Version Control, Reimagined for Media
Dits is a distributed version control system built from the ground up for video production, game development, and large binary files. Finally, version control that understands your workflow.
Our Mission
We believe every creative professional deserves version control that works for them — not against them. Git revolutionized how developers collaborate, but it was never designed for the massive files that define modern media production.
Dits exists to bridge this gap: providing the full power of distributed version control to video editors, game developers, 3D artists, and anyone who works with large binary files. No workarounds, no extensions, no compromises.
Why We Built Dits
The story of Dits began with frustration. Working on video projects with distributed teams, we constantly hit the limits of existing tools. Git LFS felt like a band-aid, Perforce required expensive infrastructure, and nothing understood the unique patterns of video files.
We asked ourselves: what if we could build version control specifically for media? What if we could leverage content-defined chunking to find the actual changes in video files? What if we could make terabyte repositories feel as fast as kilobyte ones?
Dits is the answer to those questions. Built in Rust for performance, designed with media workflows in mind, and open source so everyone can benefit.
$ dits add project.prproj $ dits add media/ Adding 847 files (1.2 TB) Chunking: ████████████ 100% Deduplication: 67% (412 GB saved) $ dits commit -m "Final cut v3" [main abc1234] Final cut v3 847 files, 788 GB (net)
The Problem with Existing Tools
Problem: Git can't handle large files efficiently
Solution: Content-defined chunking with deduplication
Problem: Storing multiple versions wastes space
Solution: Only unique chunks are stored
Problem: Cloning large repos takes forever
Solution: On-demand file hydration with VFS
Problem: Binary files don't merge
Solution: File locking prevents conflicts
Problem: No video-specific optimization
Solution: Keyframe-aligned chunking for video
How Dits Works
Instead of storing files as single objects, Dits breaks them into content-defined chunks that can be shared across files and versions.
How Dits Compares
See how Dits stacks up against existing version control solutions for media and large file workflows.
| Feature | Dits | Git | Git LFS | Perforce |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Large file handling | Native, no extensions needed | Requires Git LFS | Pointer files, separate storage | Centralized model |
| Content deduplication | Automatic, cross-file | No deduplication | Full file copies | Limited |
| Partial clone/sparse checkout | First-class VFS support | Limited, complex setup | Manual file selection | Workspace views |
| File locking | Built-in, distributed | No native support | Basic locking | Exclusive checkouts |
| Distributed architecture | Fully distributed | Fully distributed | Hybrid (files centralized) | Centralized |
| Open source | Apache 2.0 + MIT | GPL v2 | MIT | Proprietary |
| Video-optimized chunking | Keyframe-aligned | Not applicable | Full file storage | Not specialized |
Built for Creative Professionals
Whether you're a solo creator or part of a large studio, Dits adapts to your workflow.
Built with Modern Technology
We've chosen the best tools for performance, reliability, and security.
Core engine for performance and safety
Memory-safe systems programming with zero-cost abstractions. Rust ensures reliability without sacrificing speed.
Fast cryptographic hashing
10x faster than SHA-256 while maintaining cryptographic security. Enables rapid content verification at scale.
Content-defined chunking algorithm
Intelligent file splitting that finds natural boundaries. Insertions and deletions only affect nearby chunks.
Virtual filesystem support
Files appear local but download on-demand. Work with terabytes without filling your disk.
Modern transport protocol
Multiplexed connections, built-in encryption, and improved performance over unreliable networks.
Roadmap
We're actively developing Dits and committed to transparency about our progress.
- Init, add, commit, log
- Content-defined chunking
- BLAKE3 hashing
- Local storage backend
- Push/pull operations
- File locking
- Remote tracking
- Conflict resolution
- FUSE/ProjectedFS VFS
- Windows/macOS/Linux
- Access control
- Performance optimization
- QUIC-based P2P
- Cloud storage backends
- CI/CD integrations
- NLE plugins
Our Values
Open Source
Dual-licensed under Apache 2.0 and MIT. Free to use, modify, and distribute. Your data belongs to you.
Community Driven
Built for and with the media community. Your feedback shapes the roadmap. Join our Discord to participate.
User First
Designed for real workflows. Git-like commands make adoption easy. We listen to creators, not marketers.
Join the Community
Dits is open source and community-driven. There are many ways to get involved.
Star us on GitHub
Help spread the word by starring our repository
Ready to Take Control of Your Media?
Download Dits and experience version control built for how you actually work. It's free, open source, and ready to handle your biggest projects.