What is object storage?

Definition

Object storage is designed for durable, scalable storage accessed through object keys and network interfaces. It differs from a local filesystem by avoiding a tightly coupled directory and block layout.

A repository service can store a durable write-ahead log or immutable Git objects in object storage while workers build temporary local state. Performance depends on batching, caching and avoiding excessive dependent network reads.

Acronyms and aliases

object store variant

Frequently asked questions

How is object storage different from block storage?

Object storage accesses complete named objects through an interface, while block storage exposes fixed-size blocks used by a filesystem or database.

Why use object storage for distributed Git hosting?

It provides durable scalable storage that is independent of any one worker and can support recovery without fixed repository replicas.

Videos explaining object storage