Delete a file from a Git repository
David Y.
—The ProblemJump To Solution
How do I delete a file from a Git repository?
The Solution
We can do this using git rm:
git rm unwanted-file.txt
This command will delete the file and stage its deletion to be included in the next commit. If we want to remove a directory, we must include the -r (recursive) flag, as with the standard rm command.
If we want only to stage the file’s deletion without also deleting it from our local filesystem, we can use the --cached flag:
git rm --cached unwanted-file.txt
Note that any files removed this way will still be visible in previous commits. If the file we want to remove contains sensitive content, we will need either to create a new Git repository with a fresh history or to rewrite the history of our current repository using git filter-branch:
git filter-repo -f --index-filter 'git rm --cached --ignore-unmatch unwanted-file.txt'
Note that rewriting the commit history in this way is dangerous and will permanently alter your repository. Additionally, git filter-branch is a slow operation, especially for large repositories with many commits. Double-check that the name of the file to be removed is correct before running this command.
After our commit history has been rewritten, we will need to force push the changes to remote repositories using a command such as the following:
git push --force -u origin main
- ResourcesWhat is Distributed Tracing
- Listen to the Syntax Podcast
![Syntax.fm logo]()
Tasty Treats for Web Developers brought to you by Sentry. Web development tips and tricks hosted by Wes Bos and Scott Tolinski
Listen to Syntax
Loved by over 4 million developers and more than 90,000 organizations worldwide, Sentry provides code-level observability to many of the world’s best-known companies like Disney, Peloton, Cloudflare, Eventbrite, Slack, Supercell, and Rockstar Games. Each month we process billions of exceptions from the most popular products on the internet.
A peek at your privacy
Here’s a quick look at how Sentry handles your personal information (PII).
×Who we collect PII from
We collect PII about people browsing our website, users of the Sentry service, prospective customers, and people who otherwise interact with us.
What if my PII is included in data sent to Sentry by a Sentry customer (e.g., someone using Sentry to monitor their app)? In this case you have to contact the Sentry customer (e.g., the maker of the app). We do not control the data that is sent to us through the Sentry service for the purposes of application monitoring.
Am I included?PII we may collect about you
- PII provided by you and related to your
- Account, profile, and login
- Requests and inquiries
- Purchases
- PII collected from your device and usage
- PII collected from third parties (e.g., social media)
How we use your PII
- To operate our site and service
- To protect and improve our site and service
- To provide customer care and support
- To communicate with you
- For other purposes (that we inform you of at collection)
Third parties who receive your PII
We may disclose your PII to the following type of recipients:
- Subsidiaries and other affiliates
- Service providers
- Partners (go-to-market, analytics)
- Third-party platforms (when you connect them to our service)
- Governmental authorities (where necessary)
- An actual or potential buyer
We use cookies (but not for advertising)
- We do not use advertising or targeting cookies
- We use necessary cookies to run and improve our site and service
- You can disable cookies but this can impact your use or access to certain parts of our site and service
Know your rights
You may have the following rights related to your PII:
- Access, correct, and update
- Object to or restrict processing
- Port over
- Opt-out of marketing
- Be forgotten by Sentry
- Withdraw your consent
- Complain about us
If you have any questions or concerns about your privacy at Sentry, please email us at compliance@sentry.io.
If you are a California resident, see our Supplemental notice.