CODEWITHSUNDEEP
git
user3639557
user3639557

Reputation: 5311

cloning a version and removing all commits history

I am releasing a private repository to be accessible by public. I need to release a particular version of the repo (the one my report is based on), and then remove all the commits history from this released version.

A simple solution is cloning the version first, and then removing all the git footprints from the cloned project and push it somewhere as a fresh project. But I wonder if there is any other way of doing this which is more professional.

Upvotes: 6

Views: 5063

Answers (4)

joran
joran

Reputation: 2883

You can add the public repo as a remote, have a dedicated branch for that repo, merge the local master to the dedicated branch when ready to publish and push dedicated branch to public repo.

git remote add public <url-to-public-repo>
git fetch public
git checkout -b public-master public/master
git merge --squash master
git add .
git commit -m "Publish changes to public repo"
git push public public-master:master

This will merge all changes in local master branch into local public-master branch as one commit and push that single merge commit to the public repo.

The merge --squash command results in 

Squash commit -- not updating HEAD
Automatic merge went well; stopped before committing as requested

which is expected and you can tailor the commit before publishing it.

Then, each time you need to publish your new changes in master

git checkout -b public-master public/master
git pull
git merge --squash master
git add .
git commit -m "Publish more changes"
git push public public-master:master

Upvotes: 0

blashser
blashser

Reputation: 1031

You can use git-rebase:

Go to the revision that you want it to be the first.

git checkout yourRevision

Look the SHA1 of the very first commit (for example: aaaaaa)

git checkout -b newMaster // temporal branch
git rebase -i aaaaaa // Your first SHA1

Your editor will open. Replace each "pick" option to "squash" option but leave the first one (aaaaaa) with "pick". Save it and exit.

A new complete history of only one commit will be generated.

Now you have to add the rest of commits.

git checkout yourRealMasterBranch 
git rebase --onto newMaster yourRevision yourRealMasterBranch

This regenerates the rest of the history.

  • "--onto newMaster" is the starting point that you want to start.
  • "yourRevision yourRealMasterBranch" are from what commit to what commit.

Now, you can clone your repository and the new one only will have this new history that you have created. And you can still have in your original one all the history.

Upvotes: -1

rholmes
rholmes

Reputation: 4184

I would just make a copy of the entire repo at the desired revision, then do the following on the copy:

  • delete the .git directory
  • do git init
  • commit the desired revision

I don't see any problem with this.

Upvotes: 14

Navneet
Navneet

Reputation: 4833

Deleting the .git folder may cause problems in your git repository. If you want to delete all your commit history but keep the code in its current state, it is very safe to do it as in the following:

Checkout

git checkout --orphan latest_branch

Add all the files

git add -A

Commit the changes

git commit -am "commit message"

Delete the branch

git branch -D master

Rename the current branch to master

git branch -m master

Finally, force update your repository

git push -f origin master

Hope this helps. also this will not keep your old commit history around :)

Upvotes: 3

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