Git: How to commit a manually deleted file?

Question

In my git repository I manually deleted a file(rm) after moving it to another folder. I than committed all the changes to my repo but now when I do git status .

ronnie@ronnie:/home/github/Vimfiles/Vim$ git status .
# On branch master
# Changes not staged for commit:
#   (use "git add/rm <file>..." to update what will be committed)
#   (use "git checkout -- <file>..." to discard changes in working directory)
#
#       deleted:    plugin/dwm.vim
#
no changes added to commit (use "git add" and/or "git commit -a")

Now, how should I commit so that dwm.vim is deleted from the plugin folder in my remote repo. I know that I have to use git add && git commit but I have no file to commit/add because /plugin/dwm.vim is already deleted.

score 138 · Accepted Answer · edited Mar 20 '20 at 19:00

138

The answer's here, I think.

It's better if you do git rm <fileName>, though.

edited Mar 20 '20 at 19:00

mfaani

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answered Oct 20 '12 at 11:24

s.m.

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Ya I know that I should use `git rm` but `rm` is in my habit so sometimes I just forgot about using `git rm`. – ronnie Oct 20 '12 at 11:27
1

Ah, sure, happens to me as well from time to time :) – s.m. Oct 20 '12 at 11:28
4

Answer is `git add -u`, `git commit -a`, or `git add -A`? -1 for confusion. – Cees Timmerman Aug 06 '15 at 10:36
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`git rm` can be used after the `rm` has already deleted the file. It just updates the local repository. – ergohack May 17 '17 at 21:37
git add – RicardoVallejo Feb 20 '22 at 20:55

score 100 · Answer 2 · edited Apr 19 '23 at 20:11

100

Use git add -A, this will include the deleted files.

Warning: this also adds all files in the directory that are not already in the repository.

Note: use git rm for certain files.

edited Apr 19 '23 at 20:11

ferrouswheel

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answered Oct 20 '12 at 11:25

xdazz

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If someone's just wanting to stage the deletion of a single file, I don't think it's a good idea to suggest `git add -A`, since that will also (a) stage all modifications to already tracked files and (b) stage untracked and unignored files. You might want to update your answer with a warning about that. – Mark Longair Oct 20 '12 at 11:36
on the other hand when you refactor an entire project and move/delete folders and files you can not get back to do that for just that reason each file/folder using git. git add -A should be event one command. – hephestos Jul 20 '18 at 07:27
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@MarkLongair now can you tell us about how can we undo this mistake :) – NONONONONO Jul 07 '21 at 10:20

score 33 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 20 '12 at 11:24

33

It says right there in the output of git status:

#   (use "git add/rm <file>..." to update what will be committed)

so just do:

git rm <filename>

answered Oct 20 '12 at 11:24

Kache

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This is confusing, though: 'use "git add/rm' — which is it? What's the difference, in this scenario, between the two? – Bobby Jack Jan 15 '19 at 12:08
Why not try them and find out? I think you'll find the behavior quite sensible in both cases. ("Add a deleted file" and "remove a deleted file") – Kache Jan 15 '19 at 13:57

Git: How to commit a manually deleted file?

3 Answers3