for your OS), but you also want to do meaningful stuff with your repository on your OS, and/or self-host your repository on a server that is running your OS? There are two possible answers: 1) reimplement git, or 2) write your own VCS. If you picked 1), you should read about the git internals. If you picked 2), you should continue reading this page.

Roadmap

There are two possible approaches to writing a VCS for your OS.

Approach A

Initially, use git or any other ready VCS. Then, when your OS is ready to be self-hosting, write a VCS that runs on your OS and switch all development to it. This will have the drawback that your new repository will not hold the past history of the period that you used git or any other ready VCS.

Approach B

Write a VCS that runs on your host machine before starting developing your OS. Then, when your OS is ready to be self-hosting, write a compatible VCS that runs on your OS. Switching development to it should be (mostly) seamless.

Types of VCS

TODO

Writing a Basic VCS

In this section, we will write a very basic VCS. It will not even remotely support any remote functionality (pun intended), but it will be enough to get you started.

TODO