How to use .jar tool BFG Repo Cleaner and reduce git repository?
<p>I have a question that I am sure is very simple but which I can't find the answer for. I am an animator working on the Unreal Engine 4 and using Source Control, Bitbucket and Source Tree to collaborate on a current project. My coding expertise draws the line at php and terminal scares me to no end. I've done plenty of research on reducing git repository sizes with mild success.</p>

<p><strong>The Case:</strong>
I've run out of space on my Repository (probably because UE4 saves a million auto save files every time I use it) and need to delete some files. </p>

<p><strong>What I've found:</strong></p>

<p>Evidently, files on a git repository are not meant to be deleted with ease (For safety perhaps). There doesn't appear to be a way to just go to the repository highlight some stuff and hit delete. Thus far, however, I've found two promising leads right here in StackOverflow. </p>

<ol>
<li>This awesome little bit of code from <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/users/218294/sam-watkins">Sam Watkins</a> which gave me some good results: <a href="http://sam.nipl.net/b/git-gc-all-ferocious" rel="noreferrer">http://sam.nipl.net/b/git-gc-all-ferocious</a></li>
<li>Many people suggesting a tool called the BFG Repo Cleaner. </li>
</ol>

<p><strong>What I'd like to know:</strong></p>

<ol>
<li><p>From what I've read, BFG seems to be the fastest and most efficient
solution to repository reduction out there. Is this an accurate
assessment?</p></li>
<li><p>There are many resources online on how to use the tool, (<a href="https://rtyley.github.io/bfg-repo-cleaner/" rel="noreferrer">such as
this one</a>) but none that answer my (very basic, I imagine)
question. After I download it, what do I do with the file? Do I just
double click it? Does the .jar file need to be in a specific place?
Must I run it and then follow the instructions?</p></li>
</ol>

<p><strong>What I've tried:</strong></p>

<ol>
<li><p>I double clicked it and it seems to have run but it had no effect.</p></li>
<li><p>I tried running the code snippets from several walkthrough articles
(including the one I've linked to above) through terminal using
source tree's terminal button and replacing all the placeholder urls
with mine on the copied code, but any snippet that contains the
words bfg.jar fails. All the code I've found online for the tool
returns a "command not found" message in terminal, which is not
surprising since the tool is just sitting in my downloads folder. </p></li>
<li><p>I've looked at "working with .jar files" articles but all I could
find seems to be more interested in coding such files than running
them, and so, I am at a loss.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Thank you in advance for any and all help.</p>

<p>Cheers,
Omar</p>