Git 2.51: New Features and Enhancements Unveiled

Git 2.51 introduces significant updates aimed at enhancing repository performance and flexibility. The release includes cruft-free multi-pack indexes, smaller packs with path walk, and a stash interchange format. These improvements streamline object lookup and packfile generation, offering faster operations and more efficient storage.

The cruft-free multi-pack indexes (MIDXs) now separate unreachable objects into dedicated packs, optimizing reachability bitmaps. A new configuration, repack.MIDXMustContainCruft, ensures cruft packs remain outside the MIDX, reducing size and improving read speeds.

Path walk methodology replaces name-hash heuristics for packfile generation, emitting objects from specific paths simultaneously. This results in smaller packs and superior delta compression, maintaining competitive performance against traditional methods.