HOME/docs/restore_repo.md

Restoring a Lost Git Repository (Simple Guide)

This guide is for users who have a project folder on their computer/server, and the remote repository was deleted or lost.

Goal: Back up your project safely and then push it again to a new empty remote repository, keeping all history, branches, and tags.

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What you need

• You have the project folder on your computer/server.
• Git is installed.
• You can log in to the https://git.ourworld.tf website and create a new empty repository.

Important: The new remote repository should be empty (no README, no initial commit), if possible.

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Step 1 — Go to your project folder

Open Terminal (or Command Prompt) and go into your project folder.

Example:

cd /path/to/your/project

To confirm you’re in the right folder:

git status

If you see something like On branch ... you’re in the correct place.

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Step 2 — Make a safe backup (highly recommended)

Option A: Make a “Git bundle” (best and simplest)

A bundle is a single file that contains your full project history (commits, branches, tags).

Run:

git bundle create ~/my_project_backup.bundle --all

Then verify it:

git bundle list-heads ~/my_project_backup.bundle

You should see branch names like refs/heads/master, refs/heads/main, or others.

✅ Keep this .bundle file somewhere safe.

Option B: Copy the entire folder

You can also copy your whole project folder somewhere safe.

Example:

cp -r /path/to/your/project /path/to/backup/location/

This protects you if something goes wrong.

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Step 3 — Create the new remote repository (on the website)

On https://git.ourworld.tf :

1. Click New Repository
2. Choose a name (can be the same name or different)
3. Do not initialize with README / .gitignore / license (recommended)
4. Create the repository

Copy the new repository URL. It will look like one of these:

• HTTPS: https://git.ourworld.tf/ourworld_web/www_threefold_io.git
• SSH: git@git.ourworld.tf:ourworld_web/www_threefold_io.git

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Step 4 — Point your local project to the new remote

Check your current remote:

git remote -v

Now set the new remote URL (replace with your new URL):

git remote set-url origin https://git.ourworld.tf/org/repo.git

Confirm:

git remote -v

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Step 5 — Make sure the new remote is empty

Run:

git ls-remote origin

• If it prints nothing, the remote is empty ✅
• If it prints commit hashes, the remote is not empty

If it’s not empty, you can still restore, but you may need force push (see Step 7).

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Step 6 — Push everything (history + branches + tags)

Push all branches:

git push -u origin --all

Push all tags:

git push origin --tags

✅ This restores the repository with full history.

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Quick checklist

• I made a backup (bundle or folder copy)
• I created a new empty remote repo
• I updated origin to the new URL
• I pushed all branches and all tags
• I verified with git ls-remote

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One‑page “Do This” summary

cd /path/to/project

git bundle create ~/project_backup.bundle --all

git remote set-url origin https://example.com/org/repo.git

git push -u origin --all
git push origin --tags

git ls-remote --heads --tags origin