DevConf.US 2026

Optimizing Container Image Updates: Modernizing Tar-diff From an Intern’s Perspective
2026-09-24 , Hewitt Boardroom (Capacity 35)

For edge devices with limited bandwidth or spotty connectivity, the size of container image updates is a critical issue. This is where tar-diff comes in. In just two key steps, it permits the user to seamlessly update their container image within a fraction of the time and with significantly less system overhead. This lightning talk focuses on the intersection of that technology and the personal experience of how I, an an intern with minimal industry experience, took a 6-year-old project and fine-tuned it for Fedora and RHEL distributions. I'll be talking about bridging the gap between existing logic and modern container standards, including what it’s like to take ownership of a tool that will be a key feature in bootable container images.


What level of experience should the audience have to best understand your session?: Intermediate - attendees should be familiar with the subject

I am a CS major at UMASS Lowell, and I work as a Software Engineer Intern with the RHEL for Edge team.