Overview
nanogit is a lightweight, cloud-native Git implementation designed for applications that need efficient Git operations over HTTPS without the complexity and resource overhead of traditional Git implementations.
Features
HTTPS-only Git operations - Works with any Git service supporting Smart HTTP Protocol v2 (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, etc.), eliminating the need for SSH key management in cloud environments
Stateless architecture - No local .git directory dependency, making it perfect for serverless functions, containers, and microservices where persistent local state isn't available or desired
Memory-optimized design - Streaming packfile operations and configurable writing modes minimize memory usage, crucial for bulk operations and memory-constrained environments
Flexible storage architecture - Pluggable object storage and configurable writing modes allow optimization for different deployment patterns, from high-performance in-memory operations to memory-efficient disk-based processing
Cloud-native authentication - Built-in support for Basic Auth and API tokens, designed for automated workflows and CI/CD systems without interactive authentication
Essential Git operations - Focused on core functionality (read/write objects, commit operations, diffing) without the complexity of full Git implementations, reducing attack surface and resource requirements
High performance - Significantly faster than traditional Git implementations for common cloud operations, with up to 300x speed improvements for certain scenarios
Non-Goals
The following features are explicitly not supported:
git://and Git-over-SSH protocols- File protocol (local Git operations)
- Commit signing and signature verification
- Git hooks
- Git configuration management
- Direct .git directory access
- "Dumb" servers
- Complex permissions (all objects use mode 0644)
Why nanogit?
While go-git is a mature Git implementation, nanogit is designed for cloud-native, multitenant environments requiring minimal, stateless operations.
| Feature | nanogit | go-git |
|---|---|---|
| Protocol | HTTPS-only | All protocols |
| Storage | Stateless, configurable object storage + writing modes | Local disk operations |
| Cloning | Path filtering with glob patterns, shallow clones | Full repository clones |
| Scope | Essential operations only | Full Git functionality |
| Use Case | Cloud services, multitenant | General purpose |
| Resource Usage | Minimal footprint | Full Git features |
Choose nanogit for lightweight cloud services requiring stateless operations and minimal resources. Use go-git when you need full Git functionality, local operations, or advanced features.
These are some of the performance differences between nanogit and go-git in some of the measured scenarios:
| Scenario | Speed | Memory Usage |
|---|---|---|
| CreateFile (XL repo) | 306x faster | 186x less |
| UpdateFile (XL repo) | 291x faster | 178x less |
| DeleteFile (XL repo) | 302x faster | 175x less |
| BulkCreateFiles (1000 files, medium repo) | 607x faster | 11x less |
| CompareCommits (XL repo) | 60x faster | 96x less |
| GetFlatTree (XL repo) | 258x faster | 160x less |
For detailed performance metrics, see the performance analysis.
Getting Started
Ready to use nanogit? Check out our guides:
- Installation - Install nanogit in your project
- Quick Start - Basic usage examples and common patterns
- API Reference - Complete API documentation on GoDoc
Architecture
Learn about nanogit's design and internals:
- Architecture Overview - Core design principles and components
- Storage Backend - Pluggable storage and writing modes
- Delta Resolution - Git delta handling implementation
- Performance - Performance characteristics and benchmarks
Contributing
We welcome contributions! Please see our Contributing Guide for details on how to submit pull requests, report issues, and set up your development environment.
Code of Conduct
This project follows the Grafana Code of Conduct. By participating, you are expected to uphold this code.
License
This project is licensed under the Apache License 2.0 - see the LICENSE file for details.
Project Status
This project is currently in active development. While it's open source, it's important to note that it was initially created as part of a hackathon. We're working to make it production-ready, but please use it with appropriate caution.
Resources
Want to learn how Git works? The following resources are useful:
- Git on the Server - The Protocols
- Git Protocol v2
- Pack Protocol
- Git HTTP Backend
- HTTP Protocol
- Git Protocol HTTP
- Git Protocol v2
- Git Protocol Pack
- Git Protocol Common
Security
If you find a security vulnerability, please report it to security@grafana.com. For more information, see our Security Policy.
Support
- GitHub Issues: Create an issue
- Community: Grafana Community Forums
Acknowledgments
- The Grafana team for their support and guidance
- The open source community for their valuable feedback and contributions