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DevOps Bootcamp · Lesson

Rewriting History with git filter-repo

Learn how to rewrite repository history at scale to remove large files or sensitive data using git filter-repo.

Lesson 4 of 413 steps

Rewriting History with git filter-repo is a free DevOps Bootcamp lesson on CoddyKit. This is lesson 4 of 4. Any 3 lessons of this learning path are free to read in full — after that, CoddyKit PRO unlocks every lesson, plus hands-on practice with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the DevOps Bootcamp learning path, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app. The DevOps Bootcamp course includes 4 lessons in total.

Why Rewrite History?

Sometimes you must rewrite the entire history of a repo: to remove a leaked password, delete huge accidentally-committed files, or fix author emails across all commits.

Meet git filter-repo

git filter-repo is the modern, fast tool for history rewriting. It replaces the old and slow git filter-branch.

Installing the Tool

It is a separate program, often installed via pip or a package manager.

pip install git-filter-repo

Always Work on a Clone

History rewriting is destructive. Operate on a fresh clone so you can throw it away if something goes wrong.

git clone --mirror git@github.com:you/repo.git

Removing a File from History

To purge a file from every commit, use the --path and --invert-paths options.

git filter-repo --path secrets.env --invert-paths

Removing Large Blobs

You can strip files above a size threshold to shrink a bloated repository.

git filter-repo --strip-blobs-bigger-than 10M

Rewriting Author Emails

Fix a wrong author email across all commits with a mailmap or callback.

git filter-repo --mailmap my-mailmap.txt

Replacing Text in History

Scrub secret strings everywhere they appear using an expressions file.

git filter-repo --replace-text expressions.txt

Commit Hashes Change

Rewriting history produces new commit hashes for everything affected. The repo's history diverges from any old copies.

Force Pushing the Result

After rewriting, you must force push because remote history no longer matches.

git push --force --all

Coordinate with Your Team

Because everyone's clones are now stale, teammates must re-clone. Announce the rewrite to avoid resurrecting the removed data.

Quick Check

Test your understanding of history rewriting.

Answer it in the interactive lesson

Recap

You learned to rewrite history:

  • git filter-repo replaces filter-branch
  • Remove files, big blobs, or secret text from all history
  • Always work on a clone; commit hashes change
  • Force push and have the team re-clone afterward
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the “Rewriting History with git filter-repo” lesson free?

Yes — any 3 lessons of the DevOps Bootcamp learning path, including “Rewriting History with git filter-repo”, are free to read in full here on the web. After that, CoddyKit PRO unlocks every lesson, plus interactive practice with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. The DevOps Bootcamp course includes 4 lessons in total.

What will I learn in “Rewriting History with git filter-repo”?

Learn how to rewrite repository history at scale to remove large files or sensitive data using git filter-repo. You practise DevOps Bootcamp with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.

Do I need any experience to start DevOps Bootcamp?

No prior experience is required. DevOps Bootcamp on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace. This is lesson 4 of 4.

How long does the “Rewriting History with git filter-repo” lesson take?

Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.

Can I write and run code in this DevOps Bootcamp lesson?

Yes. Every DevOps Bootcamp lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.

All lessons in this course

  1. Git Reflog & Recovering History
  2. Git Bisect for Debugging
  3. Repository Maintenance & Housekeeping
  4. Rewriting History with git filter-repo
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