Git - discard added files

Question

Seems like this should be super-simple but looking around for a simple (or half-way straightforward) solution seems impossible:

Say I add a bunch of files to a Git project. "git status" now says:

# On branch master  
# Untracked files:  
#   (use "git add <file>..." to include in what will be committed)  
#  
#   Classes/FileA.h  
#   Classes/FileA.m  
#   Classes/FileB.h  
#   Classes/FileB.m  
nothing added to commit but untracked files present (use "git add" to track)

I then decide I want to discard these files and get back to my original status within the project. Do I have to delete each file before proceeding?!!

I've tried:

git checkout master

which gives "Already on 'master'" and

git reset --hard HEAD

but my added files are still there for both methods.

I've been through the entire Git tutorial (http://www.kernel.org/pub/software/scm/git/docs/gittutorial.html) plus various man pages.

Why is this so difficult to do?!!

See also http://stackoverflow.com/questions/673407/how-do-i-clear-my-local-working-directory-in-git — VonC, Jun 23 '10 at 17:31
This is also a very good answer: https://stackoverflow.com/a/1090316/366064 — Bizhan, May 18 '21 at 16:55

score 13 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 23 '10 at 17:22

13

git clean

should do the trick. By default, this requires the -f flag to really do anything.

answered Jun 23 '10 at 17:22

Thomas

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git 'clean' ? Wow, I didnt know that. Thanks! – Jeffrey Jose Jun 23 '10 at 17:24
1

Neither did I; I just googled it using "git delete untracked files" ;) First rule of git: if you can think of it, git can do it. – Thomas Jun 23 '10 at 17:28
Note that it recursively removes all files not under version control, so be sure it's what you want. – jarmod Mar 16 '21 at 23:36
1

`git clean -f -d` removes untracked files. `git clean -f -d -x` removes untracked and ignored files. – Bizhan May 18 '21 at 16:56

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered May 27 '16 at 21:12

I follow the git tip:

Changes to be committed: (use "git reset HEAD ..." to unstage)

new file:   src/main/java/com/bbva/zic/commons/rm/core/convert/support/BooleanToStringConverter.java
new file:   src/main/java/com/bbva/zic/commons/rm/core/convert/support/BooleanToStringConverterFactory.java
modified:   src/main/java/com/bbva/zic/commons/rm/core/convert/support/StringToDtoIntCollectionAgreementBillConcept.java

laura:bbva-commons charly$ git reset HEAD src/main/java/com/bbva/zic/commons/rm/core/convert/support/BooleanToStringConverter.java laura:bbva-commons charly$ git reset HEAD src/main/java/com/bbva/zic/commons/rm/core/convert/support/BooleanToStringConverterFactory.java laura:bbva-commons charly$ git status On branch INC0287 Changes to be committed: (use "git reset HEAD ..." to unstage)

modified:   src/main/java/com/bbva/zic/commons/rm/core/convert/support/StringToDtoIntCollectionAgreementBillConcept.java

Untracked files: (use "git add ..." to include in what will be committed)

src/main/java/com/bbva/zic/commons/rm/core/convert/support/BooleanToStringConverter.java
src/main/java/com/bbva/zic/commons/rm/core/convert/support/BooleanToStringConverterFactory.java

Git - discard added files

2 Answers2

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