bfg

BFG is a command line tool used for fast and efficient removal of large files from Git repositories. Its name stands for "BleachBit for Git" as it acts similar to how BleachBit removes unnecessary files from your computer.

The main use of BFG is to remove large files that shouldn't have been added to a Git repository, especially if these files are causing the repository to become bloated. Such large files can slow down repository operations, make cloning and pulling slower, and consume unnecessary disk space.

BFG provides a much faster alternative to the traditional method of using Git's "git filter-branch" to remove files. It operates on the principle of rewriting Git history and permanently removing unwanted objects from the entire commit history of a repository.

Using BFG involves specifying the patterns or file names to be removed, and it applies these removals to all branches and tags in the repository. BFG also automatically updates commit messages and associated branch references to ensure a clean cleansing process.

It's important to note that BFG is a destructive tool, as it modifies the repository's history. Therefore, it should be used with caution and only in cases where large files need to be removed from a Git repository.