---
title: Work with Git
description: Clone repositories, manage branches, and automate Git operations.
image: https://developers.cloudflare.com/dev-products-preview.png
---

> Documentation Index  
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://developers.cloudflare.com/sandbox/llms.txt  
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. 

[Skip to content](#%5Ftop) 

# Work with Git

This guide shows you how to clone repositories, manage branches, and automate Git operations in the sandbox.

## Clone repositories

* [  JavaScript ](#tab-panel-10808)
* [  TypeScript ](#tab-panel-10809)

JavaScript

```
import { getSandbox } from "@cloudflare/sandbox";
const sandbox = getSandbox(env.Sandbox, "my-sandbox");
// Basic cloneawait sandbox.gitCheckout("https://github.com/user/repo");
// Clone specific branchawait sandbox.gitCheckout("https://github.com/user/repo", {  branch: "develop",});
// Shallow clone (faster for large repos)await sandbox.gitCheckout("https://github.com/user/large-repo", {  depth: 1,});
// Clone to specific directoryawait sandbox.gitCheckout("https://github.com/user/my-app", {  targetDir: "/workspace/project",});
```

TypeScript

```
import { getSandbox } from '@cloudflare/sandbox';
const sandbox = getSandbox(env.Sandbox, 'my-sandbox');
// Basic cloneawait sandbox.gitCheckout('https://github.com/user/repo');
// Clone specific branchawait sandbox.gitCheckout('https://github.com/user/repo', {  branch: 'develop'});
// Shallow clone (faster for large repos)await sandbox.gitCheckout('https://github.com/user/large-repo', {  depth: 1});
// Clone to specific directoryawait sandbox.gitCheckout('https://github.com/user/my-app', {  targetDir: '/workspace/project'});
```

## Clone private repositories

Use a personal access token in the URL:

* [  JavaScript ](#tab-panel-10798)
* [  TypeScript ](#tab-panel-10799)

JavaScript

```
const token = env.GITHUB_TOKEN;const repoUrl = `https://${token}@github.com/user/private-repo.git`;
await sandbox.gitCheckout(repoUrl);
```

TypeScript

```
const token = env.GITHUB_TOKEN;const repoUrl = `https://${token}@github.com/user/private-repo.git`;
await sandbox.gitCheckout(repoUrl);
```

More secure alternative

Embedding a token in the URL passes the credential directly into the sandbox. For better access control, use a Worker proxy that validates a short-lived JWT and injects the real token at request time — the sandbox never holds the credential. Refer to [Proxy requests to external APIs](https://developers.cloudflare.com/sandbox/guides/proxy-requests/).

## Clone and build

Clone a repository and run build steps:

* [  JavaScript ](#tab-panel-10800)
* [  TypeScript ](#tab-panel-10801)

JavaScript

```
await sandbox.gitCheckout("https://github.com/user/my-app");
const repoName = "my-app";
// Install and buildawait sandbox.exec(`cd ${repoName} && npm install`);await sandbox.exec(`cd ${repoName} && npm run build`);
console.log("Build complete");
```

TypeScript

```
await sandbox.gitCheckout('https://github.com/user/my-app');
const repoName = 'my-app';
// Install and buildawait sandbox.exec(`cd ${repoName} && npm install`);await sandbox.exec(`cd ${repoName} && npm run build`);
console.log('Build complete');
```

## Work with branches

* [  JavaScript ](#tab-panel-10802)
* [  TypeScript ](#tab-panel-10803)

JavaScript

```
await sandbox.gitCheckout("https://github.com/user/repo");
// Switch branchesawait sandbox.exec("cd repo && git checkout feature-branch");
// Create new branchawait sandbox.exec("cd repo && git checkout -b new-feature");
```

TypeScript

```
await sandbox.gitCheckout('https://github.com/user/repo');
// Switch branchesawait sandbox.exec('cd repo && git checkout feature-branch');
// Create new branchawait sandbox.exec('cd repo && git checkout -b new-feature');
```

## Make changes and commit

* [  JavaScript ](#tab-panel-10810)
* [  TypeScript ](#tab-panel-10811)

JavaScript

```
await sandbox.gitCheckout("https://github.com/user/repo");
// Modify a fileconst readme = await sandbox.readFile("/workspace/repo/README.md");await sandbox.writeFile(  "/workspace/repo/README.md",  readme.content + "\n\n## New Section",);
// Commit changesawait sandbox.exec('cd repo && git config user.name "Sandbox Bot"');await sandbox.exec('cd repo && git config user.email "bot@example.com"');await sandbox.exec("cd repo && git add README.md");await sandbox.exec('cd repo && git commit -m "Update README"');
```

TypeScript

```
await sandbox.gitCheckout('https://github.com/user/repo');
// Modify a fileconst readme = await sandbox.readFile('/workspace/repo/README.md');await sandbox.writeFile('/workspace/repo/README.md', readme.content + '\n\n## New Section');
// Commit changesawait sandbox.exec('cd repo && git config user.name "Sandbox Bot"');await sandbox.exec('cd repo && git config user.email "bot@example.com"');await sandbox.exec('cd repo && git add README.md');await sandbox.exec('cd repo && git commit -m "Update README"');
```

## Best practices

* **Use shallow clones** \- Faster for large repos with `depth: 1`
* **Store credentials securely** \- Use environment variables for tokens
* **Clean up** \- Delete unused repositories to save space

## Troubleshooting

### Authentication fails

Verify your token is set:

* [  JavaScript ](#tab-panel-10806)
* [  TypeScript ](#tab-panel-10807)

JavaScript

```
if (!env.GITHUB_TOKEN) {  throw new Error("GITHUB_TOKEN not configured");}
const repoUrl = `https://${env.GITHUB_TOKEN}@github.com/user/private-repo.git`;await sandbox.gitCheckout(repoUrl);
```

TypeScript

```
if (!env.GITHUB_TOKEN) {  throw new Error('GITHUB_TOKEN not configured');}
const repoUrl = `https://${env.GITHUB_TOKEN}@github.com/user/private-repo.git`;await sandbox.gitCheckout(repoUrl);
```

### Large repository timeout

Use shallow clone:

* [  JavaScript ](#tab-panel-10804)
* [  TypeScript ](#tab-panel-10805)

JavaScript

```
await sandbox.gitCheckout("https://github.com/user/large-repo", {  depth: 1,});
```

TypeScript

```
await sandbox.gitCheckout('https://github.com/user/large-repo', {  depth: 1});
```

## Related resources

* [Files API reference](https://developers.cloudflare.com/sandbox/api/files/) \- File operations after cloning
* [Execute commands guide](https://developers.cloudflare.com/sandbox/guides/execute-commands/) \- Run git commands
* [Manage files guide](https://developers.cloudflare.com/sandbox/guides/manage-files/) \- Work with cloned files

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