How to remove committed files in Git

Sometimes, you may need to remove a file that has already been committed to a Git repository. This could be due to various reasons such as accidentally committing a scratch file, or some other incomplete piece of work. This guide will explain how to remove committed files in Git using different methods and commands.

Note: In the case that you committed sensitive information to the repo, you should treat this information as compromised and take more careful steps to remove this data from the repo. For a detailed walkthrough see this guide on removing sensitive data from Git.

Understanding the impact of removing committed files

Removing files from a commit can alter the commit history, especially if the changes are already pushed to a shared repository. It's important to understand the implications of modifying commit history and to communicate with your team when working in a collaborative environment.

Step-by-step guide to remove committed files in Git

Scenario 1: Removing a file from the latest commit

If you need to remove a file from the most recent commit, you can do so using the following steps:

1. Reset the file to the last commit:

   Terminal

   git reset HEAD~1 path/to/your/file.txt
   
   

   This command unstages the file from the last commit but keeps it in your working directory.

2. Remove the file from the working directory:

   Terminal

   rm path/to/your/file.txt
   
   

3. Stage the changes:

   Terminal

   git add .
   
   

4. Amend the last commit:

   Terminal

   git commit --amend -m "Your updated commit message"
   
   

   This command creates a new commit, replacing the previous one.

5. Push the changes:

   Terminal

   git push --force
   
   

   Force pushing effectively replaces the previous commit with the new one. Use caution with --force however, as it rewrites the commit history.

Scenario 2: Removing a file from an older commit

If the file is committed in an older commit, you need to use an interactive rebase:

1. Start an interactive rebase:

   Terminal

   git rebase -i HEAD~n
   
   

   Replace n with the number of commits back you want to start the rebase. For example git rebase -i HEAD~2 will start a rebase using the last 2 recent commits.

2. Mark the commit for editing: In the text editor that opens, change pick to edit for the commit where the file was added.

3. Remove the file:

   Terminal

   git rm --cached path/to/your/file.txt
   
   

4. Amend the commit:

   Terminal

   git commit --amend
   
   

5. Continue the rebase:

   Terminal

   git rebase --continue
   
   

6. Push the changes:

   Terminal

   git push --force
   
   

Scenario 3: Removing a file from multiple commits

If the file is in multiple commits, consider using the filter-branch or filter-repo tool to rewrite history:

1. Using filter-branch:

   Terminal

   git filter-branch --force --index-filter \
     'git rm --cached --ignore-unmatch path/to/your/file.txt' \
     --prune-empty --tag-name-filter cat -- --all
   
   

2. Using filter-repo (recommended for large repositories):

   Terminal

   git filter-repo --path path/to/your/file.txt --invert-paths
   
   

3. Push the changes:

   Terminal

   git push --force --all
   
   

For more detailed instructions, see this guide on the filter-repo tool.

Best practices and tips

• Backup your repository: Before making significant changes to your commit history, create a backup branch:

  Terminal

  git branch backup-branch
  
  

• Communication: Inform your team when performing history rewrites, especially in shared branches.

• Avoid force pushing in shared branches: If possible, avoid --force pushing to shared branches to prevent conflicts with your team's work.

• Use .gitignore: To prevent accidental commits of certain files in the future, add them to your .gitignore file.

For further reading on removing committed files in Git, see the official Git documentation.