Metagit: Decentralised metadata management with Git. (April 2017)
- Record Type:
- Journal Article
- Title:
- Metagit: Decentralised metadata management with Git. (April 2017)
- Main Title:
- Metagit: Decentralised metadata management with Git
- Authors:
- Scott, Mark
Johnston, Steven J.
Cox, Simon J. - Abstract:
- Abstract: Version control systems are used widely for tracking edits to data files, especially when working in teams with simultaneous editors. They track who made edits and when, and provide tools for comparing changes made and for resolving conflicts when the same file is edited by two people. Attaching metadata to files which stays with the data and tracking changes can be difficult if the file format does not support it. In this paper we present a new and innovative architecture for recording key-value metadata for objects in a revision control system, specifically Git. The utility and maturity of version control system tools make them a good candidate for a metadata store. We take advantage of Git's data store to permit the values to be blobs, opening up other possibilities such as defining thumbnails for files and folders. Propagation rules are presented, detailing when metadata follows a file after modifications to the repository. A prototype version of a tool is presented and the usefulness of the architecture is demonstrated with a number of examples. Adapting the approach to other systems such as Mercurial and Subversion is also discussed. Abstract : Highlights: We propose an architecture for decentralised metadata management. The method relies on Git to create a flexible metadata key-value store. Propagation rules define when metadata follows a file after modification.
- Is Part Of:
- Information systems. Volume 65(2017)
- Journal:
- Information systems
- Issue:
- Volume 65(2017)
- Issue Display:
- Volume 65, Issue 2017 (2017)
- Year:
- 2017
- Volume:
- 65
- Issue:
- 2017
- Issue Sort Value:
- 2017-0065-2017-0000
- Page Start:
- 78
- Page End:
- 92
- Publication Date:
- 2017-04
- Subjects:
- Metadata -- Data sharing -- Digital libraries -- Knowledge management applications
Database management -- Periodicals
Electronic data processing -- Periodicals
Bases de données -- Gestion -- Périodiques
Informatique -- Périodiques
Database management
Electronic data processing
Periodicals
005.7 - Journal URLs:
- http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/03064379 ↗
http://www.elsevier.com/journals ↗ - DOI:
- 10.1016/j.is.2016.09.002 ↗
- Languages:
- English
- ISSNs:
- 0306-4379
- Deposit Type:
- Legaldeposit
- View Content:
- Available online (eLD content is only available in our Reading Rooms) ↗
- Physical Locations:
- British Library DSC - 4496.367300
British Library DSC - BLDSS-3PM
British Library HMNTS - ELD Digital store - Ingest File:
- 13214.xml