REFACTOR: Reduce repository size - Deprecation of direct access to data files on GitHub

[lucasrodes]

We are deprecating various files from our dataset in an attempt to reduce the size of the repository. Some of these files are meant for internal use, but others might have been used by some users.

In this discussion, we list all the files affected along with a deprecation date. For those files that have been used by the public, we propose alternative URLs so users can keep consuming them.

If you use our stable URLs

If you are already using our stable URLs (covid.ourworldindata.org/data/[filename]), this change will not affect your workflow. See more information on stable URLs.

Files affected

List with all the files that are affected by the deprecation. We provide new links for all of them and a deadline (date by which old url won't be working anymore).

file	new url	old url	deadline*	deprecated
owid-covid-data.xlsx	https://covid.ourworldindata.org/data/owid-covid-data.xlsx	https://github.com/owid/covid-19-data/raw/master/public/data/owid-covid-data.xlsx	November 8th, 2021	✅
owid-covid-latest.xlsx	https://covid.ourworldindata.org/data/latest/owid-covid-latest.xlsx	https://github.com/owid/covid-19-data/raw/master/public/data/latest/owid-covid-latest.xlsx	November 8th, 2021	✅
subnational_cases_deaths.zip	https://covid.ourworldindata.org/data/jhu/subnational_cases_deaths.zip	https://github.com/owid/covid-19-data/raw/master/public/data/jhu/subnational_cases_deaths.zip	November 17th, 2021	✅
owid-covid-data.json	https://covid.ourworldindata.org/data/owid-covid-data.json	https://github.com/owid/covid-19-data/raw/master/public/data/owid-covid-data.json	January 7th, 2022	✅
owid-covid-latest.json	https://covid.ourworldindata.org/data/latest/owid-covid-latest.json	https://github.com/owid/covid-19-data/raw/master/public/data/latest/owid-covid-data.json	January 10th, 2022	⬜

File candidates

List with files that might also be deprecated from GitHub.

file	current url
owid-covid-data.csv	https://github.com/owid/covid-19-data/raw/master/public/data/owid-covid-data.csv
owid-covid-latest.csv	https://github.com/owid/covid-19-data/raw/master/public/data/latest/owid-covid-latest.csv
owid-covid-data-last-ecdc.xlsx	https://github.com/owid/covid-19-data/raw/master/public/data/ecdc/owid-covid-data-last-ecdc.xlsx
covid-testing-latest-data-source-details.xlsx	https://github.com/owid/covid-19-data/raw/master/public/data/testing/covid-testing-latest-data-source-details.xlsx
covid-testing-all-observations.xlsx	https://github.com/owid/covid-19-data/raw/master/public/data/testing/covid-testing-all-observations.xlsx

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*Subject to revision. Check this regularly in case you need to alter your workflow, as dates may change in the coming weeks.

[sitrucp]

I am using this population file. Will its location change as well? Thanks!!

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/owid/COVID-19-data/master/scripts/input/un/population_2020.csv

[lucasrodes]

Hi @sitrucp,
The URL for this file will not be changing.