How to useGit Archive in GIT
The git archive command can create an archive of a specific subdirectory. This method doesn’t require cloning the entire repository.
Step 1: Create an Archive
Run the following command to create a tar archive of the desired subdirectory. Replace <repository-url> with your repository URL and <subdirectory> with the path to the subdirectory.
git archive --remote=<repository-url> HEAD:<subdirectory> | tar -x
For example, to archive the docs subdirectory:
git archive --remote=https://github.com/user/repo.git HEAD:docs | tar -x
This will create a local copy of the docs subdirectory.
How to Clone Only a Subdirectory of a Git Repository?
In some scenarios, you may need to work with only a specific subdirectory of a large Git repository. Unfortunately, Git does not support cloning a subdirectory directly. However, there are a few effective workarounds to achieve this, including using sparse checkout or exporting the subdirectory. This guide will walk you through these methods.
Table of Content
- Approach 1: Using Sparse Checkout
- Approach 2: Using Git Archive
- Approach 3: Using Partial Clone (Git 2.19+)
- Conclusion