Open source · Apache 2.0
Nipa blends Git-style branching and merge requests with Perforce-style binary streaming and locking, plus SVN-style path permissions. One centralized, self-hosted system for game studios, 3D pipelines, and media monorepos.
$git clone https://github.com/nipalab/nipa.git
$cd nipa && make web-install && make build
$./bin/nipad# gRPC, REST and web UI on :6745One system, three traditions
Nipa rebuilds the workflows artists and engineers rely on around a content-addressed chunk store — so branching, locking, and permissions all work at binary scale.
Create branches from any commit, review changes in merge requests with inline threads, and resolve conflicts with three-way text merges. Reviews are per-head — stale approvals drop automatically when the source branch moves.
Files are split into FastCDC chunks addressed by BLAKE3, so updates and branch switches transfer only what actually changed. Tracked binaries are mandatory-lock gated, and directory-prefix locks cover a whole editing pass.
Fine-grained path-based access rules and groups keep art, design, and code separated inside one monorepo — with a centralized, self-hosted source of truth instead of a distributed free-for-all.
Built for studios
Game builds, 3D pipelines, and rich media break tools designed around line-based diffs. Nipa is designed around the way asset-heavy teams actually work.
Tracked .blend, .psd, and .fbx edits are mandatory-lock gated. Artists take a lock on the asset — or a directory prefix covering a whole editing pass — and everyone sees exactly who owns it.
Content-addressed chunks are cached locally, so switching branches only transfers the chunks that actually differ. A new branch does not mean re-downloading the asset library.
Merge requests show three-dot diffs against the merge base, with inline threads and per-head review decisions. When the source branch moves, stale approvals are dismissed automatically.
Capabilities
From storage to review to permissions, everything ships in the server and CLI — no patchwork of add-ons to assemble.
FastCDC chunking with BLAKE3 hashing and per-format chunk profiles — 4 MB for packed assets, 64 KB for in-place-edited formats like .blend and .psd. Updates move only the chunks that changed.
Modified or removed binaries cannot land without a lock covering them. Directory-prefix locks span a whole editing pass; branch-scoped locks keep parallel work safe.
Three-dot diffs, inline threads, per-head review decisions, reviewer requests, and an activity timeline. Pushing to the source branch dismisses stale approvals automatically.
Myers line diffs with rename detection, whitespace-ignore modes, and external difftool support. Working-tree diffs run offline from the local chunk cache.
Permission rules and groups scope access per path. Manifests are pruned server-side, so team members only ever see the parts of the monorepo they should.
Browse trees and history, review merge requests, manage locks and permissions from a React SPA embedded in the server binary. No extra services to deploy.
nipa serve exposes a loopback gRPC API for GUI clients — the desktop app, Windows Explorer integration, and game-engine plugins all share one API.
nipa mcp serves a working copy over the Model Context Protocol. JSON output, dry-runs, and stable exit codes make scripting and agent automation first-class.
Quickstart
Nipa builds from source while the project is in active development. You need Go 1.27+ and Node 20+ to build the embedded web UI.
$git clone https://github.com/nipalab/nipa.git
$cd nipa && make web-install && make build
$./bin/nipad# gRPC, REST and web UI on :6745$./bin/nipa clone http://localhost:6745/org/project ./work
$cd work
$nipa add assets/hero.blend
$nipa push -m "hero mesh"
A fresh server seeds a super admin account — see the
README for first-run credentials and
config.yaml.sample for settings. Storage is SQLite out of the box.
Comparison
A quick look at the trade-offs teams weigh when assets outgrow line-based version control.
| Capability | Nipa | Git LFS | Perforce Helix Core | Subversion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Binary storage | Chunk-level streaming with FastCDC + BLAKE3 and per-format chunk profiles | Pointer files in Git, assets in a separate LFS store | Central depot with server-side streaming and deltas | Central repository with delta compression |
| File locking | Mandatory on tracked binaries; directory-prefix and branch-scoped locks | Optional, advisory git lfs lock | Strong central locking | Optional svn:needs-lock, advisory |
| Branching & review | Lightweight branches, merge requests, inline review threads | Git branching; review via the hosting platform | Streams and branches; review via add-ons | Directory-copy branches, no native review flow |
| Path-based access control | Yes — path-level permission rules and groups | Repository-level, hosting dependent | Yes — protections table | Yes — authz path rules |
| Offline working-copy diffs | Yes — working tree vs synced snapshot, no server round-trip | Text only; binaries live in LFS | Opened-file model, server-assisted | Yes — local working copy compares |
| Web UI & API | Embedded SPA, REST and gRPC in one self-hosted binary | Hosting platform dependent | Commercial tools (P4V, Helix) | Third-party viewers |
| License & hosting | Apache 2.0 community edition, self-hosted; ee/ under enterprise license | MIT client, server varies | Commercial license | Apache 2.0, self-hosted |
Comparison reflects typical self-hosted configurations; capabilities vary with hosting providers and add-ons.
Self-host Nipa and keep branching, locking, reviews, and permissions in one place — built to move gigabytes without slowing your team down.