Can a local Git clone be considered a complete backup of the repo it was cloned from?

Question

Suppose I have cloned a Git repository to my local disk using:

git clone username@git.example.com:someproject.git

Now suppose that git.ex

Answer 1

IMPORTANT

Without --mirror, The clone will not be a complete backup. Any line of work not visible in git branch -r will be elided from the clone.

Simple Demo

Witness a simple repo.

$ git init G
$ cd G
$ for f in 1 2 3 4; do date >1 && git add 1 && git commit -m $f; sleep 1.1; done
$ git log --oneline --graph --all --decorate
* 3c111bd (HEAD -> master) 4
* a08fea4 3
* d5c8d73 2
* 802856b 1

Add a branch:

$ git checkout d5c8d73
HEAD is now at d5c8d73... 2
$ git branch starts-at-2
$ git checkout starts-at-2
Switched to branch 'starts-at-2'
$ for f in 1 2 3 4; do date >1 && git add 1 && git commit -m 2-$f; sleep 1.1; done
$ git log --oneline --graph --all --decorate
* 6bb05bf (HEAD -> starts-at-2) 2-4
* fe1b635 2-3
* a9323fb 2-2
* 33502af 2-1
| * 3c111bd (master) 4
| * a08fea4 3
|/
* d5c8d73 2
* 802856b 1

Clone the repo.

$ cd ..
$
$ git clone G G2
Cloning into 'G2'...
$ cd G2
$ git log --oneline --graph --all --decorate
* 6bb05bf (HEAD -> starts-at-2, origin/starts-at-2, origin/HEAD) 2-4
* fe1b635 2-3
* a9323fb 2-2
* 33502af 2-1
| * 3c111bd (origin/master) 4
| * a08fea4 3
|/
* d5c8d73 2
* 802856b 1

Fine. Clone again.

$ cd ..
$ git clone G2 G3
$ cd G3
$ git log --oneline --graph --all --decorate
* 6bb05bf (HEAD -> starts-at-2, origin/starts-at-2, origin/HEAD) 2-4
* fe1b635 2-3
* a9323fb 2-2
* 33502af 2-1
* d5c8d73 2
* 802856b 1

Urk.