GitCells

Version Control for Excel Files
Track, diff, and collaborate on spreadsheets with Git

GitCells seamlessly bridges Excel and Git, enabling true version control for spreadsheets. It automatically converts Excel files to human-readable JSON for diffing and merging, then restores them to native Excel format for editing. No more binary conflicts, lost formulas, or overwritten work.

Features

• Excel ↔ JSON Conversion: Converts Excel files to structured JSON that preserves formulas, styles, comments, and merged cells
• Interactive TUI: Beautiful terminal user interface for setup, monitoring, and configuration
• Smart Chunking: Automatically splits large workbooks into manageable chunks for optimal Git performance
• Version Control: Full Git integration with automatic commits and conflict resolution
• File Watching: Automatically monitors directories for Excel file changes with intelligent debouncing
• Diff Generation: Human-readable diffs showing exactly what changed between Excel versions
• Self-Updating: Built-in update system to keep GitCells current with latest releases
• Cross-Platform: Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux
• Formula Preservation: Maintains Excel formulas and calculations during conversion
• Smart Conflict Resolution: Intelligent merging strategies for concurrent edits
• Error Tracking: Comprehensive error logging and troubleshooting tools

Installation

Pre-built Binaries

Download the latest release for your platform from GitHub Releases.

Quick Install Scripts

macOS/Linux:

curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Classic-Homes/gitcells/main/scripts/install.sh | sh

Windows (PowerShell):

iwr -useb https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Classic-Homes/gitcells/main/scripts/install.ps1 | iex

Manual Download

Download the latest release from the releases page:

• Windows: gitcells-windows.exe
• macOS Intel: gitcells-macos-intel.tar.gz
• macOS Apple Silicon: gitcells-macos-apple-silicon.tar.gz
• Linux x64: gitcells-linux.tar.gz
• Linux ARM64: gitcells-linux-arm64.tar.gz

Build from Repository

git clone https://github.com/Classic-Homes/gitcells.git
cd gitcells
make build

# Install locally
make install

Updating GitCells

GitCells includes a self-update feature that handles permission issues gracefully:

# Check for updates
gitcells update --check

# Update to latest version
gitcells update

# If installed in a system directory, GitCells will prompt for elevated permissions

Quick Start

Interactive Setup (Recommended)

gitcells tui

The interactive TUI guides you through:

• Initial repository setup
• Excel file discovery and configuration
• Git integration setup
• Watch directory configuration

Command Line Usage

1. Initialize GitCells in your project

cd your-excel-project
gitcells init

This creates a .gitcells.yaml configuration file and sets up Git if needed.

2. Convert Excel files to JSON

# Convert a single file
gitcells convert spreadsheet.xlsx

# Convert multiple files
gitcells convert *.xlsx

# Convert with options
gitcells convert --preserve-styles --preserve-comments data.xlsx

3. Watch directories for automatic conversion

# Watch current directory
gitcells watch .

# Watch specific directories
gitcells watch ./data ./reports

# Watch with auto-commit to Git
gitcells watch --auto-commit ./spreadsheets

4. Check synchronization status

gitcells status

5. Manually sync with Git

gitcells sync

Self-Update

# Check for updates
gitcells update --check

# Update to latest version
gitcells update

# Include pre-release versions
gitcells update --prerelease

Configuration

GitCells uses a .gitcells.yaml configuration file. Here's a comprehensive example:

version: 1.0

git:
  branch: main
  auto_push: false
  auto_pull: true
  user_name: "GitCells"
  user_email: "gitcells@yourcompany.com"
  commit_template: "GitCells: {action} {filename} at {timestamp}"

watcher:
  directories:
    - "./data"
    - "./reports"
  ignore_patterns:
    - "~$*"           # Excel temp files
    - "*.tmp"         # Temporary files
    - ".~lock.*"      # LibreOffice lock files
  debounce_delay: 2s  # Wait 2 seconds before processing changes
  file_extensions:
    - ".xlsx"
    - ".xls"
    - ".xlsm"

converter:
  preserve_formulas: true     # Keep Excel formulas
  preserve_styles: true      # Keep cell formatting
  preserve_comments: true    # Keep cell comments
  compact_json: false        # Use pretty-printed JSON
  ignore_empty_cells: true   # Skip empty cells in JSON
  max_cells_per_sheet: 1000000  # Memory protection

Command Reference

Global Options

• --config: Specify config file path (default: .gitcells.yaml)
• --verbose: Enable verbose logging
• --tui: Launch interactive TUI mode
• --help: Show help information

Commands

gitcells tui

Launch the interactive Terminal User Interface for guided operations.

gitcells tui

The TUI provides:

• Setup Wizard: Configure GitCells for your repository
• Status Dashboard: Monitor Excel file tracking and conversions
• Settings Management: Update, configure, and manage GitCells
• Error Logs: View and troubleshoot application errors

gitcells init

Initialize GitCells in the current directory.

gitcells init [flags]

Options:

• --force: Overwrite existing configuration

gitcells convert

Convert Excel files to JSON format.

gitcells convert [files...] [flags]

Options:

• --output-dir: Output directory for JSON files
• --preserve-formulas: Preserve Excel formulas (default: true)
• --preserve-styles: Preserve cell styles and formatting
• --preserve-comments: Preserve cell comments
• --compact: Generate compact JSON (no pretty printing)

Examples:

gitcells convert data.xlsx
gitcells convert --preserve-styles *.xlsx
gitcells convert --output-dir ./json-output reports.xlsx

gitcells watch

Watch directories for Excel file changes and automatically convert them.

gitcells watch [directories...] [flags]

Options:

• --auto-commit: Automatically commit changes to Git
• --debounce: Debounce delay (e.g., "2s", "500ms")

Examples:

gitcells watch .
gitcells watch --auto-commit ./data ./reports
gitcells watch --debounce 5s ./spreadsheets

gitcells sync

Manually synchronize Excel files with Git repository.

gitcells sync [flags]

Options:

• --push: Push changes to remote repository
• --pull: Pull changes from remote repository

gitcells status

Show the current synchronization status.

gitcells status [flags]

gitcells diff

Show differences between Excel file versions.

gitcells diff [file] [flags]

Options:

• --from: Compare from specific commit/version
• --to: Compare to specific commit/version

gitcells update

Update GitCells to the latest version.

gitcells update [flags]

Options:

• --check: Check for updates without installing
• --force: Update without confirmation
• --prerelease: Include pre-release versions

gitcells version

Show version information.

gitcells version [flags]

Options:

• --check-update: Check for available updates
• --prerelease: Include pre-release versions when checking

Excel File Support

GitCells supports the following Excel features:

✅ Supported Features

• File Formats: .xlsx, .xls, .xlsm
• Cell Values: Text, numbers, booleans, dates
• Formulas: All Excel formulas including references between sheets
• Cell Formatting: Fonts, colors, borders, number formats
• Merged Cells: Cell ranges merged across rows/columns
• Multiple Sheets: Workbooks with multiple worksheets
• Comments: Cell comments and annotations
• Named Ranges: Defined names and ranges
• Data Validation: Cell validation rules
• Hyperlinks: Links to URLs or other cells

⚠️ Limitations

• Charts and Graphs: Not preserved in JSON format
• Pivot Tables: Structure preserved, but may need refresh
• Macros: VBA macros are not converted
• External Links: Links to other files may break
• Images: Embedded images are not preserved

JSON Format

GitCells uses an intelligent chunking system that automatically splits Excel files for optimal Git performance:

Storage Organization

Original Excel files: Remain in their original locations JSON representations: Stored in .gitcells/data/ directory

This separation keeps your working directory clean while maintaining full version control.

Chunking Strategy

For large workbooks, GitCells automatically splits data into manageable chunks:

.gitcells/data/
└── myworkbook_chunks/
    ├── workbook.json           # Metadata and workbook properties
    ├── sheet_Sheet1.json       # Individual sheet data
    ├── sheet_Sheet2.json       # Individual sheet data
    └── .gitcells_chunks.json   # Chunk tracking metadata

Benefits:

• Faster Git operations
• Reduced memory usage
• Better diff visibility
• Easier conflict resolution

Main Workbook File (workbook.json)

{
  "version": "1.0",
  "metadata": {
    "created": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z",
    "modified": "2024-01-15T15:45:00Z",
    "app_version": "gitcells-0.1.0",
    "original_file": "data.xlsx",
    "file_size": 45678,
    "checksum": "abc123def456..."
  },
  "sheets": [
    {"name": "Sheet1", "index": 0, "hidden": false},
    {"name": "Sheet2", "index": 1, "hidden": false}
  ],
  "defined_names": {},
  "properties": {}
}

Individual Sheet File (sheet_Sheet1.json)

{
  "version": "1.0",
  "workbook_checksum": "abc123def456...",
  "sheet": {
    "name": "Sheet1",
    "index": 0,
    "cells": {
      "A1": {
        "value": "Product Name",
        "type": "string"
      },
      "A2": {
        "value": 123.45,
        "type": "number"
      },
      "B2": {
        "value": "=A2*1.1",
        "formula": "=A2*1.1",
        "type": "formula"
      }
    },
    "merged_cells": [
      {"range": "A1:C1"}
    ]
  }
}

Git Integration

GitCells provides seamless Git integration for version control:

Automatic Commits

When watching directories, GitCells can automatically commit changes:

gitcells watch --auto-commit ./data

Commit Messages

Customize commit messages using templates in your config:

git:
  commit_template: "GitCells: {action} {filename} at {timestamp}"

Available variables:

• {action}: Type of change (create, modify, delete)
• {filename}: Name of the changed file
• {timestamp}: ISO timestamp of the change
• {branch}: Current Git branch

Conflict Resolution

GitCells includes intelligent conflict resolution for concurrent edits:

1. Smart Merge: Attempts to merge non-conflicting changes automatically
2. Timestamp Resolution: Uses the most recent version when smart merge fails
3. Manual Resolution: Provides clear conflict markers for manual resolution

Integration with Development Workflows

CI/CD Pipelines

Use GitCells in GitHub Actions:

name: Excel Sync
on:
  push:
    paths:
      - '**/*.xlsx'
      - '**/*.xls'

jobs:
  excel-sync:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
      - name: Download GitCells
        run: |
          curl -L https://github.com/Classic-Homes/gitcells/releases/latest/download/gitcells-linux.tar.gz -o gitcells-linux.tar.gz
          tar -xzf gitcells-linux.tar.gz
          mv gitcells-linux gitcells
          chmod +x gitcells
      - name: Convert Excel files
        run: ./gitcells convert *.xlsx
      - name: Commit changes
        run: |
          git config --local user.email "action@github.com"
          git config --local user.name "GitHub Action"
          git add *.json
          git diff --staged --quiet || git commit -m "Auto-sync Excel files"
          git push

Pre-commit Hooks

Add GitCells to your pre-commit configuration:

repos:
  - repo: local
    hooks:
      - id: gitcells
        name: GitCells Excel Converter
        entry: gitcells convert
        language: system
        files: \.(xlsx|xls|xlsm)$

Best Practices

1. File Organization

project/
├── .gitcells.yaml
├── data/
│   ├── sales.xlsx
│   ├── sales.xlsx.json      # Auto-generated
│   └── inventory.xlsx
├── reports/
│   └── monthly.xlsx
└── templates/
    └── template.xlsx

2. Git Configuration

• Add *.json files to your Git repository
• Consider .gitignore for Excel temp files:

  ~$*
  *.tmp
  .~lock.*
  

3. Team Workflows

1. Single Source of Truth: Keep Excel files as the primary source
2. Review JSON Changes: Use Git to review what actually changed
3. Merge Conflicts: Let GitCells handle automatic resolution
4. Regular Syncing: Use gitcells sync before major changes

4. Performance Tips

• Use ignore_empty_cells: true for large, sparse spreadsheets
• Set appropriate max_cells_per_sheet limits for memory management
• Use debounce_delay to avoid excessive processing during active editing

Troubleshooting

Interactive Error Viewer

Use the TUI to view and diagnose errors:

gitcells tui
# Select "Error Logs" from the menu

Common Issues

1. Permission Denied

# Solution: Ensure gitcells is executable
chmod +x gitcells

2. Excel File Locked

Error: failed to open Excel file: file is locked

# Solution: Close Excel application or wait for auto-save
# GitCells automatically ignores temp files like ~$filename.xlsx

3. Large File Memory Issues

Error: out of memory processing large file

# Solution: GitCells automatically chunks large files
# You can adjust limits in .gitcells.yaml:
converter:
  max_cells_per_sheet: 100000
  ignore_empty_cells: true

4. Git Conflicts

# Solution: Use GitCells's conflict resolution
gitcells sync --resolve-conflicts

Debug Mode

Enable verbose logging for troubleshooting:

gitcells --verbose watch .

Log Files

GitCells maintains detailed logs for troubleshooting:

• Linux/macOS: ~/.local/share/gitcells/logs/
• Windows: %APPDATA%/gitcells/logs/

View recent errors:

gitcells tui  # Select "Error Logs"

Contributing

We welcome contributions! Please see CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines.

Development Setup

git clone https://github.com/Classic-Homes/gitcells.git
cd gitcells
go mod tidy
make test

Running Tests

make test                    # Run all tests
make test-short             # Skip integration tests
make test-coverage          # Generate coverage report

Documentation

Online Documentation

Visit gitcells.com/docs for the complete documentation.

Local Documentation Server

Run the documentation locally using Docker:

# Start the documentation server
./scripts/serve-docs.sh

# Or use Docker Compose directly
docker-compose up docs

# Stop the server
./scripts/serve-docs.sh stop

The documentation will be available at http://localhost:8000.

Available commands:

• ./scripts/serve-docs.sh - Start the documentation server
• ./scripts/serve-docs.sh stop - Stop the server
• ./scripts/serve-docs.sh restart - Restart the server
• ./scripts/serve-docs.sh logs - View server logs

Building Documentation

# Build static documentation site
./scripts/build-docs.sh

# Output will be in site/ directory

License

GitCells is licensed under the MIT License. See LICENSE for details.

Architecture

GitCells is built with a modular architecture:

• CLI Layer: Cobra-based command interface with TUI support
• Converter Engine: Handles Excel ↔ JSON transformations with chunking
• Git Integration: Automated version control operations
• File Watcher: FSNotify-based monitoring with intelligent debouncing
• Update System: Self-updating with GitHub releases integration

Support

• Documentation: Full Documentation | Run locally: ./scripts/serve-docs.sh
• Issues: GitHub Issues
• Discussions: GitHub Discussions
• Quick Start: Launch gitcells tui for interactive help

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Built with ❤️ for teams who need Excel files under version control