Hi, @CraigC.
You can use the API for deploys but all deploy objects must define all files in each deploy. The API will require the paths and SHA checksums for all the files in each deploy. If the API doesn’t have the contents for any of the file checksums it will request that data. However, there is no escaping the “all deploys must contain all files” requirement. There is no way upload a single file without at least including the checksums and paths of all other files as well (and then only if none of the other files are new or have changed).
If you don’t use Large Media you can always push to the Git repo without Netlify CLI. If you do use Large Media, the Netlify CLI is required.
Note, Large Media and Git LFS are not identical. Large Media is a Git LFS service but using it is not required.
In other words, you don’t have to use Large Media to use Git LFS. You can use Git LFS for Netlify sites and skip Large Media entirely.
Have you tried just using Git LFS and not using Large Media?
That would be my recommended workflow since you are not using the image transformations Large Media makes possible (and it doesn’t make the type of transformations you require even if you were trying to use it).
To use Git LFS without Large Media, we must uninstall that add-on from the site and then GIT_LFS_ENABLED must be set to “true” in the site build environment variables.
If you would like to try using Git LFS without Large Media, would you please confirm you have read the following Support Guide?
If you are sure you have a backup of your files and you are ready for us to remove the Large Media add-on for this site, please let us know. Likewise, if there are other questions, we will be happy to answer.