Virtual File System for Git (VFS for Git), developed by
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washing ...
, is an extension to the
Git
Git () is a distributed version control system: tracking changes in any set of files, usually used for coordinating work among programmers collaboratively developing source code during software development. Its goals include speed, data in ...
version control system.
Overview
VFS for Git is designed to ease the handling of enterprise-scale Git repositories, such as the
Microsoft Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
operating system (whose development switched to Git under Microsoft's internal "One Engineering System" initiative). The system exposes a
virtual file system
A virtual file system (VFS) or virtual filesystem switch is an abstract layer on top of a more concrete file system. The purpose of a VFS is to allow client applications to access different types of concrete file systems in a uniform way. A VFS ...
that only downloads files to local storage as they are needed.
History
VFS for Git was originally named Git Virtual File System (GVFS). However due to complaints by the developers of
GNOME
A gnome is a mythological creature and diminutive spirit in Renaissance magic and alchemy, first introduced by Paracelsus in the 16th century and later adopted by more recent authors including those of modern fantasy literature. Its characte ...
over confusion with
GNOME Virtual File System
GnomeVFS (short for GNOME Virtual File System) was an abstraction layer of the GNOME platform for the reading, writing and execution of files. Before GNOME 2.22 GnomeVFS was primarily used by the appropriate versions of Nautilus file manager (rena ...
, Microsoft announced that it would solicit ideas for a new name of the software in June 2018, following its acquisition of GitHub. Its first release under the new name was in August 2018.
In November 2017,
GitHub
GitHub, Inc. () is an Internet hosting service for software development and version control using Git. It provides the distributed version control of Git plus access control, bug tracking, software feature requests, task management, continuous ...
announced that it would support VFS for Git.
VFS for Git has been superseded by Scalar. Scalar was then integrated into the Microsoft Git project.
See also
*
Version control
In software engineering, version control (also known as revision control, source control, or source code management) is a class of systems responsible for managing changes to computer programs, documents, large web sites, or other collections o ...
References
External links
*
Virtual File System for Giton
GitHub
GitHub, Inc. () is an Internet hosting service for software development and version control using Git. It provides the distributed version control of Git plus access control, bug tracking, software feature requests, task management, continuous ...
Free and open-source software
Git (software)
Microsoft free software
Software using the MIT license
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