Object Database¶
The object database is the foundation of the entire repository. If object encoding and validation are unreliable, every higher-level command becomes unreliable with it.
What The Object Layer Must Do¶
At minimum, a Git-like object database must:
- encode objects using the expected header format,
- compute object IDs,
- write objects to object paths,
- compress loose objects,
- read and validate loose objects,
- reject corrupted data,
- support packed-object lookup where applicable.
That is not optional infrastructure. It is the trust boundary for repository storage.
Why Loose Objects Come First¶
Loose objects are an ideal first implementation target because they are:
- conceptually simple,
- easy to inspect,
- easy to compare with official Git behavior,
- sufficient for the first local workflow stages.
Once loose objects work correctly, trees, commits, and tags can be built on top of them.
Why Pack Fallback Matters¶
A serious repository implementation cannot remain loose-object-only forever. Once pack and idx files exist, object reads need to support:
- checking loose objects first,
- falling back to packed objects,
- using idx data for lookup,
- resolving deltas where required.
That is part of the transition from a local storage exercise to a distributed repository system.