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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Step 7 — If the remote was not empty (force push)

Only use this if the remote already has commits (like an auto README) and you want your local project to become the “truth”.

git push --force origin --all
git push --force origin --tags

⚠️ Warning: Force push overwrites the remote 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