garbage collection - Git - why does the number of objects differ between my two Git clones? -

i have 2 local repositories cloned same remote. pulled changes both local repositories branches but number of objects shown when calling git gc example (or git pull) differs...

does mean 2 repositories not in-sync?

the number of 'in-pack' objects shown git count-objects -v:

count: 0 size: 0 in-pack: <this number here> packs: 1 size-pack: <a size> prune-packable: 0 garbage: 0 size-garbage: 0 

or alternatively git gc

counting objects: <here>, done. delta compression using 6 threads. compressing objects: 100% (yyyy/yyyy), done. writing objects: 100% (<here>/<here>), done. total <here> (delta xxxx), reused <here> (delta zzzz) 

shouldn't number of objects same 2 local repositories? (since both up-to-date?)

first, should check references have running git for-each-ref (or similar) in each repository. references, including things in stash, hold on objects appear in 1 repository.

that aside, "active" git repository (by "active" mean 1 in edit , git add , git commit , git rebase, git reset, git stash, , on) accumulates number—potentially large number—of "deleted, not yet expired" commits. (it accumulates deleted , expired commits too, mentioned git gc above, , removes these, no longer contribute object count.)

if expire reflogs , prune (note, removing safety belts , harnesses, tossing high-wire balance pole aside, ditching lifeboats, , opening outer airlocks¹ ... i.e., don't on whim):

git reflog expire --expire=now --expire-unreachable=now --all git prune --expire=now 

and run git gc, should minimum number of objects. (if both repositories active might have on both.)

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¹apparently, you're doing on high wire attached car being driven on boat sailing on ocean inside space habitat. wow. :-)