Vit — Git for Video Editing

Vit brings git-style version control to video editing. Instead of versioning raw media files, Vit tracks timeline metadata — clip placements, color grades, audio levels, effects, and markers — as lightweight JSON, using Git as the backend.

Collaborators (editors, colorists, sound designers) work in parallel on branches and merge changes cleanly, just like developers with code.

How It Works

Vit serializes your DaVinci Resolve timeline into domain-split JSON files:

File	Contents	Typical Owner
cuts.json	Clip placements, in/out points, transforms	Editor
color.json	Color grading per clip	Colorist
audio.json	Levels, panning	Sound Designer
effects.json	Effects, transitions	Editor / VFX
markers.json	Markers, notes	Anyone
metadata.json	Frame rate, resolution, track counts	Rarely changed

Different roles edit different files, so Git merges them without conflicts. When cross-domain issues arise (e.g., a deleted clip still referenced in color.json), an AI-powered semantic merge resolves them.

Installation

Requirements: Python 3.8+, Git, DaVinci Resolve (optional, for Resolve integration)

One-Line Install (macOS/Linux)

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/LucasHJin/vit/main/install.sh | bash

Manual Install

git clone https://github.com/LucasHJin/vit.git
cd vit
pip install .
vit install-resolve   # symlink plugin scripts into DaVinci Resolve

For the optional Qt-based GUI panel inside Resolve:

pip install ".[qt]"

Quick Start

# Initialize a project
vit init

# Save a version
vit commit -m "rough cut done"

# Create a branch for color grading
vit branch color-grade
vit checkout color-grade

# Work in Resolve, then commit
vit commit -m "first color pass"

# Merge back
vit checkout main
vit merge color-grade

# View changes
vit diff
vit log

# Note that apart from the first command, all other commands can be run in the GUI in Davinci Resolve

Commands

Command	Description
vit init	Initialize a new vit project
vit add	Serialize timeline and stage changes
vit commit -m "msg"	Stage + commit
vit branch <name>	Create a new branch
vit checkout <name>	Switch branches (restores timeline in Resolve)
vit merge <branch>	Merge a branch (with AI conflict resolution)
vit diff	Human-readable timeline diff
vit log	Formatted version history
vit revert	Undo the last commit
vit push / vit pull	Sync with a remote
vit status	Show project status

Project Structure

vit/                  # Core library
  cli.py              # CLI entry point
  core.py             # Git operations wrapper
  serializer.py       # Resolve timeline -> JSON
  deserializer.py     # JSON -> Resolve timeline
  ai_merge.py         # AI-powered conflict resolution (Gemini)
  differ.py           # Human-readable diff formatting
  validator.py        # Post-merge validation
  models.py           # Data models
  json_writer.py      # Domain-split JSON I/O

resolve_plugin/       # DaVinci Resolve integration scripts
  vit_panel_qt.py     # Qt GUI panel for Resolve
  vit_commit.py       # Script menu: commit
  vit_branch.py       # Script menu: branch
  vit_merge.py        # Script menu: merge
  vit_status.py       # Script menu: status
  vit_restore.py      # Script menu: restore timeline
  ...

tests/                # Test suite

AI Features

Vit uses the Gemini API (gemini-2.5-flash) to assist with video editing workflows that go beyond what plain Git can handle. Key uses:

• Semantic merge resolution — When a merge creates cross-domain conflicts (e.g., one branch deletes a clip while another color-grades it), the AI analyzes BASE/OURS/THEIRS states across all domain files and produces structured per-domain decisions with confidence levels
• Interactive conflict clarification — For ambiguous merges (low-confidence decisions), the AI presents options to the user, then resolves the final JSON based on their choices
• Post-merge validation — A rule-based validator catches orphaned references, overlapping clips, audio/video sync mismatches, and speed/duration inconsistencies after every merge; these issues feed into the AI prompt for smarter resolution
• Commit message suggestions — vit commit can auto-generate a descriptive message from the timeline diff using video editing terminology (e.g., "Add B-roll on V2, trim interview end point")
• Log summaries — vit log --summary produces a natural-language overview of recent commits for the team
• Branch comparison analysis — The Resolve GUI panel uses AI to compare two branches and recommend a merge strategy before you commit to it
• Commit classification — Commits are auto-categorized as audio, video, or color changes (with a fast heuristic fallback when AI is unavailable)

Set GEMINI_API_KEY in your environment or project .env file to enable AI features. All AI features degrade gracefully — Vit works fully without an API key, you just lose the smart merge and suggestions.

DaVinci Resolve Integration

After installation, Vit appears in Resolve under Workspace > Scripts. You can run commits, branching, and merging directly from the Resolve UI — either through individual script menu items or the unified Qt panel.

Testing

python -m pytest tests/

License

MIT