Telemetry Report
System log · 7 min read · 2024-11-20
SystemsVersion ControlDevOpsEngineering
MyVCS: Building a Version Control System from Scratch
A deep dive into designing and building a custom version control system to understand how Git-like systems really work.
Log Date: 2024-11-20Duration: 7 min read
Why Build a VCS?
At some point, using Git every day creates a blind spot.
You know the commands — but not the machinery underneath.
MyVCS exists to answer one question:
How does version control actually work?
Core Goals
- Understand object storage
- Track file changes
- Build commit graphs
- Learn branching fundamentals
- Respect simplicity over completeness
This is not Git. This is learning.
Repository Structure
.myvcs/
├── objects/
├── refs/
└── HEAD
Simple. Intentional.
Objects: The Heart of VCS
Everything becomes an object:
- Blobs → file content
- Trees → directory structure
- Commits → snapshots + metadata
Hashing guarantees integrity.
Commits and History
A commit stores:
- Root tree hash
- Parent commit hash
- Author
- Timestamp
- Message
History becomes a directed graph.
Branching Model
Branches are just pointers.
refs/heads/main → commit_hash
Lightweight. Powerful. Elegant.
Why This Matters for DevOps
Understanding VCS internals helps you:
- Debug corrupted repos
- Reason about CI triggers
- Design better workflows
- Appreciate immutability
Lessons Learned
- Simple systems scale better
- Abstractions hide complexity
- Git is elegant, not magical
Final Thoughts
Building MyVCS changed how I use Git.
I stopped memorizing commands — and started understanding intent.
That’s the real win.