How to handle bit rot in git repositories?












0














As confirmed by this question, git does not automatically protect against bit rot. There was a link given there for a git file system check, but it's not obvious from that what my backup strategy should be.



I have to admit I'm this kind of git user:



The kind who copies and pastes commands instead of understanding everything.



Could someone explain to me a simple strategy for keeping the files I store in git repos intact over the long term?




  • It's safe to assume I have at least 3 copies of a repository.

  • Some of the copies are less likely to have bit rot than others and I have a general idea of the probabilities.

  • I don't just use git for code, there are all kinds of binary and text files in my repositories (I use git for all my important files to sync between different computers and backup discs. Otherwise I would quickly make a mess of it. I know that's not what git is intended for. It works fine though, other than I recently read claims that bit rot is a relevant problem).

  • I don't read the relevant system logs. I do read the output of commands I run.

  • Some of the repositories are bare, others include a working tree.

  • For some files I also have a copy not in git

  • No I don't have another backup strategy that already verifies the repos on a lower level and don't want to get one. Git is my backup strategy. A file not committed to a git repo is not a file that I would be devastated to lose.


To be more specific, the most pressing question I have is whether pull/push will notice corruption and abort or corrupt the other repositories too.










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    0














    As confirmed by this question, git does not automatically protect against bit rot. There was a link given there for a git file system check, but it's not obvious from that what my backup strategy should be.



    I have to admit I'm this kind of git user:



    The kind who copies and pastes commands instead of understanding everything.



    Could someone explain to me a simple strategy for keeping the files I store in git repos intact over the long term?




    • It's safe to assume I have at least 3 copies of a repository.

    • Some of the copies are less likely to have bit rot than others and I have a general idea of the probabilities.

    • I don't just use git for code, there are all kinds of binary and text files in my repositories (I use git for all my important files to sync between different computers and backup discs. Otherwise I would quickly make a mess of it. I know that's not what git is intended for. It works fine though, other than I recently read claims that bit rot is a relevant problem).

    • I don't read the relevant system logs. I do read the output of commands I run.

    • Some of the repositories are bare, others include a working tree.

    • For some files I also have a copy not in git

    • No I don't have another backup strategy that already verifies the repos on a lower level and don't want to get one. Git is my backup strategy. A file not committed to a git repo is not a file that I would be devastated to lose.


    To be more specific, the most pressing question I have is whether pull/push will notice corruption and abort or corrupt the other repositories too.










    share|improve this question

























      0












      0








      0







      As confirmed by this question, git does not automatically protect against bit rot. There was a link given there for a git file system check, but it's not obvious from that what my backup strategy should be.



      I have to admit I'm this kind of git user:



      The kind who copies and pastes commands instead of understanding everything.



      Could someone explain to me a simple strategy for keeping the files I store in git repos intact over the long term?




      • It's safe to assume I have at least 3 copies of a repository.

      • Some of the copies are less likely to have bit rot than others and I have a general idea of the probabilities.

      • I don't just use git for code, there are all kinds of binary and text files in my repositories (I use git for all my important files to sync between different computers and backup discs. Otherwise I would quickly make a mess of it. I know that's not what git is intended for. It works fine though, other than I recently read claims that bit rot is a relevant problem).

      • I don't read the relevant system logs. I do read the output of commands I run.

      • Some of the repositories are bare, others include a working tree.

      • For some files I also have a copy not in git

      • No I don't have another backup strategy that already verifies the repos on a lower level and don't want to get one. Git is my backup strategy. A file not committed to a git repo is not a file that I would be devastated to lose.


      To be more specific, the most pressing question I have is whether pull/push will notice corruption and abort or corrupt the other repositories too.










      share|improve this question













      As confirmed by this question, git does not automatically protect against bit rot. There was a link given there for a git file system check, but it's not obvious from that what my backup strategy should be.



      I have to admit I'm this kind of git user:



      The kind who copies and pastes commands instead of understanding everything.



      Could someone explain to me a simple strategy for keeping the files I store in git repos intact over the long term?




      • It's safe to assume I have at least 3 copies of a repository.

      • Some of the copies are less likely to have bit rot than others and I have a general idea of the probabilities.

      • I don't just use git for code, there are all kinds of binary and text files in my repositories (I use git for all my important files to sync between different computers and backup discs. Otherwise I would quickly make a mess of it. I know that's not what git is intended for. It works fine though, other than I recently read claims that bit rot is a relevant problem).

      • I don't read the relevant system logs. I do read the output of commands I run.

      • Some of the repositories are bare, others include a working tree.

      • For some files I also have a copy not in git

      • No I don't have another backup strategy that already verifies the repos on a lower level and don't want to get one. Git is my backup strategy. A file not committed to a git repo is not a file that I would be devastated to lose.


      To be more specific, the most pressing question I have is whether pull/push will notice corruption and abort or corrupt the other repositories too.







      backup git data-integrity






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      asked Dec 12 at 16:13









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