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🧠 bit - a tiny Git-like version control system in C++

C++17 Build License: MIT

A minimalist reimplementation of Git core concepts in modern C++17.
Built for learning, exploration, and hacking on version control internals.

🚀 Features

  • 🏗️ bit init — initialize a new repository
  • ➕ bit add <file> — stage files for commit
  • 🧾 bit commit <message> — create commits
  • 📜 bit log — view commit history
  • 📂 bit status — check staging and changes
  • 🌿 bit branch / bit checkout — manage branches
  • 🔐 Uses SHA-1 hashing and zlib compression (like real Git)

🗂️ Project Structure

bit/
├── include/
│ ├── repository.h # Repository operations
│ ├── object.h # Git objects (blobs, trees)
│ ├── commit.h # Commit creation and logging
│ ├── branch.h # Branch management
│ └── utils.h # Helper utilities (hashing, compression)
├── src/
│ ├── repository.cpp
│ ├── object.cpp
│ ├── commit.cpp
│ ├── branch.cpp
│ ├── utils.cpp
│ └── main.cpp # CLI entry point
├── Makefile
└── README.md

🛠️ Build Instructions

🔧 Prerequisites

You’ll need:

  • g++ (C++17 or newer)
  • make
  • zlib and OpenSSL libraries

For Ubuntu / Debian:

sudo apt install g++ make zlib1g-dev libssl-dev

⚙️ Build
git clone https://github.com/<your-username>/bit.git
cd bit
make

▶️ Run

Initialize a new repository:
./bit init

Add and commit files:
./bit add file.txt
./bit commit "Initial commit"

View log:
./bit log

⚙️ Example Session
$ ./bit init
Initialized empty Bit repository in /path/to/project/.bit

$ echo "hello" > test.txt
$ ./bit add test.txt
$ ./bit commit "Add test file"
Committed: Add test file (a3b4e9c...)

$ ./bit log
commit a3b4e9c...
Author: user
Message: Add test file

💡 Design Overview

Each module mirrors Git’s real internal architecture:

Module Purpose

  • repository Handles .bit structure and configuration
  • object Creates and retrieves objects (blobs, trees)
  • commit Stores metadata and commit history
  • branch Manages refs/heads and HEAD state
  • utils Handles SHA-1, compression, filesystem ops

📘 Learning Objectives

Understand how Git works under the hood

Practice C++17 filesystem, hashing, and file I/O

Learn modular architecture + Makefile builds

Explore content-addressable storage concepts

🧑‍💻 Contributing

Pull requests, suggestions, and experiments are welcome! If you’d like to extend this project:

Add diff and merge functionality

Support remote push/pull

Implement tag and rebase commands

⚖️ License

MIT License © 2025 Free to use, modify, and share.

🌟 Acknowledgements

Inspired by:

  • Git Internals
  • Write Yourself a Git
  • Linus Torvalds’ original Git design

🧊 TL;DR

bit — your own mini Git, built from scratch in C++17. Learn how commits, objects, and branches really work under the hood.