How to remove all local files that were accidentally added to the git system

Question

I'm new to the "git" system. I may have made a mistake and integrated all my local files into the "git" system.

I use "vs code editor" and discard all changes when I say gives me the following error: Git: fatal: You are on a branch yet to be born.

this is what it looks like when I use the "git status" command in the terminal:

warning: could not open directory '.Trash/': Operation not permitted
On branch master

No commits yet

Untracked files:
  (use "git add <file>..."
    to include in what will be committed)
  .. / .npm /
  .. / .viminfo
  .. / .vscode /
  .. / .zsh_history
  .. / Applications /
  . /
  .. / Documents /
  .. / Downloads /
  .. / Library /
  .. / Movies /
  .. / Music /
  .. / Pictures /
  .. / Public /

  nothing added to commit but untracked files present(use "git add"
    to track)

Please don't think I came here looking for a solution. I tried pretty hard. I even read the articles here carefully.How to remove local (untracked) files from the current Git working tree.

git clean, git reset commands, such as I tried but failed. I'm trying to find out what I'm missing. I don't want to use the wrong command and ruin everything. If you can explain while you're helping, I'll know and I'll be happy. Thank you.

yeah, I think I did it by saying Git init. This may have happened because I messed up the folder locations when I was trying to git add on a new folder. — CanUver, Jun 07 '20 at 10:55
I guess you `git init` in `/User/` and that will generate a folder named **.git** in the current directory which tracks your files and folders. Simply delete the .git folder and you are good to go. — WangYudong, Jun 07 '20 at 10:58
the problem is, every time I open a new folder, I get the same problem. — CanUver, Jun 07 '20 at 11:10
You are not listening. Look, do this. In the Finder, press Command Shift Period. Go into your home folder. See the _.git_ folder there? Trash it. — And do not futz with commands you do not understand. In the situation you are in, saying `git clean` can delete most of your hard drive. — matt, Jun 07 '20 at 13:32
@matt I think I've already deleted it with `clean` command. Maybe it wasn't a big deal, but is there any way I can get it back ? — CanUver, Jun 07 '20 at 14:05
all my folders that are on my desktop and connected to git are empty. — CanUver, Jun 07 '20 at 14:09

score 7 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 07 '20 at 16:20

When you say git init, you are doing two things:

You create a (normally invisible) .git folder in the current directory.
You place the current directory and all its subdirectories recursively under git control.

So, if you whip out the Terminal and say

% git init

...the current directory is your home folder, and that is where the .git folder is created, and now your home folder and all its contents at any depth have been placed under git control. Which is a really bad idea, putting your whole world under git control.

Okay, so then you say

% cd Desktop
% git status

Well, the Desktop folder is inside the home folder, and the home folder has the .git folder, so the Desktop folder is under git control, and the git status command works, and correctly reports, "Hey, I'm supposed to be controlling all these files and folders. What would you like me to do?"

What you'd like it to do is nothing. You've made a silly mistake and you need to back it out. To do that, just delete the invisible .git folder you created earlier by mistake in your home directory. Done. Your world is no longer under git control.

(The easiest way to do that, in a modern Mac system, is to press Command-Shift-Period, which makes invisible folders visible, so you can see the .git folder and drag it into the trash.)

Now, if you also said git clean while your world was under git control, you may have deleted some of your stuff. And when I say deleted, I mean deleted. That stuff is absolutely irrevocably gone. If you use Time Machine or Carbon Copy Cloner or similar, you might have a backup elsewhere, but that has nothing to do with git. You told git to delete things and it obeyed.

Thank you very much for this detailed answer. Really, really thank you. I don't understand why other people would unvote the question. It's a beautifully explained question. It shouldn't have been a problem if I didn't understand.Anyway, that's a good lesson for me. Now I've decided to learn the "git" system in detail. Thanks again. — CanUver, Jun 07 '20 at 22:42

How to remove all local files that were accidentally added to the git system

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