diff --git a/documentation/content/en/books/handbook/ports/_index.adoc b/documentation/content/en/books/handbook/ports/_index.adoc
--- a/documentation/content/en/books/handbook/ports/_index.adoc
+++ b/documentation/content/en/books/handbook/ports/_index.adoc
@@ -712,6 +712,9 @@
 Git can be used to obtain the Ports Collection.
 Refer to extref:{committers-guide}[the Git Primer, git-primer] for a detailed description of Git.
 
+We add --depth 1 to the git command line to clone the tree without obtaining the commit history, which saves time and is acceptable for most users. 
+If you have your own changes to the ports tree, or need the history for any reason, omit the --depth 1 argument below.
+
 . Git must be installed before it can be used to check out the ports tree. If a copy of the ports tree is already present, install Git like this:
 +
 [source,shell]
@@ -731,14 +734,14 @@
 +
 [source,shell]
 ....
-# git clone https://git.FreeBSD.org/ports.git /usr/ports
+# git clone --depth 1 https://git.FreeBSD.org/ports.git /usr/ports
 ....
 +
 . Or, check out a copy of a quarterly branch:
 +
 [source,shell]
 ....
-# git clone https://git.FreeBSD.org/ports.git -b 2023Q1 /usr/ports
+# git clone --depth 1 https://git.FreeBSD.org/ports.git -b 2023Q1 /usr/ports
 ....
 +
 . As needed, update `/usr/ports` after the initial Git checkout: