When running `git pack-objects --stdout` we feed the data through
`hashfd_ext()` with a progress meter and a smaller-than-usual buffer
length of 8kB so that we can track throughput more granularly. But as
packfiles tend to be on the larger side, this small buffer size may
cause a ton of write(3p) syscalls.
Originally, the buffer we used in `hashfd()` was 8kB for all use cases.
This was changed though in 2ca245f8be (csum-file.h: increase hashfile
buffer size, 2021-05-18) because we noticed that the number of writes
can have an impact on performance. So the buffer size was increased to
128kB, which improved performance a bit for some use cases.
But the commit didn't touch the buffer size for `hashd_throughput()`.
The reasoning here was that callers expect the progress indicator to
update frequently, and a larger buffer size would of course reduce the
update frequency especially on slow networks.
While that is of course true, there was (and still is, even though it's
now a call to `hashfd_ext()`) only a single caller of this function in
git-pack-objects(1). This command is responsible for writing packfiles,
and those packfiles are often on the bigger side. So arguably:
- The user won't care about increments of 8kB when packfiles tend to
be megabytes or even gigabytes in size.
- Reducing the number of syscalls would be even more valuable here
than it would be for multi-pack indices, which was the benchmark
done in the mentioned commit, as MIDXs are typically significantly
smaller than packfiles.
- Nowadays, many internet connections should be able to transfer data
at a rate significantly higher than 8kB per second.
Update the buffer to instead have a size of `LARGE_PACKET_DATA_MAX - 1`,
which translates to ~64kB. This limit was chosen because `git
pack-objects --stdout` is most often used when sending packfiles via
git-upload-pack(1), where packfile data is chunked into pktlines when
using the sideband. Furthermore, most internet connections should have a
bandwidth signifcantly higher than 64kB/s, so we'd still be able to
observe progress updates at a rate of at least once per second.
This change significantly reduces the number of write(3p) syscalls from
355,000 to 44,000 when packing the Linux repository. While this results
in a small performance improvement on an otherwise-unused system, this
improvement is mostly negligible. More importantly though, it will
reduce lock contention in the kernel on an extremely busy system where
we have many processes writing data at once.
Suggested-by: Jeff King <peff@peff.net>
Signed-off-by: Patrick Steinhardt <ps@pks.im>
Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Git - fast, scalable, distributed revision control system
Git is a fast, scalable, distributed revision control system with an unusually rich command set that provides both high-level operations and full access to internals.
Git is an Open Source project covered by the GNU General Public License version 2 (some parts of it are under different licenses, compatible with the GPLv2). It was originally written by Linus Torvalds with help of a group of hackers around the net.
Please read the file INSTALL for installation instructions.
Many Git online resources are accessible from https://git-scm.com/ including full documentation and Git related tools.
See Documentation/gittutorial.adoc to get started, then see
Documentation/giteveryday.adoc for a useful minimum set of commands, and
Documentation/git-<commandname>.adoc for documentation of each command.
If git has been correctly installed, then the tutorial can also be
read with man gittutorial or git help tutorial, and the
documentation of each command with man git-<commandname> or git help <commandname>.
CVS users may also want to read Documentation/gitcvs-migration.adoc
(man gitcvs-migration or git help cvs-migration if git is
installed).
The user discussion and development of Git take place on the Git mailing list -- everyone is welcome to post bug reports, feature requests, comments and patches to git@vger.kernel.org (read Documentation/SubmittingPatches for instructions on patch submission and Documentation/CodingGuidelines).
Those wishing to help with error message, usage and informational message
string translations (localization l10) should see po/README.md
(a po file is a Portable Object file that holds the translations).
To subscribe to the list, send an email to git+subscribe@vger.kernel.org (see https://subspace.kernel.org/subscribing.html for details). The mailing list archives are available at https://lore.kernel.org/git/, https://marc.info/?l=git and other archival sites.
Issues which are security relevant should be disclosed privately to the Git Security mailing list git-security@googlegroups.com.
The maintainer frequently sends the "What's cooking" reports that list the current status of various development topics to the mailing list. The discussion following them give a good reference for project status, development direction and remaining tasks.
The name "git" was given by Linus Torvalds when he wrote the very first version. He described the tool as "the stupid content tracker" and the name as (depending on your mood):
- random three-letter combination that is pronounceable, and not actually used by any common UNIX command. The fact that it is a mispronunciation of "get" may or may not be relevant.
- stupid. contemptible and despicable. simple. Take your pick from the dictionary of slang.
- "global information tracker": you're in a good mood, and it actually works for you. Angels sing, and a light suddenly fills the room.
- "goddamn idiotic truckload of sh*t": when it breaks