7  Common Pitfalls

8 Avoid Committing Large Files

Always check git status before committing.
A strong .gitignore helps you avoid accidentally committing large raw data or generated outputs.

If you need to version sensitive data, use Git LFS or a separate archive (e.g., OSF) instead of committing them directly.

9 Don’t Lose Track of Provenance

Use small, descriptive commits and tags to preserve the history of analyses and manuscript versions.
Numbered scripts (e.g., 01_clean.R, 02_analyse.R, 03_figures.R) make the pipeline clear.

10 Document Your Workflow

Keep an up‑to‑date README.md explaining the project goals, data sources, and how to reproduce results.
Documentation reduces friction for collaborators and reviewers.