Introduction

Hello Geeks, welcome back. In this article, we would discuss ‘What is Git LFS’. GitHub LFS (Large File Storage) is an extension of GitHub that deals specifically with large files that are often associated with software development projects. It’s designed to address the limitations of regular Git repositories when handling files that are larger than a few megabytes.

What is Git LFS?

Git LFS handles large files by storing references to the file in the repository, but not the actual file itself. To work around Git’s architecture, Git LFS creates a pointer file that acts as a reference to the actual file (which is stored somewhere else). GitHub manages this pointer file in your repository. When you clone the repository down, GitHub uses the pointer file as a map to go and find the large file for you.

How GitHub LFS Works?

Tracking Large Files

With GitHub LFS, large files (such as images, videos, audio files, datasets, and binaries) are no longer stored directly within the Git repository. Instead, LFS tracks these large files by storing references (pointers) to them in the repository.

Separate Storage

The actual binary content of these large files is stored separately from the Git repository, often on an external storage service provided by GitHub or another LFS server.

Pointer Files

LFS replaces the binary content of large files in your repository with smaller pointer files. These pointer files contain metadata about the large files and their storage location.

Downloading Large Files

When you clone a repository that uses LFS or fetches changes containing LFS changes, Git LFS automatically downloads the large files from the external storage service and replaces the pointer files with the actual binary content.

Benefits and Usefulness of GitHub LFS

Optimized Repository Size

Large binary files can quickly bloat a Git repository, slowing down cloning, pushing, and pulling. LFS helps keep your repository size manageable by storing large files externally.

Faster Clone and Fetch Operations

LFS reduces the size of your repository, making clone and fetch operations faster and more efficient, especially for collaborators with limited bandwidth.

Version Control without Bloat

LFS allows you to keep large files under version control without affecting the performance of your Git repository.

Better Collaboration

Without LFS, large files can cause challenges when collaborating on code, particularly when merging changes that involve large files. LFS mitigates these issues.

Avoiding Git Repository Corruption

Large binary files can potentially corrupt a Git repository if they’re frequently added, modified, or removed. LFS avoids these issues by managing files outside the core repository.

Integrates with CI/CD

GitHub Actions and other CI/CD tools can be set up to interact with LFS, allowing seamless integration of large files in your development pipeline.

Scalable Hosting

GitHub provides free LFS storage for public repositories and a certain amount for private repositories. For larger storage needs, GitHub offers paid plans.

Extension of Git

GitHub LFS doesn’t replace Git but rather extends its capabilities, making it more practical for projects that involve large binary files.

Conclusion

With this, we come to the conclusion of the article where we understood that GitHub LFS is particularly beneficial for projects that require version control for both code and large binary files. It’s a powerful tool for maintaining a clean and efficient repository while collaborating on projects that involve multimedia assets or other large data files.

Still, if you have any questions/queries 🤔 please comment them below and we would try our best to answer them at the earliest.

HAPPY LEARNING!! 😊