git-annex allows managing files with git, without checking the file
contents into git. While that may seem paradoxical, it is useful when
dealing with files larger than git can currently easily handle, whether due
to limitations in memory, checksumming time, or disk space.

Even without file content tracking, being able to manage files with git,
move files around and delete files with versioned directory trees, and use
branches and distributed clones, are all very handy reasons to use git. And
annexed files can co-exist in the same git repository with regularly
versioned files, which is convenient for maintaining documents, Makefiles,
etc that are associated with annexed files but that benefit from full
revision control.

To get a feel for it, see the [[walkthrough]].

[[!sidebar content="""
[[!img logo_small.png link=no]]

* **[[download]]**
* [[install]]
* [[bugs]]
* [[todo]]
* [[forum]]
* [[contact]]

[[News]]:

[[!inline pages="news/* and !*/discussion" archive=yes show=3 feeds=no]]

<a href="http://flattr.com/thing/84843/git-annex">
<img src="http://api.flattr.com/button/button-compact-static-100x17.png"
alt="Flattr this" title="Flattr this" /></a>
"""]]

## sample use cases

<table>
<tr>
<td>[[!inline feeds=no template=bare pages=use_case/bob]]</td>
<td>[[!inline feeds=no template=bare pages=use_case/alice]]</td>
</tr>
</table>

If that describes you, or if you're some from column A and some from column
B, then git-annex may be the tool you've been looking for to expand from
keeping all your small important files in git, to managing your large
files with git.

## documentation

* [[git-annex man page|git-annex]]
* [[key-value backends|backends]] for data storage
* [[location_tracking]] reminds you where git-annex has seen files
* git-annex prevents accidental data loss by [[tracking copies|copies]]
  of your files
* [[what git annex is not|not]]
* git-annex is Free Software, licensed under the [[GPL]].

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