Git Performance Optimization Guide

Learning Objectives

Learn techniques for optimizing Git repository performance
Master strategies for handling large files efficiently
Understand and implement Git attributes for better control
Set up Git hooks for automation and quality control

Repository Optimization

As repositories grow, performance can become a concern. Understanding optimization techniques helps maintain a smooth and efficient workflow.

Common Performance Issues

•Slow clone and fetch operations
•Large repository size
•Slow status and checkout commands
•Memory usage spikes

Optimization Strategies

•Regular maintenance and cleanup
•Shallow clones for large repositories
•Partial clones for specific needs
•Optimized configuration settings

Performance Configuration

Git provides several configuration options to optimize performance:

# Enable parallel index preload for operations like git diff
$  git config core.preloadindex true
 
# Enable fsmonitor hook for faster status
$  git config core.fsmonitor true
 
# Use bitmap index for faster fetches
$  git config pack.writebitmaps true
 
# Configure delta compression
$  git config core.compression 9
 
# Enable multi-pack-index
$  git config core.multiPackIndex true

Important Note

Some configurations might not be suitable for all environments. Always test performance improvements in a controlled environment first.

Handling Large Files

Large files can significantly impact Git performance. Here are strategies for handling them effectively:

Git LFS

Git Large File Storage (LFS) replaces large files with text pointers while storing the file contents on a remote server.

# Install Git LFS
$  git lfs install
 
# Track large file types
$  git lfs track "*.psd"
$  git lfs track "*.zip"
 
# Verify tracked files
$  git lfs ls-files

Alternative Strategies

•Use .gitignore for generated files
•External artifact storage
•Submodules for large components

Git Attributes

Git attributes help you customize how Git handles different file types:

.gitattributes

# .gitattributes file
*.txt           text
*.jpg           binary
*.data          filter=lfs diff=lfs merge=lfs -text
generated/*     -diff
docs/*.md       diff=markdown
*.sh            eol=lf
Makefile        -text

Common Attributes

•
text:Line ending normalization
•
diff:Custom diff drivers
•
filter:Content filtering

Use Cases

•Platform-specific line endings
•Custom diff visualization
•Binary file handling

Git Hooks

Git hooks automate tasks and enforce quality controls at different stages of the Git workflow.

Common Client-Side Hooks

# pre-commit hook example
#!/bin/sh
# Run tests before committing
npm test
 
# pre-push hook example
#!/bin/sh
# Run linter before pushing
npm run lint

Server-Side Hooks

•pre-receive: Validate all pushed refs
•update: Validate individual ref updates
•post-receive: Notification and deployment

What's Next?

Now that you understand Git performance optimization, you're ready to learn about best practices and workflows. In the next section, you'll discover:

GitFlow workflow and branching strategies
Implementing effective commit standards
Team collaboration workflows