# Git Large File Storage

![CI status][1]

[1]: https://github.com/git-lfs/git-lfs/workflows/CI/badge.svg

[Git LFS](https://git-lfs.github.com) is a command line extension and
[specification](docs/spec.md) for managing large files with Git.

The client is written in Go, with pre-compiled binaries available for Mac,
Windows, Linux, and FreeBSD. Check out the [website](http://git-lfs.github.com)
for an overview of features.

## Getting Started

### Downloading

You can install the Git LFS client in several different ways, depending on your
setup and preferences.

* **Linux users**. Debian and RPM packages are available from
  [PackageCloud](https://packagecloud.io/github/git-lfs/install).
* **macOS users**. [Homebrew](https://brew.sh) bottles are distributed, and can
  be installed via `brew install git-lfs`.
* **Windows users**. Git LFS is included in the distribution of
  [Git for Windows](https://gitforwindows.org/). Alternatively, you can
  install a recent version of Git LFS from the [Chocolatey](https://chocolatey.org/) package manager.
* **Binary packages**. In addition, [binary packages](https://github.com/git-lfs/git-lfs/releases) are
available for Linux, macOS, Windows, and FreeBSD.
* **Building from source**. [This repository](https://github.com/git-lfs/git-lfs.git) can also be
built from source using the latest version of [Go](https://golang.org), and the
available instructions in our
[Wiki](https://github.com/git-lfs/git-lfs/wiki/Installation#source).

### Installing

#### From binary

The [binary packages](https://github.com/git-lfs/git-lfs/releases) include a script which will:

- Install Git LFS binaries onto the system `$PATH`
- Run `git lfs install` to
perform required global configuration changes.

```ShellSession
$ ./install.sh
```

#### From source

- Place the `git-lfs` binary on your system’s executable `$PATH` or equivalent.
- Git LFS requires global configuration changes once per-machine. This can be done by
running:

```ShellSession
$ git lfs install
```

## Example Usage

To begin using Git LFS within a Git repository that is not already configured
for Git LFS, you can indicate which files you would like Git LFS to manage.
This can be done by running the following _from within a Git repository_:

```bash
$ git lfs track "*.psd"
```

(Where `*.psd` is the pattern of filenames that you wish to track. You can read
more about this pattern syntax
[here](https://git-scm.com/docs/gitattributes)).

> *Note:* the quotation marks surrounding the pattern are important to
> prevent the glob pattern from being expanded by the shell.

After any invocation of `git-lfs-track(1)` or `git-lfs-untrack(1)`, you _must
commit changes to your `.gitattributes` file_. This can be done by running:

```bash
$ git add .gitattributes
$ git commit -m "track *.psd files using Git LFS"
```

You can now interact with your Git repository as usual, and Git LFS will take
care of managing your large files. For example, changing a file named `my.psd`
(tracked above via `*.psd`):

```bash
$ git add my.psd
$ git commit -m "add psd"
```

> _Tip:_ if you have large files already in your repository's history, `git lfs
> track` will _not_ track them retroactively. To migrate existing large files
> in your history to use Git LFS, use `git lfs migrate`. For example:
>
> ```
> $ git lfs migrate import --include="*.psd"
> ```
>
> For more information, read [`git-lfs-migrate(1)`](https://github.com/git-lfs/git-lfs/blob/master/docs/man/git-lfs-migrate.1.ronn).

You can confirm that Git LFS is managing your PSD file:

```bash
$ git lfs ls-files
3c2f7aedfb * my.psd
```

Once you've made your commits, push your files to the Git remote:

```bash
$ git push origin master
Uploading LFS objects: 100% (1/1), 810 B, 1.2 KB/s
# ...
To https://github.com/git-lfs/git-lfs-test
   67fcf6a..47b2002  master -> master
```

Note: Git LFS requires at least Git 1.8.2 on Linux or 1.8.5 on macOS.

## Limitations

Git LFS maintains a list of currently known limitations, which you can find and
edit [here](https://github.com/git-lfs/git-lfs/wiki/Limitations).

## Need Help?

You can get help on specific commands directly:

```bash
$ git lfs help <subcommand>
```

The [official documentation](docs) has command references and specifications for
the tool.

You can always [open an issue](https://github.com/git-lfs/git-lfs/issues), and
one of the Core Team members will respond to you. Please be sure to include:

1. The output of `git lfs env`, which displays helpful information about your
   Git repository useful in debugging.
2. Any failed commands re-run with `GIT_TRACE=1` in the environment, which
   displays additional information pertaining to why a command crashed.

## Contributing

See [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) for info on working on Git LFS and
sending patches. Related projects are listed on the [Implementations wiki
page](https://github.com/git-lfs/git-lfs/wiki/Implementations).

## Core Team

These are the humans that form the Git LFS core team, which runs the project.

In alphabetical order:

| [@bk2204][bk2204-user] | [@larsxschneider][larsxschneider-user] | [@PastelMobileSuit][PastelMobileSuit-user] |
|---|---|---|
| [![][bk2204-img]][bk2204-user] | [![][larsxschneider-img]][larsxschneider-user] | [![][PastelMobileSuit-img]][PastelMobileSuit-user] |

[bk2204-img]: https://avatars1.githubusercontent.com/u/497054?s=100&v=4
[larsxschneider-img]: https://avatars1.githubusercontent.com/u/477434?s=100&v=4
[PastelMobileSuit-img]: https://avatars2.githubusercontent.com/u/37254014?s=100&v=4
[bk2204-user]: https://github.com/bk2204
[larsxschneider-user]: https://github.com/larsxschneider
[PastelMobileSuit-user]: https://github.com/PastelMobileSuit

### Alumni

These are the humans that have in the past formed the Git LFS core team, or
have otherwise contributed a significant amount to the project. Git LFS would
not be possible without them.

In alphabetical order:

| [@andyneff][andyneff-user] | [@rubyist][rubyist-user] | [@sinbad][sinbad-user] | [@technoweenie][technoweenie-user] | [@ttaylorr][ttaylorr-user] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [![][andyneff-img]][andyneff-user] | [![][rubyist-img]][rubyist-user] | [![][sinbad-img]][sinbad-user] | [![][technoweenie-img]][technoweenie-user] | [![][ttaylorr-img]][ttaylorr-user] |

[andyneff-img]: https://avatars1.githubusercontent.com/u/7596961?v=3&s=100
[rubyist-img]: https://avatars1.githubusercontent.com/u/143?v=3&s=100
[sinbad-img]: https://avatars1.githubusercontent.com/u/142735?v=3&s=100
[technoweenie-img]: https://avatars3.githubusercontent.com/u/21?v=3&s=100
[ttaylorr-img]: https://avatars2.githubusercontent.com/u/443245?s=100&v=4
[andyneff-user]: https://github.com/andyneff
[sinbad-user]: https://github.com/sinbad
[rubyist-user]: https://github.com/rubyist
[technoweenie-user]: https://github.com/technoweenie
[ttaylorr-user]: https://github.com/ttaylorr
