# NAME

git-annex migrate - switch data to different backend

# SYNOPSIS

git annex migrate `[path ...]`

git annex migrate --update

# DESCRIPTION

Changes the specified annexed files to use the default key-value backend
(or the one specified with `--backend`). Only files whose content
is currently available are migrated.

Note that the content is also still available using the old key after
migration. Use `git annex unused` to find and remove the old key.

Normally, nothing will be done to files already using the new backend.
However, if a backend changes the information it uses to construct a key,
this can also be used to migrate files to use the new key format.

# OPTIONS

* `--update`

  This updates the local repository for migrations that were performed
  elsewhere.

  Note that older versions of git-annex did not record migrations in a
  way that this can use. Migrations performed with those older versions
  had to be manually run in each clone of the repository.

* `--backend`

  Specify the new key-value backend to use for migrated data.

* `--force`

  Force migration of keys that are already using the new backend.

* file matching options
 
  The [[git-annex-matching-options]](1)
  can be used to specify files to migrate.

* Also the [[git-annex-common-options]](1) can be used.

* `--remove-size`

  Keys often include the size of their content, which is generally a useful
  thing. In fact, this command defaults to adding missing size information
  to keys. With this option, the size information is removed instead.

  One use of this option is to convert URL keys that were added
  by `git-annex addurl --fast` to ones that would have been added if
  that command was run with the `--relaxed` option. Eg:

  	git-annex migrate --remove-size --backend=URL somefile

* `--json`

  Enable JSON output. This is intended to be parsed by programs that use
  git-annex. Each line of output is a JSON object.

* `--json-error-messages`

  Messages that would normally be output to standard error are included in
  the JSON instead.

# SEE ALSO

[[git-annex]](1)

[[git-annex-upgrade]](1)

[[git-annex-backend]](1)

# AUTHOR

Joey Hess <id@joeyh.name>

Warning: Automatically converted into a man page by mdwn2man. Edit with care.