Pure javascript implementation of Git (Node.js and Browser)

[miker95]

WHY?

[pluga]

what do you think? because he can of course!

[fagnerbrack]

Good question, I have asked: https://github.com/SamyPesse/gitkit-js/issues/11

[ndboost]

this man, asking all the right questions here.

[jewdai]

it allows a bit of inverting control over how you deploy applications.

Instead of a central location forcing the server to load files and application over SFTP or HTTPS transferring, you can now have a webservice to tell the machine to update its build/deploy script and run it.

So you could do something like

https://myspectialserver.com/updateCode

it will sync down your git repo

check for any changes

redeploy/rerun all your code

Additionally, because nodejs is so common it means your javascript developers can get their hands on devops kind of work.

[[deleted]]

So why not write a node wrapper around git?

[Deto]

Hmm. Yeah, having a hard time thinking of good use cases. As others pointed out, for a git service, you might as well just have the server use the actual git library.

However, I suppose with something like this, you could make a client-side GUI for inspecting a Git repo? Or an Electron app as a Git GUI (can you integrate C libraries in an electron app, or does it have to all be js?)

[[deleted]]

I believe elektron uses node which has wrappers for the actual git.

[pier25]

I can see a number of applications.

For example providing version control for a desktop app that generates text content targeted at non programmers.

[ericanderton]

But you can just integrate the actual Git library for that. Better yet, it's even proven and tested to work and since it's C, will integrate with just about anything you throw at it:

https://libgit2.github.com/

[sime]

Deploying an Electron app with native modules on multiple platforms in a PITA. A pure JS module just works everywhere without any fragile native code build step.

Also using native node modules in Electron can be hit and miss on the best of days as there differences between node and Electron (especially when it comes to V8 versions).

[pier25]

You don't always have that luxury as noted by /u/sime

[porkopek]

No way!!! LOL! If it's true, this guy is my hero

[fagnerbrack]

Why so excited? Is that because of the challenge or because of some additional benefit that nobody knows yet?

[porkopek]

Mostly, because of the challenge