Explain Git tracking of binary .xls spreadsheet files
Session from pi-for-excel-sessions on Hugging Face by thomasmustier · MIT · condensed by Coders Talk
16ssession
0interventions
GOAL
The developer wanted to understand whether Git could recover previous versions of a binary .xls spreadsheet file if tracked in a repo.
- +0Prompt · +0If I git init and track a .xls spreadsheet, can I recover previous states of it?
- +0mAgent did · +0mExplained that Git can restore prior committed versions via git checkout/git log, but warned that .xls is binary so diffs, merges, and storage efficiency are poor compared to text files.
- +0mOutcome · +0mDeveloper got a clear answer: Git can recover old spreadsheet versions but with binary-file caveats around diffing, merging, and repo bloat.
VERDICT
I'd ask this same question but also request concrete alternatives (like storing as CSV or using Git LFS) up front to save a follow-up. The explanation itself was clear and answered exactly what I asked without needing any correction.