--- updatedAt: 2026-07-29T14:27:30.000Z agentTools: siteIndex: https://docs.jfrog.com/llms.txt projectIndex: https://docs.jfrog.com/artifactory/llms.txt --- # Clean Up Unreferenced Files from a Git LFS Repository Delete unreferenced Git LFS objects from a JFrog Artifactory repository. Use this command to clean up a Git LFS repository. This command deletes all files from a Git LFS repository in Artifactory that are no longer referenced in a corresponding Git repository. JFrog CLI 2.105.0+ supports `--format json` or `--format table` on this command. See [jf rt output format](/docs/jf-rt-output-format#jf-rt-git-lfs-clean). **To clean up unreferenced Git LFS objects in Artifactory:** 1. Complete the prerequisites in [Before You Begin](#before-you-begin). 2. Run `jf rt git-lfs-clean` (or `jf rt glc`) starting with `--dry-run` and `--repo` where appropriate, then run without `--dry-run` when you are ready to delete (see [Cleaning Up Unreferenced Files Examples](#cleaning-up-unreferenced-files-examples)). ## Before You Begin Ensure the following prerequisites are met before running this command: 1. **JFrog CLI configured**: Run `jf config add` to add your Artifactory server if you have not done so already. 2. **Git LFS installed**: Install from [git-lfs.com](https://git-lfs.com) and run `git lfs install` in your repository. 3. **Artifactory LFS URL configured in your Git repository**: The CLI attempts to auto-detect the Artifactory LFS repository from your local Git config. For auto-detection to work, your repository must have one of the following set: **Option A: `.lfsconfig` File** (recommended): Create a `.lfsconfig` file in your repository root: ```text [lfs] url = https:///artifactory/ ``` **Option B: `.git/config`**: Set the `lfs.url` key in your local Git config: ```shell git config lfs.url https:///artifactory/ ``` If neither is configured, pass `--repo=` explicitly on every command invocation. ## Commands Params
Parameter Command / Description
Command name `rt git-lfs-clean`
Abbreviation `rt glc`
**Command options:**
`--server-id` [Optional] Server ID configured using the `jf config` command. If not specified, the default configured server is used.
`--refs` [Default: `refs/remotes/*`] List of comma-separated Git references in the form of `"ref1,ref2,..."` which should be preserved. **Important:** When using wildcard patterns (for example, `refs/remotes/*`), quote the entire value to prevent shell glob expansion: `--refs='HEAD,refs/remotes/*'`
`--repo` [Required unless Artifactory LFS URL is pre-configured in the Git repository] Name of the Git LFS repository in Artifactory to clean. If omitted, the CLI attempts to detect the repository from `.lfsconfig` or the `lfs.url` key in `.git/config`. If neither is configured, this flag is required. The command fails with a detection error otherwise. See [Before You Begin](#before-you-begin) for setup instructions.
`--quiet` [Default: `false`; defaults to `true` when the `$CI` environment variable is set] Set to `true` to skip the delete confirmation message. When running in a CI environment (where the `CI` environment variable is set), this defaults to `true`.
`--dry-run` [Default: `false`] If `true`, cleanup is only simulated. No files are actually deleted.
`--insecure-tls` [Default: `false`] Set to `true` to skip TLS certificates verification.
`--retries` [Default: `3`] Number of HTTP retries.
`--retry-wait-time` [Default: `0`] Number of seconds or milliseconds to wait between retries. The numeric value should either end with `s` for seconds or `ms` for milliseconds (for example, `10s` or `100ms`).
**Authentication flags:** This command also accepts per-invocation authentication flags: `--url`, `--user`, `--password`, `--access-token`, `--ssh-key-path`, `--ssh-passphrase`. These override the configured server credentials for this command only. See [Authentication](/docs/authentication) for details.
**Command arguments:** If no arguments are passed in, the command assumes the .git repository is located at current directory.
path to .git Path to the directory which includes the .git directory.
## Cleaning Up Unreferenced Files Examples ### Example 1: Recommended Starting Point — Dry Run with Explicit Repository Before deleting any files, use `--dry-run` with `--repo` to preview what would be removed. This is the recommended way to start, especially for first-time use. ```shell jf rt glc --dry-run --repo=my-gitlfs-repo ``` **Expected output:** ```text [Info] Searching files from Artifactory repository my-gitlfs-repo ... [Info] The following 3 files are not referenced in git and will be deleted from Artifactory: my-gitlfs-repo/objects/ab/cd/abcd1234... my-gitlfs-repo/objects/ef/gh/efgh5678... my-gitlfs-repo/objects/ij/kl/ijkl9012... [Info] Dry run. No files were deleted. ``` If there are no unreferenced files, the output will indicate that nothing was found. *** ### Example 2: Clean Up Using the Current Directory This example cleans up Git LFS files from Artifactory using the `.git` directory in the current directory. The LFS repository is auto-detected from `.lfsconfig` or `.git/config`. If auto-detection fails, use `--repo` as shown in Examples 4 and 5. ```shell jf rt glc ``` **Expected output (when LFS repo is auto-detected):** ```text [Info] Searching files from Artifactory repository ... [Info] The following files are not referenced in git and will be deleted from Artifactory: ... Delete the above files? (y/n): y [Info] Deleted X files from Artifactory. ``` *** ### Example 3: Clean Up Using a Specific Path This example cleans up Git LFS files from Artifactory using the `.git` directory located inside `path/to/git/config`. The LFS repository is auto-detected from that Git repo's configuration. ```shell jf rt glc path/to/git/config ``` *** ### Example 4: Dry Run to Preview Deletions This example simulates the cleanup without actually deleting any files. Always pass `--repo` when the Git repo does not have an Artifactory LFS URL configured. ```shell jf rt glc --dry-run --repo=my-gitlfs-repo ``` **Expected output:** ```text [Info] Searching files from Artifactory repository my-gitlfs-repo ... [Info] Dry run. No files were deleted. ``` *** ### Example 5: Clean Up with Specific Repository This example cleans up a named Git LFS repository in Artifactory. The user is prompted for confirmation before deletion. ```shell jf rt glc --repo=my-gitlfs-repo ``` **Expected output:** ```text [Info] Searching files from Artifactory repository my-gitlfs-repo ... [Info] The following files are not referenced in git and will be deleted from Artifactory: ... Delete the above files? (y/n): y [Info] Deleted X files from Artifactory. ``` *** ### Example 6: Clean Up with Custom Refs This example preserves files referenced by HEAD and all remote branches. **Quote the `--refs` value** to prevent shell glob expansion (required on zsh and bash when the path does not match existing files). ```shell jf rt glc --repo=my-gitlfs-repo --refs='HEAD,refs/remotes/*' ``` **Note** The command `jf rt glc --refs=HEAD,refs/remotes/*` (unquoted) will fail in zsh with `no matches found` because the shell expands `*` before passing the argument to the CLI. *** ### Example 7: Quiet Mode for CI/CD Pipelines This example runs the cleanup without confirmation prompts, suitable for automated pipelines. The `--quiet` flag is automatically set to `true` when the `$CI` environment variable is present. ```shell jf rt glc --quiet --repo=my-gitlfs-repo ``` **Expected output:** ```text [Info] Searching files from Artifactory repository my-gitlfs-repo ... [Info] Deleted X files from Artifactory. ``` *** ### Example 8: With Retry Configuration This example configures retry behavior for unreliable network connections. ```shell jf rt glc --repo=my-gitlfs-repo --retries=5 --retry-wait-time=10s ``` ## Frequently Asked Questions This section provides answers to frequently asked questions. ##### Q: How do I preview which files `jf rt git-lfs-clean` would delete? **A:** Run `jf rt git-lfs-clean` with `--dry-run` and `--repo` to see which unreferenced files would be removed without deleting anything. See [Example 1](#example-1-recommended-starting-point-dry-run-with-explicit-repository). ##### Q: What do I need before running `jf rt git-lfs-clean`? **A:** Configure JFrog CLI with `jf config add`, install Git LFS, and set up the Artifactory LFS URL in `.lfsconfig` or `.git/config`. See [Before You Begin](#before-you-begin). ##### Q: What happens if I don't quote the `--refs` value? **A:** An unquoted wildcard value such as `--refs=HEAD,refs/remotes/*` can be expanded by the shell before it reaches the CLI, causing a "no matches found" error in zsh. Quote the value instead, for example `--refs='HEAD,refs/remotes/*'`. ##### Q: What is the difference between `--dry-run` and `--quiet`? **A:** `--dry-run` only simulates the cleanup and deletes nothing, while `--quiet` skips the delete confirmation prompt and actually removes unreferenced files. ##### Q: Can I get structured JSON or table output from `jf rt git-lfs-clean`? **A:** Yes. JFrog CLI 2.105.0 and later supports `--format json` or `--format table` on this command. See [jf rt output format](/docs/jf-rt-output-format#jf-rt-git-lfs-clean). ## Related Topics * [Manage Generic Files in Artifactory with JFrog CLI](/docs/generic-files) * [jf rt Output Format](/docs/jf-rt-output-format) * [Authentication](/docs/authentication)