How to Split a Subfolder Into a New Repository

Apr 14, 2023 | posted in: github git howto

Recently at work I had to split a sub-folder in a repository into its own repository. I wanted to keep the commit history. My search online led me to Splitting a subfolder out into a new repository on the GitHub Dos site.

The instructions there are very good. In a nutshell what I did was this.

Installed the git-filter-repo tool.
Cloned the original repository to a working directory with the name I wanted for the new repository.
From inside the root of the new clone, ran the git filter-repo --path FOLDER-NAME/ command.
Created a new repository with the desired name on GitHub.
Used the commands provided to add the appropriate remotes to the new repository and pushed it to GitHub.

In all the process took about 5 minutes. Not something I’ll do every day, but it is nice to know it is possible.