Git-based delta rpm package versioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current delta-difference mechanisms require significant resource consumption and time to update packages, as they can only generate differences between consecutive versions, leading to the need to download entire new versions if not updated to the immediate previous version, and lack the ability to revert to previous versions by removing changes.
Innovation Solution
A processing device generates and commits delta differences between each version of a package to a Git repository, allowing clients to build any version, including previous or subsequent versions, by retrieving and combining delta differences, enabling targeted updates and reversion capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If delta-difference mechanisms generate differences only between consecutive versions, then the update process is simple to implement, but significant resource consumption and time are required when clients are multiple versions behind
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-generates and stores delta differences between non-consecutive versions (e.g., version 1 to version 3) in advance, so that when a client needs to update, the appropriate pre-computed delta is already available. This eliminates the need for clients to sequentially apply multiple small deltas or download entire package versions, significantly reducing update time and resource consumption for clients that are multiple versions behind.
2Quantity of substance
If delta-difference mechanisms only support consecutive version updates, then the storage requirements are minimal, but the ability to revert to previous versions is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the package update process into discrete delta-difference units that can be independently stored and applied. Each delta represents a specific transformation between versions, allowing clients to selectively apply or revert specific version changes. This segmentation enables efficient storage by only keeping essential delta information rather than full package versions, while simultaneously providing versatile reversion capabilities through the Git repository's version control mechanisms.
3Reliability
If entire package versions are downloaded for updates, then version consistency is guaranteed, but bandwidth consumption and update time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential difference information (delta) between package versions rather than transmitting entire package versions. By using Git to store and manage these extracted deltas, the system maintains version consistency through structured version control while dramatically reducing bandwidth consumption. Clients can reliably update by applying these compact delta representations to their existing packages, avoiding the need to download complete package versions.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure involve determining that a first subsequent version of a plurality of subsequent versions of a package is available, a repository is generated and a delta difference between a current version of the package and the first subsequent version of the package is committed to the repository. For each further subsequent version of the plurality of subsequent version of the package that is determined to be available, a delta difference between the further subsequent version of the package and an immediately preceding version of the package is generated and committed to the repository. In this way, a volume of discreet repositories that includes the delta difference history between each of the existing versions of the package is maintained and can be accessed to enable a client to build a subsequent (or previous) version of a package even if the current version they are running is multiple versions behind (or ahead).