Alternative Methods for Removing Files and Submodules in Git

commit -a`, as it will automatically notice and record all removals. You can also have a similar effect without committing by using `git add -u`. Using ``git add -A'' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When accepting a new code drop for a vendor branch, you probably want to record both the removal of paths and additions of new paths as well as modifications of existing paths. Typically you would first remove all tracked files from the working tree using this command: ---------------- git ls-files -z | xargs -0 rm -f ---------------- and then untar the new code in the working tree. Alternately you could 'rsync' the changes into the working tree. After that, the easiest way to record all removals, additions, and modifications in the working tree is: ---------------- git add -A ---------------- See linkgit:git-add[1]. Other ways ~~~~~~~~~~ If all you really want to do is to remove from the index the files that are no longer present in the working tree (perhaps because your working tree is dirty so that you cannot use `git commit -a`), use the following command: ---------------- git diff --name-only --diff-filter=D -z | xargs -0 git rm --cached ---------------- SUBMODULES ---------- Only submodules using a gitfile (which means they were cloned with a Git version 1.7.8 or newer) will be removed from the work tree, as their repository lives inside the `.git` directory of the superproject. If a submodule (or one of those nested inside it) still uses a `.git` directory, `git rm` moves the submodules git directory into the superprojects git directory to protect the submodule's history. If it exists the `submodule.<name>` section in the linkgit:gitmodules[5] file will also be removed and that file will be staged (unless `--cached` or `-n` are used). A submodule is considered up to date when the `HEAD` is the same as recorded in the index, no tracked files are modified and no untracked files that aren't ignored are present in the submodule's work tree. Ignored files are deemed expendable and won't stop a submodule's work tree from being removed. If you only want to remove the local checkout of a submodule from your work tree without committing the removal, use linkgit:git-submodule[1] `deinit` instead. Also see linkgit:gitsubmodules[7] for details on submodule removal. EXAMPLES -------- `git rm Documentation/\*.txt`:: Removes all `*.txt` files from the index that are under the `Documentation` directory and any of its subdirectories. + Note that the asterisk `*` is quoted from the shell in this example; this lets Git, and not the shell, expand the pathnames of files and subdirectories under the `Documentation/` directory. `git rm -f git-*.sh`:: Because this example lets the shell expand the asterisk (i.e. you are listing the files explicitly), it does not remove `subdir/git-foo.sh`. BUGS ---- Each time a superproject update removes a populated submodule (e.g. when switching between commits before and after the removal) a stale submodule checkout will remain in the old location. Removing the old directory is only safe when it uses a gitfile, as otherwise the history of the submodule will be deleted too. This step will be obsolete when recursive submodule update has been implemented. SEE ALSO -------- linkgit:git-add[1] GIT --- Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite

The text discusses various methods for removing files and submodules in Git, including using `git commit -a`, `git add -u`, and `git add -A`, as well as using `git rm` with specific options to remove files and submodules, and provides examples and notes on submodule removal and potential bugs.