# Defer loading data when cloning repository?

**URL:** <https://discuss.dvc.org/t/defer-loading-data-when-cloning-repository/33>\
**Category:** Questions\
**Created:** [May 21, 2018, 1:24pm UTC](https://discuss.dvc.org/t/defer-loading-data-when-cloning-repository/33 "2018-05-21T13:24:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![brylie](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discuss.dvc.org/brylie/32/10_2.png) [@brylie](https://discuss.dvc.org/u/brylie)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 1:24pm UTC](https://discuss.dvc.org/t/defer-loading-data-when-cloning-repository/33/1 "2018-05-21T13:24:22Z")

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We currently use a single repository for data science related projects (mainly due to limitations of GitHub private repositories). When cloning that repository, all Git LFS files are downloaded, which takes quite a while. Is there a way that using DVC would allow us to defer loading data from some of our data-science sub-projects until we are ready to work on the notebooks?

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**Author:** ![dmitry](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discuss.dvc.org/dmitry/32/7_2.png) [@dmitry](https://discuss.dvc.org/u/dmitry)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2018, 6:19pm UTC](https://discuss.dvc.org/t/defer-loading-data-when-cloning-repository/33/2 "2018-05-22T18:19:42Z")

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Hi @brylie!

Yes, with DVC it is manageable.

1. `dvc pull` and `dvc push` sync only on the latest data file version a current branch. So, if your project is separated by branches - it will work just fine.
2. If you have all the projects in the same branch (like `master`) you can sync data files sebset by specifying DVC file: `dvc pull pmap_project.dvc`.

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**Author:** ![brylie](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discuss.dvc.org/brylie/32/10_2.png) [@brylie](https://discuss.dvc.org/u/brylie)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2018, 8:07am UTC](https://discuss.dvc.org/t/defer-loading-data-when-cloning-repository/33/3 "2018-05-29T08:07:09Z")

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Is there an approach that would work when _cloning_ the repository?

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**Author:** ![kupruser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e95f7d/32.png) [@kupruser](https://discuss.dvc.org/u/kupruser)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2018, 9:47am UTC](https://discuss.dvc.org/t/defer-loading-data-when-cloning-repository/33/4 "2018-05-29T09:47:07Z")

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Hi @brylie!

When you clone your git repository that uses dvc inside, dvc doesn’t download any data until you manually tell it to by running `dvc pull` command. So basically, cloning would look like:

1. `git clone /path/to/remote` - no different with and without dvc, downloads only code;
2. `dvc pull` or `dvc pull mydata.dvc` - downloads data;

Thanks,  
Ruslan