git repack: Usage, Options & Common CI Errors
git repack consolidates a repository’s objects into fewer, more efficient packfiles.
Repacking shrinks a bloated repo and speeds up object access. The common -a -d combination rewrites everything into one pack and removes the now-redundant ones.
What it does
git repack creates new packfiles from existing objects, optionally folding all packs into one and deleting the originals, improving delta compression and lookup speed.
Common usage
Terminal
git repack -a -d
git repack -A -d # keep unreachable objects loose
git repack -a -d --depth=50 --window=250
git repack -d -l # local objects onlyOptions
| Flag | What it does |
|---|---|
| -a | Pack all objects into a single pack |
| -A | Like -a but keep unreachable objects loose |
| -d | Delete redundant packs afterward |
| --depth / --window | Tune delta compression |
| -l | Pack only local objects (skip alternates) |
Common errors in CI
fatal: Out of memory during delta compression on huge repos - lower --window/--depth or pack.threads, and ensure enough free disk for the new pack to be written before the old ones are deleted. Running repack -d while another git process reads the repo can race; serialize it.
Related guides
git gc: Usage, Options & Common CI Errorsgit gc compresses and prunes the object database to keep the repo fast and small. Reference for --aggressive,…
git pack-objects: Usage, Options & Common CI Errorsgit pack-objects bundles objects into a compressed packfile. Reference for --stdout, --revs, --all, and the m…
git prune: Usage, Options & Common CI Errorsgit prune deletes unreachable objects from the object store. Reference for -n, --expire, and why gc is usuall…
git count-objects: Usage, Options & Common CI Errorsgit count-objects reports how many loose objects and packs a repo holds and their disk size. Reference for -v…