NAME

       git-lfs-checkout - Update working copy with file content if available

SYNOPSIS

       git lfs checkout [<glob-pattern>...]
       git lfs checkout --to <file> {--base|--ours|--theirs} <conflict-obj-path>

DESCRIPTION

       Try to ensure that the working copy contains file content for Git LFS objects for the current ref, if the
       object data is available. Does not download any content; see git-lfs-fetch(1) for that.

       Checkout scans the current ref for all LFS objects that would be required, then where a file is either
       missing in the working copy, or contains placeholder pointer content with the same SHA, the real file
       content is written, provided we have it in the local store. Modified files are never overwritten.

       One or more s may be provided as arguments to restrict the set of files that are updated. Glob patterns
       are matched as per the format described in gitignore(5).

       When used with --to and the working tree is in a conflicted state due to a merge, this option checks out
       one of the three stages a conflicting Git LFS object into a separate file (which can be outside of the
       work tree). This can make using diff tools to inspect and resolve merges easier. A single Git LFS
       object’s file path must be provided in <conflict-obj-path>. If <file> already exists, whether as a
       regular file, symbolic link, or directory, it will be removed and replaced, unless it is a non-empty
       directory or otherwise cannot be deleted.

       If the installed Git version is at least 2.42.0, this command will by default check out Git LFS objects
       for files only if they are present in the Git index and if they match a Git LFS filter attribute from a
       .gitattributes file that is present in either the index or the current working tree (or, as is always the
       case, if they match a Git LFS filter attribute in a local gitattributes file such as
       $GIT_DIR/info/attributes). These constraints do not apply with prior versions of Git.

       In a repository with a partial clone or sparse checkout, it is therefore advisable to check out all
       .gitattributes files from HEAD before using this command, if Git v2.42.0 or later is installed.
       Alternatively, the GIT_ATTR_SOURCE environment variable may be set to HEAD, which will cause Git to only
       read attributes from .gitattributes files in HEAD and ignore those in the index or working tree.

       In a bare repository, this command has no effect. In a future version, this command may exit with an
       error if it is run in a bare repository.

OPTIONS

       --base
           Check out the merge base of the specified file.

       --ours
           Check out our side (that of the current branch) of the conflict for the specified file.

       --theirs
             Check out their side (that of the other branch) of the conflict for the specified file.

       --to <path>
           If the working tree is in a conflicted state, check out the portion of the conflict specified by
           --base, --ours, or --theirs to the given path.

EXAMPLES

       •   Checkout all files that are missing or placeholders:

           $ git lfs checkout

       •   Checkout a specific couple of files:

           $ git lfs checkout path/to/file1.png path/to.file2.png

       •   Checkout a path with a merge conflict into separate files:

           # Attempt merge with a branch that has a merge conflict
           $ git merge conflicting-branch
           CONFLICT (content): Merge conflict in path/to/conflicting/file.dat

           # Checkout versions of the conflicting file into temp files
           $ git lfs checkout --to ours.dat --ours path/to/conflicting/file.dat
           $ git lfs checkout --to theirs.dat --theirs path/to/conflicting/file.dat

           # Compare conflicting versions in ours.dat and theirs.dat,
           # then resolve conflict (e.g., by choosing one version over
           # the other, or creating a new version)

           # Cleanup and continue with merge
           $ rm ours.dat theirs.dat
           $ git add path/to/conflicting/file.dat
           $ git merge --continue

SEE ALSO

       git-lfs-fetch(1), git-lfs-pull(1), gitattributes(5), gitignore(5).

       Part of the git-lfs(1) suite.

                                                   2025-11-25                                GIT-LFS-CHECKOUT(1)