Git LFS Compatibility¶
git-drs supports Git LFS compatibility, but Git LFS is not required for normal git-drs workflows.
Use this page if you are working with an older repository, a mixed environment, or a team workflow that still expects Git LFS concepts.
What Is Optional¶
You do not need Git LFS installed in order to:
- install
git-drs - add a
git-drsremote - track files with
git drs track - upload with
git pushorgit drs push - hydrate data with
git drs pull
When Git LFS Still Matters¶
Git LFS compatibility can still be useful when:
- a repository already contains Git LFS-style pointer files
- your team already understands Git LFS tracking patterns
- you need to reason about clean/smudge filter behavior
- you are debugging interoperability with older tooling
git-drs uses a Git-compatible pointer workflow and fits into the same general filter architecture, but the day-to-day commands should come from git-drs, not from Git LFS.
Preferred Commands¶
For current workflows, prefer:
| Task | Use |
|---|---|
| Track files | git drs track "*.bam" |
| See tracked files | git drs ls-files |
| Hydrate file content | git drs pull |
| Upload/register data | git push or git drs push |