Managing large binary files with git
- by pi
Hi there. I am looking for opinions of how to handle large binary files on which my source code (web application) is dependent. We are currently discussing several alternatives:
Copy the binary files by hand.
Pro: Not sure.
Contra: I am strongly against this, as it increases the likelihood of errors when setting up a new site/migrating the old one. Builds up another hurdle to take.
Manage them all with git.
Pro: Removes the possibility to 'forget' to copy a important file
Contra: Bloats the repository and decreases flexibility to manage the code-base and checkouts/clones/etc will take quite a while.
Separate repositories.
Pro: Checking out/cloning the source code is fast as ever, and the images are properly archived in their own repository.
Contra: Removes the simpleness of having the one and only git repository on the project. Surely introduces some other things I haven't thought about.
What are your experiences/thoughts regarding this?
Also: Does anybody have experience with multiple git repositories and managing them in one project?
Update: The files are images for a program which generates PDFs with those files in it. The files will not change very often(as in years) but are very relevant to a program. The program will not work without the files.
Update2: I found a really nice screencast on using git-submodule at GitCasts.
