# Re: [git-for-windows] Git a single file from remote

1 messages from 2015-11-17 to 2015-11-17. Participants: Johannes Schindelin.
Thread: https://gitlist.dev/t/40816

## Johannes Schindelin, 2015-11-17 13:47

Subject: Re: [git-for-windows] Git a single file from remote
Message-ID: <alpine.DEB.1.00.1511171441350.1686@s15462909.onlinehome-server.info>
URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/alpine.DEB.1.00.1511171441350.1686%40s15462909.onlinehome-server.info
In-Reply-To: <f41ee51a-aee4-41d5-b50d-e47ea3cab611@googlegroups.com>

```
Hi Chaz,

On Mon, 16 Nov 2015, Chaz wrote:

> An origin git repository has been setup.  Added a remote repository 
> (remotegit).
> 
> "git remote -v show" displays both origin and remote links.
> 
> What is the best way to copy a single file from the remote repo to the 
> origin repo?

This is not specific to Windows, so it would be more appropriate to send
this question to the Git mailing list (Cc:ed).

Git is not designed to download specific files, at least not by default.

Having said that, some remotes are configured to allow downloading
archives and in such a case you might be able to specify something like
`git archive --remote=<remote> HEAD:README`, but I am personally unaware
of any remote that supports this.

Your best bet may be to fetch an individual ref with the `--shallow`
option.

Ciao,
Johannes

```