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git-annex uses a key-value abstraction layer to allow file contents to be
stored in different ways. In theory, any key-value storage system could be
used to store file contents.
When a file is annexed, a key is generated from its content and/or metadata.
The file checked into git symlinks to the key. This key can later be used
to retrieve the file's content (its value).
Multiple pluggable backends are supported, and a single repository
can use different backends for different files.
These backends can transfer file contents between configured git remotes.
It's also possible to use [[special_remotes]], such as Amazon S3 with
these backends.
* `WORM` ("Write Once, Read Many") This backend assumes that any file with
the same basename, size, and modification time has the same content. So with
this backend, files can be moved around, but should never be added to
or changed. This is the default, and the least expensive backend.
* `SHA1` -- This backend uses a key based on a sha1 checksum. This backend
allows modifications of files to be tracked. Its need to generate checksums
can make it slower for large files.
* `SHA512`, `SHA384`, `SHA256`, `SHA224` -- Like SHA1, but larger
checksums. Mostly useful for the very paranoid, or anyone who is
researching checksum collisions and wants to annex their colliding data. ;)
* `SHA1E`, `SHA512E`, etc -- Variants that preserve filename extension as
part of the key. Useful for archival tasks where the filename extension
contains metadata that should be preserved.
The `annex.backends` git-config setting can be used to list the backends
git-annex should use. The first one listed will be used by default when
new files are added.
For finer control of what backend is used when adding different types of
files, the `.gitattributes` file can be used. The `annex.backend`
attribute can be set to the name of the backend to use for matching files.
For example, to use the SHA1 backend for sound files, which tend to be
smallish and might be modified over time, you could set in
`.gitattributes`:
*.mp3 annex.backend=SHA1
*.ogg annex.backend=SHA1
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