What is Git LFS?
- Git LFS (Large File Storage) is an extension for Git that helps manage large files (like videos, images, datasets, or binaries) efficiently.
- Instead of storing these big files directly in your repository, Git LFS stores a small pointer file in the repo. The actual content is stored on a separate LFS server.
- This keeps your repository fast and small, even if it uses very large files.
- When someone clones or pulls the repository, Git LFS automatically fetches the real content based on those pointers.
- For related info about file handling, see the .gitattributes guide.
When to Use Git LFS
- When you need to version large files (media, datasets, binary assets).
- When your repository exceeds standard Git file size limits.
- When you want to keep your repository lightweight and fast.
Install Git LFS
- Download and install Git LFS from git-lfs.github.com.
- Initialize Git LFS in your repo:
git lfs install
Track Files with Git LFS
Tell Git LFS which file types to manage by using the track command.
For example, to track all Photoshop files:
git lfs track "*.psd"
Examples:
git lfs track "*.zip"
git lfs track "data/*.csv"
git lfs track "images/*.{png,jpg}"
How Git LFS Works
When you track a file type, Git adds a rule to your .gitattributes file,
like:
*.psd filter=lfs diff=lfs merge=lfs -text
- When you add & commit a tracked file, Git stores a small pointer file.
- The actual large file is uploaded separately to the LFS server.
- When you clone or pull, Git LFS downloads the real content automatically.
Working with LFS Files
Add and commit LFS files as usual:
git add largefile.psd
git commit -m "Add large file"
git push origin main
The repository holds only the pointer file; the actual content stays on the
LFS server.
Check Which Files Are Managed by LFS
git lfs ls-files
Untrack or Remove Files from LFS
- Edit .gitattributes and remove or change the related line.
- Run:
git lfs untrack "*.psd"
git add .gitattributes
git commit -m "Stop tracking PSD files with LFS"
Note: Existing file versions remain stored in LFS.
Tips & Best Practices
- Use Git LFS only for files that are too large or change too often.
- Confirm your hosting service supports LFS (especially private repos).
- Monitor your LFS storage and bandwidth limits; free plans often have quotas.
Troubleshooting
- If you clone a repo and see pointer text instead of real files:
git lfs pull
- If your remote doesn’t support LFS, you’ll get a push error.
- If you exceed your LFS storage or bandwidth, new files may fail to upload.
More topic in Git
