# Check if local git files are older than remote

> Problem When a repo is copied (not cloned), the local files may be older than the latest remote commit. You need to check before deciding whether to keep local or remote changes. Commands If file timestamps are before…

- Canonical: https://preview.arshadmehmood.com/today-i-learned/git/check-if-local-git-files-are-older-than-remote/
- Section: git
- Author: Arshad Mehmood

## Problem

When a repo is copied (not cloned), the local files may be older than the latest remote commit. You need to check before deciding whether to keep local or remote changes.

## Commands

```bash
# Date of last remote commit
git log -1 --format="%ci" origin/main

# Timestamps of all files that differ from remote
git diff --name-only origin/main | while read f; do
  ts=$(stat -f "%Sm" -t "%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S" "$f" 2>/dev/null || echo "not found")
  echo "$ts  $f"
done | sort
```

If file timestamps are **before** the remote commit date → your local copy is older, take the remote.

## Syncing a copied repo (no commits yet)

```bash
# Fetch remote history
git fetch origin

# Move local branch pointer to remote (keep working files)
git reset origin/main

# Or discard local and fully match remote
git reset --hard origin/main

# Set upstream so VS Code shows Sync instead of Publish Branch
git branch --set-upstream-to=origin/main main
```

## Files on remote but missing locally

These show as `not found` in the stat loop — they were added in a remote commit after your copy was made.

## References

- [git reset docs](https://git-scm.com/docs/git-reset)