LabEx
Log InJoin Free

Find Lost Files

Beginner

This tutorial is from open-source community. Access the source code

Introduction

Git is a powerful version control system that allows developers to track changes to their codebase. However, sometimes files can become lost or accidentally deleted. In this lab, you will learn how to use Git to find lost files and commits.

This is a Guided Lab, which provides step-by-step instructions to help you learn and practice. Follow the instructions carefully to complete each step and gain hands-on experience. Historical data shows that this is a beginner level lab with a 92% completion rate. It has received a 100% positive review rate from learners.

Find Lost Files

You have been working on a project in the git-playground repository. However, you have noticed that some files are missing and you are not sure when they were deleted or how to recover them. Your task is to use Git to find any lost files and commits in the repository.

  1. Clone the git-playground repository:
git clone https://github.com/labex-labs/git-playground.git
  1. Navigate to the directory and configure the identity:
cd git-playground
git config --global user.name "your-username"
git config --global user.email "your-email"
  1. Create and switch a branch named one-branch, delete file2.txt and commit with the message "Remove file2":
git checkout -b one-branch
git rm file2.txt
git commit -m "Remove file2"
  1. Switch back to the master branch and delete the one-branch branch:
git checkout master
git branch -D one-branch
  1. Run the git fsck --lost-found command to find any lost files and commits:
git fsck --lost-found
  1. Check the .git/lost-found directory to see if any lost files were recovered:
ls .git/lost-found
  1. If any lost files were found, review them to determine if they are the missing files.

This is the result of running the ls .git/lost-found command:

commit

Summary

Using Git to find lost files and commits can be a lifesaver when working on a project. By running the git fsck --lost-found command, you can identify any dangling objects and extract them into the .git/lost-found directory. From there, you can review the files to determine if they are the missing files.