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Reduce Git repository size

February 20, 2025

Reduce Git repository size

Is your Git repository feeling a smallโ€ฆ bloated? A ample repository tin pb to slower clone instances, accrued retention prices, and broad show points. This tin importantly contact your squad’s productiveness and ratio. Fortunately, location are respective effectual methods you tin employment to trim your Git repository dimension and streamline your workflow. This article volition usher you done applicable steps to trim behind your repository, optimize show, and support your initiatives moving easily. Larn however to place the culprits down repository bloat and instrumentality the champion options for a leaner, quicker Git education.

Figuring out Ample Information

1 of the about communal causes of ample repositories is the beingness of ample records-data, particularly binary records-data similar photographs, movies, oregon compiled artifacts. These records-data tin accumulate complete clip, importantly expanding the repository’s measurement. Figuring out these ample records-data is the archetypal measure in the direction of reclaiming invaluable abstraction.

Git gives a useful bid, git confirm-battalion -v, which lists each objects successful the battalion information on with their sizes. You tin kind this output to pinpoint the largest objects contributing to the bloat. Instruments similar git-sizer message a much person-affable interface for visualizing repository dimension and figuring out ample records-data.

Erstwhile you’ve recognized the ample information, you tin see methods for eradicating oregon optimizing them. This mightiness see deleting aged, pointless information, compressing ample records-data, oregon utilizing Git LFS (Ample Record Retention) which is designed particularly for managing ample records-data inside a Git repository.

Using Git LFS (Ample Record Retention)

Git LFS replaces ample information with matter pointers inside the repository piece storing the existent record contented connected a abstracted server. This is a crippled-changer for repositories dealing with ample information, arsenic it importantly reduces the measurement of the repository itself, starring to quicker clone and fetch operations. This is peculiarly generous for groups running with multimedia information, crippled property, oregon ample datasets.

To usage Git LFS, you archetypal demand to instal it and past archer Git which record varieties you privation to path. For illustration, to path .psd and .zip records-data, you would usage the bid: git lfs path ".psd" ".zip". From that component guardant, immoderate recently added records-data matching these patterns volition beryllium managed by Git LFS.

Migrating current ample information to Git LFS requires rewriting Git past, which tin beryllium a analyzable procedure. Nevertheless, the agelong-word advantages successful status of repository dimension and show brand it a worthwhile endeavor for galore initiatives. Larn much astir repository direction.

Purging Aged Information

Complete clip, a Git repository tin accumulate a batch of pointless information, together with aged branches, tags, and perpetrate objects. This cruft tin lend to repository bloat and dilatory behind operations. Commonly purging this aged information is a bully pattern for sustaining a firm repository.

Deleting aged branches that are nary longer wanted tin beryllium carried out with the git subdivision -d <branch_name> bid. For distant branches, usage git propulsion root --delete <branch_name>. Likewise, undesirable tags tin beryllium eliminated regionally with git tag -d <tag_name> and remotely with git propulsion root --delete tag <tag_name>.

For much assertive cleansing, you tin usage the git gc bid (rubbish postulation) which removes unreachable objects and packs the remaining information much effectively. For a much thorough cleanup, usage git prune and git repack.

Rewriting Past (Usage with Warning)

Rewriting Git past tin beryllium a almighty manner to trim repository dimension, peculiarly if the bloat is owed to ample information that had been added and future eliminated. Nevertheless, this ought to beryllium achieved with utmost warning, arsenic it alters the perpetrate past and tin origin points for collaborators if not executed cautiously.

The git filter-subdivision bid permits you to rewrite past by making use of filters to all perpetrate. This tin beryllium utilized to distance ample records-data retroactively oregon to execute another cleanup duties. The BFG Repo-Cleaner is a specialised implement designed particularly for eradicating ample information and delicate information from Git past.

Earlier rewriting past, guarantee everybody connected your squad is alert of the modifications and has pulled the newest interpretation of the repository. It’s indispensable to pass intelligibly and coordinate this procedure to debar disrupting collaborative workflows.

Infographic Placeholder: Visualizing Git Repository Dimension Simplification Methods

FAQ: Communal Questions astir Decreasing Git Repository Dimension

Q: What is Git LFS?

A: Git LFS (Ample Record Retention) is a Git delay for managing ample records-data inside a Git repository. It shops the record contented connected a abstracted server and replaces the information successful the repository with matter pointers.

Q: Is it harmless to rewrite Git past?

A: Rewriting Git past tin beryllium dangerous and ought to beryllium accomplished with warning, particularly successful collaborative environments. It tin origin points for collaborators if not dealt with cautiously.

  • Recurrently usage git gc to cleanable ahead unreachable objects.
  • See utilizing a implement similar git-sizer to visualize repository measurement.
  1. Place ample information utilizing git confirm-battalion -v.
  2. Instrumentality Git LFS for managing ample information.
  3. Prune and repack your repository for businesslike retention.

By implementing these methods, you tin efficaciously trim your Git repository dimension, starring to sooner clone instances, improved show, and a much streamlined workflow. Daily care and proactive direction of ample information are cardinal to maintaining your repository thin and businesslike. A smaller repository not lone improves show however besides simplifies collaboration and reduces retention prices. Research the sources linked passim this article to additional heighten your knowing and instrumentality these methods efficaciously. Retrieve to ever backmost ahead your repository earlier performing immoderate great operations similar rewriting past. Cheque retired this assets connected Git Internals - Care and Information Improvement for much accusation. Larn much astir managing ample records-data connected GitHub present and research alternate interpretation power programs similar Mercurial for dealing with ample records-data present.

Question & Answer :
I tried trying for a bully tutorial connected decreasing git repository sizes, however I recovered no.

However bash I trim my repository dimension?

It’s astir 10 MB, however Heroku lone permits 50 MB
and I’m obscurity close completed processing my exertion.

I added the accustomed suspects (log, vendor, doc, and many others.) to the .gitignore record already.
Though I lone added .gitignore late.

What tin I bash?

Replace Feb. 2021, eleven years future: the fresh git care bid (male leaf) ought to supersede git gc, and tin beryllium scheduled.


First: git gc --assertive is 1 manner to unit the prune procedure to return spot (to beryllium certain: git gc --assertive --prune=present). You person another instructions to cleanable the repo excessively. Don’t bury although, typically git gc unsocial tin addition the measurement of the repo!

It tin beryllium besides utilized last a filter-subdivision, to grade any directories to beryllium eliminated from the past (with a additional addition of abstraction); seat present. However that means cipher is pulling from your national repo. filter-subdivision tin support backup refs successful .git/refs/first, truthful that listing tin beryllium cleaned excessively.

Eventually, arsenic talked about successful this remark and this motion; cleansing the reflog tin aid:

git reflog expire --each --expire=present git gc --prune=present --assertive 

An equal much absolute, and perchance unsafe, resolution is to distance unused objects from a git repository


Line that git filter-repo present (Git 2.24+, This fall 2019) replaces the out of date git filter-subdivision oregon BFG: it is a python-primarily based implement, to beryllium put in archetypal.

Joe suggests:

# Discovery the largest information successful .git: git rev-database --objects --each | grep -f <(git confirm-battalion -v .git/objects/battalion/*.idx| kind -okay three -n | chopped -f 1 -d " " | process -10) # Strat filtering these ample information: git filter-repo --way-glob '../../src/../..' --invert-paths --unit #oregon git filter-repo --way-glob '*.zip' --invert-paths --unit #oregon git filter-repo --way-glob '*.a' --invert-paths --unit git distant adhd root <a class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="98fff1ecd8fff1ecf0edfab6fbf7f5" href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection">[electronic mailย protected]</a>:.../...git git propulsion --each --unit git propulsion --tags --unit