Hey Hello dear DevOps and DevSecOps and SRE team heros!! here I came new challenge to solve the common problem on the Git. You may be using GitHub or GitLab or even BitBucket for source code management, Now few projects websites or mobile apps requires to store images, audio files, or video files which are larger in size. During the transfer to the client systems they are facing following issues:
- Slowness in git clone and fetch operations
- Sluggish commits and status checks
- Repository size bloat
- Complexity in managing multiple branches
Git LFS installation
apt install -y git-lfs
Git LFS (Large File Storage) is used to handle large files in a Git repository efficiently by replacing them with lightweight pointers while storing the actual files in a separate location.
Here are various examples of using Git LFS, including tracking, untracking, checking status, and more:
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1. Initialize Git LFS
Before using Git LFS in a repository, initialize it:
git lfs install
This sets up Git LFS for the repository.
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2. Track Large Files
To track specific file types, use:
git lfs track "*.psd"
or track a specific file:
git lfs track "bigfile.zip"
This updates the `.gitattributes` file to include:
***.psd filter=lfs diff=lfs merge=lfs -text
After tracking, commit the `.gitattributes` file:
git add .gitattributes
git commit -m "Track large files with Git LFS"
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3. Check Tracked Files
To see which files are being tracked by Git LFS:
git lfs track
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4. Check LFS Status
To check which large files are modified or committed:
git lfs status
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5. Untrack a File
If you no longer want a file to be tracked by Git LFS:
git lfs untrack "bigfile.zip"
This removes it from `.gitattributes`. Then commit the change:
git add .gitattributes
git commit -m "Untrack bigfile.zip from Git LFS"
Important: This does not remove files from previous commits.
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6. List LFS Objects
To see which LFS files exist in your repository:
git lfs ls-files
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7. Migrate Large Files (if added before tracking)
If you accidentally committed a large file before tracking it with Git LFS, migrate it:
git lfs migrate import --include="*.zip"
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8. Push and Fetch LFS Files
After committing, push LFS files to the remote:
git push origin main
To pull and fetch LFS files:
git pull
git lfs fetch
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9. Removing LFS Files From History (if needed)
If a large file was added before tracking and you want to remove it:
git lfs migrate import --include="bigfile.zip" --everything
Then, force push the cleaned history:
git push origin --force --all
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10. Verify LFS Files in Remote Repository
To check which LFS files exist on the remote:
git lfs ls-files --long
Common mistakes working with Git LFS
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Not Tracking Files Properly: Forgetting to use git lfs track for large files can lead to them being stored in the repository instead of being managed by Git LFS.
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Ignoring the .gitattributes File: The .gitattributes file is crucial for Git LFS to function correctly. Failing to commit this file can cause issues for collaborators.
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Pushing Without Installing Git LFS: If Git LFS isn't installed on your system, pushing large files will fail or result in errors.
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Exceeding Storage Limits: Platforms like GitHub have storage limits for Git LFS. Exceeding these limits can block further uploads.
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Cloning Without Git LFS: If you clone a repository without Git LFS installed, you might end up with pointer files instead of the actual large files.
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Using Git LFS for Small Files: Git LFS is designed for large files. Using it for small files can unnecessarily complicate your workflow.
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Not Cleaning Up Old Files: Over time, unused large files can accumulate in the LFS storage, increasing costs or storage usage.
Please write your learnings in the comments.
