git: reducing repository size (gc and destructive)

Garbage Collection (non-destrucive)

This espeicaly goes well with when removing a file added in the most recent unpushed commit. Git Garbage Collection automates some of those cleanup jobs:

I ran the following over my source folders:

for gitPath in $(find . -type d -name ".git" -readable -prune -exec realpath {} \; 2>/dev/null); do
    cd $gitPath
    echo ${gitPath}
    # git branch
    sizeBefore=$(du -sh . | cut -f1)
    git fetch -p
    git branch --format "%(refname:short)" | grep -vE "^(develop|master|staging)$"  | xargs git branch -D
    git gc --aggressive --prune=now
    sizeAfter=$(du -sh . |  cut -f1)
    echo "${sizeBefore} -› ${sizeAfter}"
done

Reduce repositoy size (destructive)

Atlassion has a pretty good article about reducing git repository size. Also take a look at Git Help: removing-sensitive-data-from-a-repository and the GIT BFG.

Trackback

• How to permamently delate a file stored in git