Large Media overview
This feature is deprecated
Netlify’s Large Media service is deprecated. While Large Media continues to function for sites that currently have it enabled, new Large Media configuration is not recommended. Refer to the deprecation notice in our Support Forums for alternative services and more information.
To avoid the risk of file loss, read our Uninstalling Large Media Support Guide and contact support for assistance turning off Large Media for an existing site.
Storing your site content in a Git repository is great until you start adding large files that aren’t made up of text — files like images, ZIP files, and PDFs. Git’s system of tracking diffs doesn’t work with these files, so it saves full copies of every version in your Git repository.
Netlify Large Media uses Git LFS to take advantage of the benefits of Git version tracking without bloating your repository. Your designated Large Media files are uploaded directly to our media servers while Git tracks their versions with text pointer files in the repository.
This saves local development time and speeds up builds in the following ways:
- Smaller repositories. Whether you’re cloning for local development, or our build system is cloning to run your build, smaller repositories mean faster clones.
- Separate uploads. Uploads to our Large Media service run in parallel with the build, so both processes can run as efficiently as possible.
- Transformations when you need them. With our image transformation service, you can serve the exact image size you need for each context, from thumbnail to retina, without having to save multiple versions or run repetitive resizing operations in your build.
# Large Media docs
Find the information you need about Netlify Large Media.
Requirements and limitations – Large Media changes how your Git repository works, so it’s important to review the requirements and limitations before getting started.
Setup – Once you’re clear on the requirements and limitations, head to setup to learn how to connect your site and repository with Large Media.
Repository collaboration – Learn about options for collaboration in repositories enabled for Large Media, including workflows using Git and a CMS.
Transform images – With Large Media enabled on your site, you can use query parameters to have our servers transform images to the exact dimensions you need.
Usage and billing – Find out how Large Media service usage is metered on the usage and billing page.
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