Lore — Next-Generation Version Control System by Epic Games

Introduction

Lore is a next-generation version control system built in Rust by Epic Games. It rethinks version control from the ground up to handle the scale of modern game and enterprise codebases while providing a fast, intuitive developer experience.

What Lore Does

• Manages source code and large binary assets in a single repository
• Handles repositories with millions of files and terabytes of data efficiently
• Provides fast branching, merging, and history traversal
• Supports sparse checkouts and partial clones for monorepo workflows
• Offers a familiar Git-like command interface for easy adoption

Architecture Overview

Lore uses a content-addressable object store with chunked deduplication optimized for large files. The index and history structures are designed for sub-linear lookup times even in massive repositories. Written entirely in Rust, it leverages memory safety and concurrency for reliable performance across platforms.

Self-Hosting & Configuration

• Install via Cargo or download pre-built binaries
• Server component can be self-hosted for team collaboration
• Configure ignore patterns, sparse checkout rules, and LFS-like policies
• Supports authentication via SSH keys or tokens
• Migration tools available for importing existing Git repositories

Key Features

• Built in Rust for memory safety and high performance
• Native large file support without external LFS tooling
• Designed for monorepos with millions of files
• Familiar CLI syntax for developers coming from Git
• Open-source under a permissive license by Epic Games

Comparison with Similar Tools

• Git — Git struggles with large files and huge repos; Lore is designed for these from the start
• Perforce — Perforce handles large assets but is proprietary; Lore is open-source
• Sapling (Meta) — Sapling extends Git compatibility; Lore is a clean-slate design
• Jujutsu — Jujutsu reimagines branching on Git backends; Lore replaces the entire stack

FAQ

Q: Is Lore compatible with Git? A: Not directly. Lore is a new system, though import tools exist for Git repositories.

Q: Who develops Lore? A: Epic Games, the company behind Unreal Engine and Fortnite.

Q: Can I use it for non-game projects? A: Yes. Lore works for any codebase, though it particularly excels with large repos.

Q: Is it production-ready? A: Lore is in active early development. Evaluate it for your use case before adopting.

Sources

• https://github.com/EpicGames/lore