Bidirectional Mirroring e.g. GitLab Mirroring

[lflare]

• Gitea version (or commit ref): v1.1.3
• Git version: N.A
• Operating system: N.A
• Database (use [x]): N.A
  • PostgreSQL
  • MySQL
  • MSSQL
  • SQLite
• Can you reproduce the bug at https://try.gitea.io:
  • Yes (provide example URL)
  • No
  • Not relevant
• Log gist:

Description

Very simply, I understand that the current Gitea implementation has one-way remote mirroring, with the inability to modify the mirrored repository. However, I wish to propose a mirroring solution akin to that used in GitLab. Is this a feasible proposal? This feature is the only reason I have not switched fully to Gitea after all.

Screenshots

N.A

[lafriks]

How would merge conflicts be resolved?

[lflare]

Like GitLab, it probably shouldn't perform merges. If a fast-forward is not possible, it simply shows the sync error messages. Additionally, if we can set a low sync time and have the repository both push and pull to the upstream mirror, the amount of conflicts would be much lower.

[bkcsoft]

The only way to implement this correctly would be to pull on each push

[lflare]

@bkcsoft, I personally rather that the basic GitLab behaviour be included within the next release than having to wait for the hammering and debate for advanced Gitea-flavour behaviours to be included within the 2020 release.

I would personally be more than happy to work on Gitea again but there are a few reasons barring me from doing so.

[lflare]

I've thought about it for a bit and I think I have a strategy that may work. Essentially, Gitea pulls upstream repository every set interval or pre-push. After pulling, check if current push can be easily fast-forwarded, else reject and force user to pull first? What do you think @bkcsoft?

[lafriks]

@lflare I think it would really slow down pushing to gitea if it would require pulling remote server

[daviian]

I think I miss the point of this feature. Can someone enlighten me and give use cases where this is useful / necessary?

[lflare]

@lafriks Maybe but also maybe not. Git when not transferring file content data, is relatively lightweight in that it compares checksums.

@daviian My case scenario is that I run Gitea with Github and I would really love to be able to push to my private Gitea and have it mirror the push to Github so I don't have to push twice and potentially forget to push.

[daviian]

@lflare But why do you prefer pushing to gitea instead of directly pushing to github? What advantages to you see in doing so?

[lafriks]

If nobody is pushing to GitHub directly might be easier to set push git hook to push it further to github

[lflare]

@daviian I have people working on both the private Gitea instance and the Github instance and I personally prefer working on the private Gitea instance but also want the publicity of the repository being published on Github.

@lafriks That's when this feature request comes in, it's easily implementable with a couple of commands but it's incredibly inefficient if manual editing of the githooks are required every time I want to mirror a new repository.

[daviian]

@lflare How do you manage releases etc.? Do you create every release twice?

[lflare]

@daviian Currently, I don't create releases, I just tag versions. This is off-topic though.