lfs install

Learn to set up with git lfs install.

Setup with git lfs install

Before using Git LFS in an environment, run the git lfs install command once. This command registers custom LFS filters (smudge and clean) and hook mechanisms into your Git configuration. Without this installation, Git will treat large files as normal repository objects.

# Install LFS filters and hooks:
git lfs install

After installation, Git automatically recognizes files configured for LFS.

Clean and smudge filters

LFS filters transparently manage file operations in the background. The clean filter runs during git add to cache the large file and place the pointer in the staging area. The smudge filter runs during git checkout to read the pointer and restore the actual large file.

# Install only in current repository:
git lfs install --local

This two-way conversion lets developers work seamlessly using standard Git workflows.

Exercise Configure LFS clean filter

Add git config filter.lfs.clean "git-lfs clean -- %f" to Git config and print it with git config --get filter.lfs.clean.

Show example solution

git init -q -b main
git config filter.lfs.clean "git-lfs clean -- %f"
git config --get filter.lfs.clean

Test yourself

What is the primary operation performed by git lfs install?
- Deleting all commit history to create a single commit
- Cloning all remote repositories to the local disk
- Automatically deleting all .git folders on the machine
- Installing LFS filters and hooks into the Git configuration
Show answer

Installing LFS filters and hooks into the Git configuration — git lfs install configures the LFS hook mechanism by registering smudge and clean filters with Git.
Install LFS filters and hooks
```
git lfs ____
```
Show answer
```
git lfs install
```
Installation and filters

git lfs install

Installs LFS hooks and filters
Clean filtresi

Converts to pointer at commit time
Smudge filtresi

Restores actual file on checkout
--local

Limits installation to this repo

Next lesson: lfs track

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