git version control (for PHP files)

[rebelde]

I am surprised that I can't find this suggestion in this forum...

Today, there was a patch, of a single file. If XF had git set up, applying the patch would have been as easy as:

git pull origin master

Instead, I needed to

1. Download it to my computer.
   
2. (I usually have to unzip it,
   
3. take out the stuff not needed,
   
4. then rezip it.)
   
5. Upload the new zip.
6. Unzip to the proper directory.

XF would run their own git server that uses the same email/username and password that we do on XF.

At the basic level, this would make life easier for us.

Spoiler: Further dreams for XF on git

But here are my dreams for a future with git!

• We customers could submit bug fixes (to the code) instead of just bug reports.
  
• We customers would save our own PHP edits on your git server as separate branches.
• XF could see popular edits, maybe incorporate some into master.
• Maybe add-ons that require PHP edits could exist there, as well.

Upgrades would also much much quicker and easier, especially for those of you without PHP edits.

git pull origin master
navigate to the /install/ directory
follow the process
done!
​

Altogether, it would make upgrades and patches easier for those of us with the skills to use git.

Cheers

 

[_inu]

While I believe you should have posted this here I do certainly agree that a git system would be amazing.

 

[Paul B]

While I believe you should have posted this here

The thread was moved from that forum to this as it is not a suggestion for the core software as such, but rather how XF upgrades are handled and distributed.

 

[The Dark Wizard]

Something like this would be really cool but I can also see why they wouldn't want to do it.

 

[rebelde]

Right. Sometimes it is too much information. But if they don't want us to see the gory details of the individual commits, they could create a separate git repo with all the changes between each upgrade. A single commit would have all the changes between versions.

 

[Biker]

While git works great for open source projects, it's not something that's easily adaptable to proprietary software. It would be virtually impossible to prevent those who have not paid for the software from installing via git.

 

[Robust]

A git is not so adaptable to such software. You can make it so it requires ssh authentication, and users need to include a ssh key blah blah, but it's not worth it.

I suspect 2.0 will come with an auto updater. It would only make sense. IPB4 came with one, I think it's probably on the better end of IPB4 changes. So while nothing is confirmed, I'd imagine 2.0 would come with an updating solution. Git is definitely not it for such software, though.

What you suggest is community involvement in an open source project. XenForo is not free and open source software.