How to use Git in a sneakernet environment?

Question

My project has a number of test PCs which are 100% off-net. We use a USB drive to transfer files too and from these PCs. Some development happens during the tests on those PCs.

Answer 1

I found this tutorial even more helpful than the man page because it gives an example of how Git checks that the incoming bundle and the target repository share a common ancestor commit:

https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Git-Tools-Bundling

Answer 2

Using Git with unconnected computers is easy with git bundle.

See its man page.

Answer 3

You can also keep a clone of the repository on a USB drive. 'push' from the off-net PC to the USB drive, then 'push' from the uSB drive to the central repository.

It might be better to have the USB drive repository with its own working directory (also on the USB drive). Then 'pull' to the usb drive from the off-net PC, and 'push' from the USB drive to the central repository. When that push happens, you can do merging, if necessary, on the USB drive.

Answer 4

Readers who get here are probably also interested in using-git-on-usb-stick-for-travelling-code which has a great set of similarities. It probably won't work for my environment where there are two of use doing the sneakernet use/edit movements (i.e two separate USB drives), but it is a possibility.

It all depends on how much you trust the transfer drive, and if the tools can work when you haven't got it plugged in....