Archive files on a backup branch

Use a backup branch when files must leave main but should remain recoverable in Git history.

Create the backup branch

Start from a clean working tree, then create and publish the branch:

git status --short
git switch -c backup

git push --set-upstream origin backup

The -u option in git push -u is short for --set-upstream; it connects the local branch to origin/backup.

Remove the files from main

git switch main
git rm <file-1> <file-2>
git commit -m "Remove archived files from main"
git push origin main

The files remain available on the backup branch, while main records their removal.