Archive code changes from multiple repos

Archiving code changes from multiple repositories can be streamlined with the right strategy and tooling. Here’s a detailed approach to help you systematically archive changes across multiple repositories:

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1. Define Scope and Objectives

• Repositories Involved: List all the repositories you want to track.

• Change Type: Decide whether you want full commits, diffs, or summaries.

• Archive Format: Choose output format—plain text, markdown, JSON, HTML, or PDF.

• Frequency: Determine whether this is a one-time or recurring task.

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2. Gather Required Tools

You’ll need:

• Git CLI (git)

• Scripting language (e.g., Bash, Python)

• Optional: GitHub/GitLab API access if working with remote repos

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3. Automated Script to Archive Changes

Option A: Bash Script

bash
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#!/bin/bash

# List your repositories
REPOS=(
  "/path/to/repo1"
  "/path/to/repo2"
  "/path/to/repo3"
)

# Output directory
ARCHIVE_DIR="$HOME/code_changes_archive"
mkdir -p "$ARCHIVE_DIR"

# Date range
SINCE="2 weeks ago"

for REPO in "${REPOS[@]}"; do
  REPO_NAME=$(basename "$REPO")
  cd "$REPO" || continue
  echo "Archiving changes for $REPO_NAME..."

  git fetch

  git log --since="$SINCE" --pretty=format:"%h - %an, %ar : %s" > "$ARCHIVE_DIR/${REPO_NAME}_changes.txt"
done

Option B: Python Script

python
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import os
import subprocess
from datetime import datetime

repos = [
    "/path/to/repo1",
    "/path/to/repo2",
    "/path/to/repo3"
]

archive_dir = os.path.expanduser("~/code_changes_archive")
os.makedirs(archive_dir, exist_ok=True)

since = "2 weeks ago"

for repo in repos:
    repo_name = os.path.basename(repo)
    output_file = os.path.join(archive_dir, f"{repo_name}_changes.txt")
    
    try:
        os.chdir(repo)
        subprocess.run(["git", "fetch"], check=True)
        log = subprocess.check_output([
            "git", "log", f"--since={since}", "--pretty=format:%h - %an, %ar : %s"
        ]).decode("utf-8")
        
        with open(output_file, "w") as f:
            f.write(log)
        print(f"Archived changes for {repo_name}")
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"Error processing {repo_name}: {e}")

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4. Optional Enhancements

• Use GitHub API: To pull PR details, reviewers, labels.

• Export to Markdown or PDF using pandoc.

• Email Notifications using sendmail or third-party services.

• Scheduled Task: Use cron (Linux/macOS) or Task Scheduler (Windows).

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5. Version Control Your Archives

To keep track of archived logs:

bash
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cd ~/code_changes_archive
git init
git add .
git commit -m "Initial archive snapshot"

Automate weekly commits to log changes over time.

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6. Cloud Storage (Optional)

Push archives to a remote Git repo, cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox via CLI), or AWS S3 for backup.

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7. Naming Convention and Organization

Use consistent file naming:

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repo-name_YYYY-MM-DD_changes.txt

Organize folders by:

• Date: /2025-05/

• Project: /project-name/

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This process ensures all code changes from multiple repositories are consistently archived for audits, reporting, or backups.