Tag: FAQ

Six Questions About Gitora

Posted on | by gitora_admin

Recently. we received an email from a Gitora user with six questions. We think our answers might be interesting for others as well. So here they are:

1. Where is the remote repository created?
Gitora does not use a remote repository in its first version. Everything is handled using local repositories. You can still use a remote repository if you want. There is nothing in Gitora preventing you from doing that.

2. How do you lock database objects?
The users decide which database objects Gitora should manage. When a DDL is executed, a database level trigger created by Gitora ensures that the Oracle user running the DDL is signed in to Gitora and checked out the database object it is manipulating if it is an object managed by Gitora. If the object is checked out by another user already, the trigger throws an exception. There is a PL/SQL API for a database user to sign in to Gitora in her database session. Optionally, she can use the Gitora App to check out an object. Gitora is also quite pragmatic and automatically checks out the object if it is not currently checked out by anyone else.

3. Is there any relation between Gitora users and Database Users? If there isn’t any relation, how do I create Gitora users?
There is no relation between Gitora users and database users. You can use the Gitora App to create Gitora users. Then, to check out an object managed by Gitora, you can sign in to Gitora by either using its PL/SQL API or the Gitora App.

4. Do I have to log in to Gitora every time I create a new database session?
You have to log in to Gitora in a database session only if you want to modify a database object or check out a database object managed by Gitora. Signing in is a single line API call that probably can be automated by your PL/SQL development tool.

5. Where is the version history stored?
Everything related to versioning is done and stored in the Git repository. Gitora is only a bridge between the Oracle Database and the Git server.

6. How can we integrate Gitora to TOAD? Is there a plug-in?
There is no need for a plug-in. Gitora works with any PL/SQL development tool. It has a small set of PL/SQL API’s that you can call from any development tool. Gitora also has a web app you can use to perform common version control tasks.

What is the Difference between Gitora and SQL Developer’s Git Interface?

Posted on | by gitora_admin

We’ve been getting this question a lot lately, so I thought it is a good idea to write a blog post about it.

In SQL Developer, you work in two ways:

  • You edit objects in the database and then you manually create files in a folder managed by Git.
  • You edit files managed by Git and execute them in the database.

SQL Developer helps you run Git commands on these files. When you issue a Git command that changes your code base, you have to manually carry over the changed code units to the database by running the scripts.

In Gitora, if you modify a PL/SQL code unit in the database, you do not need to manually copy the updated script to a folder managed by Git. Gitora does that automatically. Similarly, if you issue a Git command using Gitora’s point and click interface, Gitora automatically updates the PL/SQL code units  in tha database. Gitora also has a check out mechanism that works at the database level, meaning that if you check out a PL/SQL code unit, no one else can edit it until you release or commit it. This is enforced at the database level. So there are no back doors.

So the advantages of Gitora’s approach are:

– A lot less manual work. Every edit you make is synced to the file system by Gitora. Every Git command you execute, updates your database code automatically.

– A lot less human errors. Copying files back and forth manually is very error prone.

– Much easier team work. Gitora’s check out mechanism prevents others from making changes to objects you are working on.

– Well structured working directory. Gitora creates a well structured working directory with reasonable folder and file names for database objects. The locations of these files are also standard. When there is human decision involved with naming and putting files in the file system, a lot of errors can occur. Gitora prevents these errors.

– No back doors. Gitora enforces that if an object is being edited by someone, no one else can edit it. Version control is not something you do on the side but it is tightly integrated into your workflow and enforced.

– It works with any editor. You can use SQL Developer, SQL Navigaor, TOAD or PL/SQL Developer. It doesn’t matter. Everyone in your team can use a different editor if they choose to do so. Gitora still works.

Yalim K. Gerger