thodg/libgit2

diff --git a/src/errors.c b/src/errors.c
index 41c4a8d..34a15b2 100644
--- a/src/errors.c
+++ b/src/errors.c
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@ static struct {
 	{GIT_EZLIB, "The Z library failed to inflate/deflate an object's data"},
 	{GIT_EBUSY, "The queried object is currently busy"},
 	{GIT_EINVALIDPATH, "The path is invalid"},
+	{GIT_EBAREINDEX, "The index file is not backed up by an existing repository"},
+	{GIT_EINVALIDREFNAME, "The name of the reference is not valid"},
+	{GIT_EREFCORRUPTED, "The specified reference has its data corrupted"},
+	{GIT_ETOONESTEDSYMREF, "The specified symbolic reference is too deeply nested"},
+	{GIT_EPACKEDREFSCORRUPTED, "The pack-refs file is either corrupted of its format is not currently supported"}
 };
 
 const char *git_strerror(int num)
diff --git a/src/git2/common.h b/src/git2/common.h
index 350429f..aae707c 100644
--- a/src/git2/common.h
+++ b/src/git2/common.h
@@ -134,7 +134,19 @@
 #define GIT_EBUSY (GIT_ERROR - 13)
 
 /** The index file is not backed up by an existing repository */
-#define GIT_EBAREINDEX (GIT_ERROR -14)
+#define GIT_EBAREINDEX (GIT_ERROR - 14)
+
+/** The name of the reference is not valid */
+#define GIT_EINVALIDREFNAME (GIT_ERROR - 15)
+
+/** The specified reference has its data corrupted */
+#define GIT_EREFCORRUPTED  (GIT_ERROR - 16)
+
+/** The specified symbolic reference is too deeply nested */
+#define GIT_ETOONESTEDSYMREF (GIT_ERROR - 17)
+
+/** The pack-refs file is either corrupted of its format is not currently supported */
+#define GIT_EPACKEDREFSCORRUPTED (GIT_ERROR - 18)
 
 /** The path is invalid */
 #define GIT_EINVALIDPATH (GIT_ERROR - 19)
diff --git a/src/git2/repository.h b/src/git2/repository.h
index 37a541f..129d3bb 100644
--- a/src/git2/repository.h
+++ b/src/git2/repository.h
@@ -215,6 +215,22 @@ GIT_EXTERN(void) git_repository_free(git_repository *repo);
  */
 GIT_EXTERN(int) git_repository_init(git_repository **repo_out, const char *path, unsigned is_bare);
 
+/**
+ * Lookup a reference by its name in the repository.
+ *
+ * The generated reference is owned by the repository and
+ * should not be freed by the user.
+ *
+ * TODO:
+ *	- Ensure the reference name is valid
+ *
+ * @param reference_out pointer to the looked-up reference
+ * @param repo the repository to look up the reference
+ * @param name the long name for the reference (e.g. HEAD, ref/heads/master, refs/tags/v0.1.0, ...)
+ * @return a reference to the reference
+ */
+GIT_EXTERN(int) git_repository_reference_lookup(git_reference **reference_out, git_repository *repo, const char *name);
+	
 /** @} */
 GIT_END_DECL
 #endif
diff --git a/src/git2/types.h b/src/git2/types.h
index cfc0cf3..389f328 100644
--- a/src/git2/types.h
+++ b/src/git2/types.h
@@ -135,6 +135,22 @@ typedef struct git_signature {
 	git_time when; /** time when the action happened */
 } git_signature;
 
+/** In-memory representation of a reference. */
+typedef struct git_reference git_reference;
+
+/** In-memory representation of a reference to an object id. */
+typedef struct git_reference_object_id git_reference_object_id;
+
+/** In-memory representation of a reference which points at another reference. The target reference is embedded. */
+typedef struct git_reference_symbolic git_reference_symbolic;
+
+/** Basic type of any Git reference. */
+typedef enum {
+	GIT_REF_ANY = -2,		/** Reference can be any of the following */
+	GIT_REF_OBJECT_ID = 0,	/** A reference which points at an object id */
+	GIT_REF_SYMBOLIC = 1,	/** A reference which points at another reference */
+} git_rtype;
+
 /** @} */
 GIT_END_DECL
 
diff --git a/src/refs.c b/src/refs.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..91f13ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/refs.c
@@ -0,0 +1,547 @@
+/*
+ * This file is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License, version 2,
+ * as published by the Free Software Foundation.
+ *
+ * In addition to the permissions in the GNU General Public License,
+ * the authors give you unlimited permission to link the compiled
+ * version of this file into combinations with other programs,
+ * and to distribute those combinations without any restriction
+ * coming from the use of this file.  (The General Public License
+ * restrictions do apply in other respects; for example, they cover
+ * modification of the file, and distribution when not linked into
+ * a combined executable.)
+ *
+ * This file is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+ * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program; see the file COPYING.  If not, write to
+ * the Free Software Foundation, 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor,
+ * Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA.
+ */
+
+#include "refs.h"
+#include "hash.h"
+#include "repository.h"
+#include "fileops.h"
+
+#define HASH_SEED 2147483647
+#define MAX_NESTING_LEVEL 5
+
+static const int default_table_size = 32;
+
+static struct {
+	size_t		size;	/* size in bytes of the object structure */
+} git_references_table[] = {
+	{sizeof(git_reference_object_id)},	/* 0 = GIT_REF_OBJECT_ID	*/
+	{sizeof(git_reference_symbolic)},	/* 1 = GIT_REF_SYMBOLIC		*/
+};
+
+static uint32_t reftable_hash(const void *key)
+{
+	return git__hash(key, strlen((const char *)key), HASH_SEED);
+}
+
+static int reftable_haskey(void *reference, const void *key)
+{
+	git_reference *ref;
+	char *name;
+
+	ref = (git_reference *)reference;
+	name = (char *)key;
+
+	return strcmp(name, ref->name) == 0;
+}
+
+git_reference_database *git_reference_database__alloc()
+{
+	git_reference_database *ref_database = git__malloc(sizeof(git_reference_database));
+	if (!ref_database)
+		return NULL;
+
+	memset(ref_database, 0x0, sizeof(git_reference_database));
+
+	ref_database->references = git_hashtable_alloc(
+		default_table_size, 
+		reftable_hash,
+		reftable_haskey);
+
+	if (ref_database->references == NULL) {
+		free(ref_database);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	return ref_database;
+}
+
+static void reference__free(git_reference *reference)
+{
+	assert(reference);
+
+	switch (reference->type) {
+	case GIT_REF_SYMBOLIC:
+		// The target of the symbolic ref has to be freed by itself.
+
+		/* Fallthrough */
+
+	case GIT_REF_ANY:
+	case GIT_REF_OBJECT_ID:
+		if (reference->name)
+			free(reference->name);
+
+		/* Fallthrough */
+
+	default:
+		free(reference);
+		break;
+	}
+}
+
+void git_reference_database__free(git_reference_database *ref_database)
+{
+	git_hashtable_iterator it;
+	git_reference *reference;
+
+	assert(ref_database);
+
+	git_hashtable_iterator_init(ref_database->references, &it);
+
+	while ((reference = (git_reference *)git_hashtable_iterator_next(&it)) != NULL) {
+		git_hashtable_remove(ref_database->references, reference->name);
+		reference__free(reference);
+	}
+
+	git_hashtable_free(ref_database->references);
+	free(ref_database);
+}
+
+
+static int check_refname_validity(const char *name) {
+	int error = GIT_SUCCESS;
+	
+	// TODO : To be implemented
+	
+	return error;
+}
+
+static int reference_newobject(git_reference **reference_out, git_rtype type, const char *name)
+{
+	git_reference *reference = NULL;
+
+	assert(reference_out && name);
+
+	*reference_out = NULL;
+
+	switch (type) {
+	case GIT_REF_OBJECT_ID:
+	case GIT_REF_SYMBOLIC:
+		break;
+
+	default:
+		return GIT_EINVALIDTYPE;
+	}
+
+	reference = git__malloc(git_references_table[type].size);
+
+	if (reference == NULL)
+		return GIT_ENOMEM;
+
+	memset(reference, 0x0, git_references_table[type].size);
+
+	reference->name = git__malloc(strlen(name) + 1);
+	strcpy(reference->name, name);
+
+	reference->type = type;
+
+
+	*reference_out = reference;
+	
+	return GIT_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+static int symbolic_reference_target_name__parse(char *target_name_out, const char *name, gitfo_buf *buffer) {
+	int error = GIT_SUCCESS;
+	char *refname_start, *refname_end;
+	const char *buffer_end;
+	int refname_len;
+
+	refname_start = (char *)buffer->data;
+	buffer_end = (const char *)(buffer->data) + buffer->len;
+
+	if (git__prefixcmp(refname_start, GIT_SYMREF))
+		return GIT_EREFCORRUPTED;
+
+	refname_start += strlen(GIT_SYMREF);
+
+	/* Skip the potential white spaces */
+	while (isspace(refname_start[0]) && refname_start < buffer_end)
+		refname_start++;
+
+	refname_end = refname_start;
+
+	/* Seek the end of the target reference name */
+	while(!isspace(refname_end[0]) && refname_end < buffer_end)
+		refname_end++;
+
+	refname_len = refname_end - refname_start;
+
+	memcpy(target_name_out, refname_start, refname_len);
+	target_name_out[refname_len] = 0;
+
+	return error;
+}
+
+static int object_id_reference__parse(git_reference **reference_out, const char *name, gitfo_buf *buffer) {
+	int error = GIT_SUCCESS;
+	git_oid target_oid;
+	git_reference *reference;
+	char *buffer_start;
+	const char *buffer_end;
+
+	buffer_start = (char *)buffer->data;
+	buffer_end = (const char *)(buffer_start) + buffer->len;
+
+	/* Is this a valid object id ? */
+	error = git__parse_oid(&target_oid, &buffer_start, buffer_end, "");
+	if (error < GIT_SUCCESS)
+		return error;
+
+	error = reference_newobject(&reference, GIT_REF_OBJECT_ID, name);
+	if (error < GIT_SUCCESS)
+		return error;
+
+	git_oid_cpy(&((git_reference_object_id *)reference)->id, &target_oid);
+
+	*reference_out = reference;
+
+	return error;
+}
+
+static int read_loose_reference(gitfo_buf *file_content, const char *name, const char *path_repository)
+{
+	int error = GIT_SUCCESS;
+	char ref_path[GIT_PATH_MAX];
+
+	/* Determine the full path of the ref */
+	strcpy(ref_path, path_repository);
+	strcat(ref_path, name);
+
+	/* Does it even exist ? */
+	if (gitfo_exists(ref_path) < GIT_SUCCESS)
+		return GIT_ENOTFOUND;
+
+	/* A ref can not be a directory */
+	if (!gitfo_isdir(ref_path))
+		return GIT_EINVALIDREFNAME;
+
+	error = gitfo_read_file(file_content, ref_path);
+
+	return error;
+}
+
+static int try_to_find_an_existing_loose_reference(git_reference **reference_out, git_reference_database *ref_database, const char *name, const char *path_repository, int *nesting_level)
+{
+	int error = GIT_SUCCESS;
+	gitfo_buf file_content = GITFO_BUF_INIT;
+	git_reference *reference, *target_reference;
+	git_reference_symbolic *peeled_reference;
+	char target_name[MAX_GITDIR_TREE_STRUCTURE_PATH_LENGTH];
+
+
+	error = read_loose_reference(&file_content, name, path_repository);
+	if (error < GIT_SUCCESS)
+		goto cleanup;
+
+	/* Does this look like a symbolic ref ? */
+	if (!git__prefixcmp((const char *)(file_content.data), GIT_SYMREF)) {
+		error = symbolic_reference_target_name__parse(target_name, name, &file_content);
+		if (error < GIT_SUCCESS)
+			goto cleanup;
+
+		error = git_reference_lookup(&target_reference, ref_database, target_name, path_repository, nesting_level);
+		if (error < GIT_SUCCESS)
+			goto cleanup;
+
+		error = reference_newobject((git_reference **)&peeled_reference, GIT_REF_SYMBOLIC, name);
+		if (error < GIT_SUCCESS)
+			goto cleanup;
+
+		peeled_reference->target = target_reference;
+
+		reference = (git_reference *)peeled_reference;
+
+		goto found;
+	}
+
+	if (object_id_reference__parse(&reference, name, &file_content) < GIT_SUCCESS) {
+		error = GIT_EREFCORRUPTED;
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
+found:
+	*reference_out = reference;
+
+cleanup:
+	if (file_content.data)
+		gitfo_free_buf(&file_content);
+
+	return error;
+}
+
+static int read_packed_refs_content(gitfo_buf *file_content, const char *path_repository)
+{
+	int error = GIT_SUCCESS;
+	char ref_path[GIT_PATH_MAX];
+
+	/* Determine the full path of the file */
+	strcpy(ref_path, path_repository);
+	strcat(ref_path, GIT_PACKEDREFS_FILE);
+
+	/* Does it even exist ? */
+	if (gitfo_exists(ref_path) < GIT_SUCCESS)
+		return GIT_ENOTFOUND;
+
+	error = gitfo_read_file(file_content, ref_path);
+
+	return error;
+}
+
+static int packed_tag_peeled_reference__parse(git_oid *peeled_oid_out, git_reference *tag_reference, char** buffer_out, const char *buffer_end)
+{
+	int error = GIT_SUCCESS;
+
+	/* Ensure it's not the first entry of the file */
+	if (tag_reference == NULL)
+		return GIT_EPACKEDREFSCORRUPTED;
+
+	/* Ensure reference is a tag */
+	if (git__prefixcmp(tag_reference->name, GIT_REFS_TAGS_DIR))
+		return GIT_EPACKEDREFSCORRUPTED;
+
+	/* Is this a valid object id ? */
+	if (git__parse_oid(peeled_oid_out, buffer_out, buffer_end, "^") < GIT_SUCCESS) {
+		error = GIT_EPACKEDREFSCORRUPTED;
+	}
+
+	return error;
+}
+
+static int packed_reference__parse(git_oid *oid_out, char *reference_name_out, char** buffer_out, const char *buffer_end)
+{
+	int error = GIT_SUCCESS;
+	char *refname_end;
+	int refname_len;
+
+	/* This should be the beginning of a line containing an object id, a space and its name */
+	if ((*buffer_out + GIT_OID_HEXSZ)[0] != ' ')
+		return GIT_EPACKEDREFSCORRUPTED;
+
+	/* Slight hack to reuse git__parse_oid() which assumes that the id is LF terminated */
+	(*buffer_out + GIT_OID_HEXSZ)[0] = '\n';
+
+	/* Is this a valid object id ? */
+	if (git__parse_oid(oid_out, buffer_out, buffer_end, "") < GIT_SUCCESS)
+		return GIT_EPACKEDREFSCORRUPTED;
+
+	/* We should be at the begining of the name of the reference */
+	if (isspace(*buffer_out[0]))
+		return GIT_EPACKEDREFSCORRUPTED;
+
+	refname_end = *buffer_out;
+
+	/* Seek the end of the target reference name */
+	while(!isspace(refname_end[0]) && refname_end < buffer_end)
+		refname_end++;
+
+	refname_len = refname_end - *buffer_out;
+
+	memcpy(reference_name_out, *buffer_out, refname_len);
+	reference_name_out[refname_len] = 0;
+
+	*buffer_out = refname_end + 1;
+
+	return error;
+}
+
+static int packed_reference_file__parse(git_reference **reference_out, git_reference_database *ref_database, const char *name, const char *path_repository, int *nesting_level)
+{
+	int error = GIT_SUCCESS;
+	gitfo_buf file_content = GITFO_BUF_INIT;
+	char *buffer_start;
+	const char *buffer_end;
+	char reference_name[MAX_GITDIR_TREE_STRUCTURE_PATH_LENGTH];
+	git_oid oid, peeled_oid;
+	git_reference *reference = NULL, *found_reference = NULL;
+
+	error = read_packed_refs_content(&file_content, path_repository);
+	if (error < GIT_SUCCESS)
+		goto cleanup;
+
+	buffer_start = (char *)file_content.data;
+	buffer_end = (const char *)(buffer_start) + file_content.len;
+
+	/* Does the header look like valid ? */
+	if (git__prefixcmp((const char *)(buffer_start), GIT_PACKEDREFS_HEADER)) {
+		error = GIT_EPACKEDREFSCORRUPTED;
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
+	/* Let's skip the header */
+	buffer_start += strlen(GIT_PACKEDREFS_HEADER);
+
+	while (buffer_start < buffer_end) {
+		/* Is it a peeled reference pointed at by a tag ? */
+		if (buffer_start[0] == '^') {
+			error = packed_tag_peeled_reference__parse(&peeled_oid, reference, &buffer_start, buffer_end);
+			if (error < GIT_SUCCESS)
+				goto cleanup;
+
+			/* As we do not _currently_ need the peeled object pointed at by the tag, we just don't use the parsed object id. Maybe later ? */
+
+			/* Reinit the reference to catch potential successive lines starting by '^' */
+			reference = NULL;
+
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		error = packed_reference__parse(&oid, reference_name, &buffer_start, buffer_end);
+		if (error < GIT_SUCCESS)
+			goto cleanup;
+
+		/* Does a more up-to-date loose reference exist ? */
+		reference = git_hashtable_lookup(ref_database->references, reference_name);
+		if (reference == NULL) {
+			error = reference_newobject(&reference, GIT_REF_OBJECT_ID, reference_name);
+			if (error < GIT_SUCCESS)
+				goto cleanup;
+
+			reference->is_packed = 1;
+
+			git_oid_cpy(&((git_reference_object_id *)reference)->id, &oid);
+
+			git_hashtable_insert(ref_database->references, reference->name, reference);
+
+			/* Is it the reference we're looking for ? */
+			if (!strcmp(reference_name, name))
+				found_reference = reference;	// TODO : Should we guard against two found references in the same packed-refs file ?
+		}
+	}
+
+	ref_database->have_packed_refs_been_parsed = 1;
+
+	if (found_reference == NULL) {
+		error = GIT_ENOTFOUND;
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
+	*reference_out = found_reference;
+
+cleanup:
+	if (file_content.data)
+		gitfo_free_buf(&file_content);
+
+	return error;
+}
+
+int git_reference_lookup(git_reference **reference_out, git_reference_database *ref_database, const char *name, const char *path_repository, int *nesting_level)
+{
+	int error = GIT_SUCCESS;
+	git_reference *reference, *packed_reference = NULL;
+
+	if (*nesting_level == MAX_NESTING_LEVEL) {
+		return GIT_ETOONESTEDSYMREF;
+	}
+
+	error = check_refname_validity(name);
+	if (error < GIT_SUCCESS)
+		return error;
+
+	/* Has the ref already been previously parsed ? */
+	reference = git_hashtable_lookup(ref_database->references, name);
+
+	/* Has a loose reference been found ? */
+	if (reference != NULL && !reference->is_packed) {
+		*reference_out = reference;
+		return GIT_SUCCESS;
+	}
+
+	/* Has every available ref already been parsed ? */
+	if (ref_database->is_fully_loaded) {
+		
+		if (reference == NULL) {
+			return GIT_ENOTFOUND;
+		} else {
+			/* Is is safe to consider the packed reference as the most up-to-date reference */			
+			assert(reference->is_packed);
+			*reference_out = reference;
+			return GIT_SUCCESS;
+		}
+	}
+
+	/* We temporarily store the packed reference until we're sure no more up-to-date loose reference exists.  */
+	if (reference != NULL) {
+		assert(reference->is_packed);
+		packed_reference = reference;
+	}
+
+	if (*nesting_level == 0) {
+		/* Is the database being populated */
+		if (ref_database->is_busy)
+			return GIT_EBUSY;
+
+		ref_database->is_busy = 1;
+	}
+
+	(*nesting_level)++;
+
+	/* Does the reference exist as a loose file based reference ? */
+	error = try_to_find_an_existing_loose_reference(&reference, ref_database, name, path_repository, nesting_level);
+
+	/* Have we found a more up-to-date loose reference than the packed reference we stored ? */
+	if (error == GIT_SUCCESS && packed_reference != NULL) {
+		git_hashtable_remove(ref_database->references, packed_reference->name);
+		reference__free(packed_reference);
+	}
+
+	if (error == GIT_SUCCESS) {
+		git_hashtable_insert(ref_database->references, reference->name, reference);
+		goto found;
+	}
+
+	if (error != GIT_ENOTFOUND)
+		goto cleanup;
+
+	/* Nothing has been found in the loose refs */
+	assert(error == GIT_ENOTFOUND);
+
+	/* If we've stored a pack reference, now is the time to return it */
+	if (packed_reference != NULL) {
+		reference = packed_reference;
+		error = GIT_SUCCESS;
+		goto found;
+	}
+
+	/* Have the dormant references already been parsed ? */
+	if (ref_database->have_packed_refs_been_parsed)
+		return GIT_ENOTFOUND;
+
+	/* has the reference previously been packed ? */
+	error = packed_reference_file__parse(&reference, ref_database, name, path_repository, nesting_level);
+	if (error < GIT_SUCCESS) {
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
+found:
+	*reference_out = reference;
+
+cleanup:
+	(*nesting_level)--;
+
+	if (*nesting_level == 0)
+		ref_database->is_busy = 0;
+
+	return error;
+}
diff --git a/src/refs.h b/src/refs.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3cfd46d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/refs.h
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+#ifndef INCLUDE_refs_h__
+#define INCLUDE_refs_h__
+
+#include "common.h"
+#include "git2/oid.h"
+#include "hashtable.h"
+
+#define GIT_REFS_DIR "refs/"
+#define GIT_REFS_HEADS_DIR GIT_REFS_DIR "heads/"
+#define GIT_REFS_TAGS_DIR GIT_REFS_DIR "tags/"
+
+#define GIT_SYMREF "ref:"
+#define GIT_PACKEDREFS_FILE "packed-refs"
+#define GIT_PACKEDREFS_HEADER "# pack-refs with: peeled \n"
+#define MAX_GITDIR_TREE_STRUCTURE_PATH_LENGTH 100
+
+struct git_reference {
+	git_rtype type;
+	char *name;
+
+	unsigned is_packed:1;
+};
+
+struct git_reference_object_id {
+	git_reference base;
+
+	git_oid id;
+};
+
+struct git_reference_symbolic {
+	git_reference base;
+
+	git_reference *target;
+};
+
+typedef struct {
+	git_hashtable *references;
+	
+	unsigned is_fully_loaded:1;
+	unsigned have_packed_refs_been_parsed:1;
+	unsigned is_busy:1;
+} git_reference_database;
+
+git_reference_database *git_reference_database__alloc();
+void git_reference_database__free(git_reference_database *ref_database);
+int git_reference_lookup(git_reference **reference_out, git_reference_database *ref_database, const char *name, const char *path_repository, int *nesting_level);
+
+#endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/repository.c b/src/repository.c
index 349afba..6fc67e4 100644
--- a/src/repository.c
+++ b/src/repository.c
@@ -33,18 +33,16 @@
 #include "blob.h"
 #include "fileops.h"
 
+#include "refs.h"
+
 #define GIT_DIR "/.git/"
 #define GIT_OBJECTS_DIR "objects/"
 #define GIT_OBJECTS_INFO_DIR GIT_OBJECTS_DIR "info/"
 #define GIT_OBJECTS_PACK_DIR GIT_OBJECTS_DIR "pack/"
-#define GIT_REFS_DIR "refs/"
-#define GIT_REFS_HEADS_DIR GIT_REFS_DIR "heads/"
-#define GIT_REFS_TAGS_DIR GIT_REFS_DIR "tags/"
 
 #define GIT_INDEX_FILE "index"
 #define GIT_HEAD_FILE "HEAD"
 
-#define GIT_SYMREF "ref: "
 #define GIT_BRANCH_MASTER "master"
 
 static const int OBJECT_TABLE_SIZE = 32;
@@ -229,6 +227,13 @@ static git_repository *repository_alloc()
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
+	repo->ref_database = git_reference_database__alloc();
+	if (repo->ref_database == NULL) {
+		git_hashtable_free(repo->objects);
+		free(repo);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
 	return repo;
 }
 
@@ -359,6 +364,8 @@ void git_repository_free(git_repository *repo)
 
 	git_hashtable_free(repo->objects);
 
+	git_reference_database__free(repo->ref_database);
+
 	if (repo->db != NULL)
 		git_odb_close(repo->db);
 
@@ -579,8 +586,6 @@ static int repo_init_structure(repo_init *results)
 
 static int repo_init_find_dir(repo_init *results, const char* path)
 {
-	const int MAX_GITDIR_TREE_STRUCTURE_PATH_LENGTH = 66;
-
 	char temp_path[GIT_PATH_MAX];
 	int path_len;
 	int error = GIT_SUCCESS;
@@ -628,3 +633,15 @@ cleanup:
 	free(results.path_repository);
 	return error;
 }
+
+int git_repository_reference_lookup(git_reference **reference_out, git_repository *repo, const char *name)
+{
+	int error = GIT_SUCCESS;
+	int nesting_level = 0;
+
+	assert(repo && reference_out && name);
+
+	error = git_reference_lookup(reference_out, repo->ref_database, name, repo->path_repository, &nesting_level);
+
+	return error;
+}
diff --git a/src/repository.h b/src/repository.h
index 44b37e1..1e9e0a5 100644
--- a/src/repository.h
+++ b/src/repository.h
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 #include "hashtable.h"
 #include "index.h"
+#include "refs.h"
 
 typedef struct {
 	git_rawobj raw;
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@ struct git_repository {
 	git_odb *db;
 	git_index *index;
 	git_hashtable *objects;
+	git_reference_database *ref_database;
 
 	char *path_repository;
 	char *path_index;
diff --git a/tests/NAMING b/tests/NAMING
index eba9147..ab425e2 100644
--- a/tests/NAMING
+++ b/tests/NAMING
@@ -22,3 +22,15 @@ Categories
 03__: Basic object writing.
 
 04__: Parsing and loading commit data
+
+05__: To be described
+
+06__: To be described
+
+07__: To be described
+
+08__: To be described
+
+09__: To be described
+
+10__: Symbolic, loose and packed references reading and writing.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/resources/testrepo.git/HEAD b/tests/resources/testrepo.git/HEAD
index e69de29..cb089cd 100644
--- a/tests/resources/testrepo.git/HEAD
+++ b/tests/resources/testrepo.git/HEAD
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+ref: refs/heads/master
diff --git a/tests/resources/testrepo.git/packed-refs b/tests/resources/testrepo.git/packed-refs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..52f5e87
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/resources/testrepo.git/packed-refs
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# pack-refs with: peeled 
+41bc8c69075bbdb46c5c6f0566cc8cc5b46e8bd9 refs/heads/packed
+5b5b025afb0b4c913b4c338a42934a3863bf3644 refs/heads/packed-test
diff --git a/tests/resources/testrepo.git/refs/heads/br2 b/tests/resources/testrepo.git/refs/heads/br2
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aab87e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/resources/testrepo.git/refs/heads/br2
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+a4a7dce85cf63874e984719f4fdd239f5145052f
diff --git a/tests/resources/testrepo.git/refs/heads/master b/tests/resources/testrepo.git/refs/heads/master
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9536ad8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/resources/testrepo.git/refs/heads/master
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+be3563ae3f795b2b4353bcce3a527ad0a4f7f644
diff --git a/tests/resources/testrepo.git/refs/heads/packed-test b/tests/resources/testrepo.git/refs/heads/packed-test
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f2c14ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/resources/testrepo.git/refs/heads/packed-test
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+4a202b346bb0fb0db7eff3cffeb3c70babbd2045
diff --git a/tests/resources/testrepo.git/refs/heads/test b/tests/resources/testrepo.git/refs/heads/test
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..399c4c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/resources/testrepo.git/refs/heads/test
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+e90810b8df3e80c413d903f631643c716887138d
diff --git a/tests/resources/testrepo.git/refs/tags/test b/tests/resources/testrepo.git/refs/tags/test
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6ee952a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/resources/testrepo.git/refs/tags/test
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+b25fa35b38051e4ae45d4222e795f9df2e43f1d1
diff --git a/tests/resources/testrepo.git/refs/tags/very-simple b/tests/resources/testrepo.git/refs/tags/very-simple
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..584495d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/resources/testrepo.git/refs/tags/very-simple
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+7b4384978d2493e851f9cca7858815fac9b10980
diff --git a/tests/t1001-readtag.c b/tests/t1001-readtag.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..57de1aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/t1001-readtag.c
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+#include "test_lib.h"
+#include "test_helpers.h"
+#include "refs.h"
+
+static const char *loose_tag_ref_name = "refs/tags/test";
+static const char *non_existing_tag_ref_name = "refs/tags/i-do-not-exist";
+
+BEGIN_TEST(loose_tag_reference_looking_up)
+	git_repository *repo;
+	git_reference *reference;
+	git_object *object;
+
+	must_pass(git_repository_open(&repo, REPOSITORY_FOLDER));
+
+
+	must_pass(git_repository_reference_lookup(&reference, repo, loose_tag_ref_name));
+	must_be_true(reference->type == GIT_REF_OBJECT_ID);
+	must_be_true(reference->is_packed == 0);
+	must_be_true(strcmp(reference->name, loose_tag_ref_name) == 0);
+
+
+	must_pass(git_repository_lookup(&object, repo, &((git_reference_object_id *)reference)->id, GIT_OBJ_ANY));
+	must_be_true(object != NULL);
+	must_be_true(git_object_type(object) == GIT_OBJ_TAG);
+
+
+	git_repository_free(repo);
+END_TEST
+
+BEGIN_TEST(non_existing_tag_reference_looking_up)
+	git_repository *repo;
+	git_reference *reference;
+
+	must_pass(git_repository_open(&repo, REPOSITORY_FOLDER));
+
+	must_fail(git_repository_reference_lookup(&reference, repo, non_existing_tag_ref_name));
+
+	git_repository_free(repo);
+END_TEST
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/t1002-readsymref.c b/tests/t1002-readsymref.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b6184b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/t1002-readsymref.c
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+#include "test_lib.h"
+#include "test_helpers.h"
+#include "refs.h"
+
+static const char *head_ref_name = "HEAD";
+static const char *current_head_target = "refs/heads/master";
+static const char *current_master_tip = "be3563ae3f795b2b4353bcce3a527ad0a4f7f644";
+
+BEGIN_TEST(symbolic_reference_looking_up)
+	git_repository *repo;
+	git_reference *reference;
+	git_reference_symbolic *head_ref;
+	git_reference_object_id *target_ref;
+	git_object *object;
+	git_oid id;
+
+	must_pass(git_repository_open(&repo, REPOSITORY_FOLDER));
+
+
+	must_pass(git_repository_reference_lookup(&reference, repo, head_ref_name));
+	must_be_true(reference->type == GIT_REF_SYMBOLIC);
+	must_be_true(reference->is_packed == 0);
+	must_be_true(strcmp(reference->name, head_ref_name) == 0);
+
+	head_ref = (git_reference_symbolic *)reference;
+	must_be_true(head_ref->target != NULL);
+	must_be_true(head_ref->target->type == GIT_REF_OBJECT_ID);					/* Current HEAD directly points to the object id reference */
+	must_be_true(strcmp(head_ref->target->name, current_head_target) == 0);
+
+	target_ref = (git_reference_object_id *)head_ref->target;
+
+	must_pass(git_repository_lookup(&object, repo, &target_ref->id, GIT_OBJ_ANY));
+	must_be_true(object != NULL);
+	must_be_true(git_object_type(object) == GIT_OBJ_COMMIT);
+
+	git_oid_mkstr(&id, current_master_tip);
+	must_be_true(git_oid_cmp(&id, git_object_id(object)) == 0);
+
+
+	git_repository_free(repo);
+END_TEST
+
+BEGIN_TEST(looking_up_head_then_master)
+	git_repository *repo;
+	git_reference *reference;
+	git_reference_symbolic *head_ref;
+
+	must_pass(git_repository_open(&repo, REPOSITORY_FOLDER));
+
+
+	must_pass(git_repository_reference_lookup(&reference, repo, head_ref_name));
+
+	head_ref = (git_reference_symbolic *)reference;
+	must_be_true(head_ref->target != NULL);
+
+	must_pass(git_repository_reference_lookup(&reference, repo, current_head_target));
+	must_be_true(head_ref->target == reference);
+
+
+	git_repository_free(repo);
+END_TEST
+
+BEGIN_TEST(looking_up_master_then_head)
+	git_repository *repo;
+	git_reference *reference, *master_ref;
+	git_reference_symbolic *head_ref;
+
+	must_pass(git_repository_open(&repo, REPOSITORY_FOLDER));
+
+
+	must_pass(git_repository_reference_lookup(&master_ref, repo, current_head_target));
+
+	must_pass(git_repository_reference_lookup(&reference, repo, head_ref_name));
+	head_ref = (git_reference_symbolic *)reference;
+	must_be_true(head_ref->target != NULL);
+	
+	must_be_true(head_ref->target == master_ref);
+
+
+	git_repository_free(repo);
+END_TEST
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/t1003-readpackedref.c b/tests/t1003-readpackedref.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0d210fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/t1003-readpackedref.c
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+#include "test_lib.h"
+#include "test_helpers.h"
+#include "refs.h"
+
+static const char *packed_head_name = "refs/heads/packed";
+static const char *packed_test_head_name = "refs/heads/packed-test";
+
+BEGIN_TEST(packed_reference_looking_up)
+	git_repository *repo;
+	git_reference *reference;
+	git_reference_object_id *packed_ref;
+	git_object *object;
+	git_oid id;
+
+	must_pass(git_repository_open(&repo, REPOSITORY_FOLDER));
+
+
+	must_pass(git_repository_reference_lookup(&reference, repo, packed_head_name));
+	must_be_true(reference->type == GIT_REF_OBJECT_ID);
+	must_be_true(reference->is_packed == 1);
+	must_be_true(strcmp(reference->name, packed_head_name) == 0);
+
+	packed_ref = (git_reference_object_id *)reference;
+
+	must_pass(git_repository_lookup(&object, repo, &packed_ref->id, GIT_OBJ_ANY));
+	must_be_true(object != NULL);
+	must_be_true(git_object_type(object) == GIT_OBJ_COMMIT);
+
+
+	git_repository_free(repo);
+END_TEST
+
+BEGIN_TEST(packed_exists_but_more_recent_loose_reference_is_retrieved)
+	git_repository *repo;
+	git_reference *reference;
+	git_reference_object_id *packed_ref;
+	git_object *object;
+	git_oid id;
+
+	must_pass(git_repository_open(&repo, REPOSITORY_FOLDER));
+
+
+	must_pass(git_repository_reference_lookup(&reference, repo, packed_head_name));			/* Triggers load and eager parsing of all packed references */
+
+	must_pass(git_repository_reference_lookup(&reference, repo, packed_test_head_name));
+	must_be_true(reference->type == GIT_REF_OBJECT_ID);
+	must_be_true(reference->is_packed == 0);
+	must_be_true(strcmp(reference->name, packed_test_head_name) == 0);
+
+
+	git_repository_free(repo);
+END_TEST
\ No newline at end of file