autoblockchainify — Turn a directory into a git-based Blockchain

git is probably the oldest and most widely used Blockchain with the largest user base and toolset, even though most people think of git as a source code control system. To learn more, see GitBlockchainTimestamping.md.

How does autoblockchainify work?

• Frequently (default: every 10 minutes), the directory tree is checked for changes. If there are changes, they are commited to git and timestamped using Zeitgitter.
• If no changes have been made in a larger period (default: 1 hour), a commit is forced and Zeitgitter-timestamped, as an immediate evidence of no changes.
• If at the time of commit the last timestamp using the mail-based PGP Digital Timestamping Service is older than this larger period (again: 1 hour by default) and the mail interface has been configured, a timestamp will be requested there.
• All timestamps requested from the Zeitgitter network will be regularily cross-timestamped within the Zeitgitter network and with the PGP Digital Timestamping Service as well as other (Blockchain-based) timestamping services.

What do I need to configure?

If you are happy with the default configuration, nothing. This default configuration includes:

• A commit and Zeitgitter timestamp every 10 minutes, if there have been changes.
• A commit and Zeitgitter timestamp every hour, even if there have been no changes.

If you would like to change the above intervals, or if you would like the following additional features, do change autoblockchainify.conf in the working directory or set the AUTOBLOCKCHAINIFY_* environment variables:

• Additional, direct timestamping against the PGP Digital Timestamping Service by mail; or
• Pushing to a remote repository for backup and/or publication purposes on every change. After changes to the configuration, you need to restart autoblockchainify (or the Docker container) to have changes picked up.

If you would like to exclude files from inclusion in the git repository (and therefore the Blockchain, the timestamps, and the remote repositories):

• Modify .gitignore in the working directory.

How do I run it?

The preferred way is to run a Docker image using docker-compose and point the /blockchain directory to the directory you want be automatically archived to your Blockchain. See the files docker-compose.yml and sample.env.