Convert subfolder into Git submodule

Subfolder to git repo.md

Source: http://willandorla.com/will/2011/01/convert-folder-into-git-submodule/

1. Clone new repository

$ git clone --no-hardlinks original-repo copied-repo

2. Filter out the files you want to keep and remove the others

$ cd copied-repo
$ git filter-branch --subdirectory-filter sub/module/path HEAD -- --all
$ git reset --hard
$ git gc --aggressive
$ git prune
$ git remote rm origin

3. Push the new repositories to the upstream server

$ git remote add origin [email protected]:korya/submodule-repo.git

4. Add the new repository as submodules to the original repository

$ cd original-repo
$ git rm -r sub/module/path
$ git commit -m "Removing the folders that are now repositories"
$ git submodule add [email protected]:korya/submodule-repo.git sub/module/path
$ git submodule init
$ git submodule update
$ git add .gitmodules sub/module/path
$ git commit -m "Added in submodules for removed folders"

I am learning about submodule to see if it is a good method to maintain version of an open source application and almost 100 third party plugins. We don't modify the codes but we have a few instances of the application. Do I run this script for every plugin, which means I have a copy of all the plugin I use? Sorry I am still learning about Git. Thanks in advance.

An alternative way using git-filter-repo:

# SUBFOLDER_NAME is the path to the preserved subfolder
SUBFOLDER_NAME=sub/folder/path
git filter-repo --path ${SUBFOLDER_NAME}/ --path-rename ${SUBFOLDER_NAME}/:

# Add new remote and push
git remote add origin <NEW_REMOTE>
git push --set-upstream origin master

Source:

• https://docs.github.com/en/get-started/using-git/splitting-a-subfolder-out-into-a-new-repository
• https://www.perplexity.ai/search/how-do-i-move-a-sub-folder-in-j.SCfIRsQWyePa3FsuWT0w