Git clean

Git Clean: Remove Untracked Files 

What is git clean?

The git clean command is used to remove untracked files and directories from your working directory. This is useful when you want to clean up unnecessary files that are not part of your Git repository (e.g., temporary files, build artifacts, etc.).

When to Use git clean?

• To remove unwanted temporary or generated files.
• Before committing changes, ensure only relevant files are tracked.
• To reset your working directory without affecting tracked files.

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How to Use git clean

1. Check What Will Be Removed (Dry Run)

Before deleting anything, use the -n (dry run) option to see what would be removed:

git clean -n

Example output:

Would remove temp.log  
Would remove build/

This shows which untracked files and directories would be deleted without actually deleting them.

2. Delete Untracked Files

If you're sure you want to delete the files, use:

git clean -f

This will permanently delete all untracked files.

3. Delete Untracked Directories

To remove untracked directories along with files, use:

git clean -fd

4. Force Remove Everything (Use with Caution!)

If you want to remove all untracked files and directories without confirmation, use:

git clean -fdx

• -f → Force clean (required to run).
• -d → Remove untracked directories.
• -x → Remove ignored files too (e.g., files in .gitignore).

Example Scenarios

Scenario 1: Cleaning up a project

You’ve compiled your project, and temporary build files are cluttering your directory. Run:

git clean -fd

This removes all untracked files and directories, keeping only tracked files.

Scenario 2: Removing ignored files

If .gitignore includes files like node_modules/ or *.log but you want to remove them anyway:

git clean -fdx

Important Notes

• git clean is irreversible – deleted files cannot be recovered unless you have a backup.
• Always run git clean -n first to see what will be removed.
• If you accidentally delete important files, they cannot be restored from Git history if they were never committed.

Conclusion

The git clean command is a powerful tool to keep your repository clean by removing untracked files. Use it wisely, always checking  -n before running it with -f.

Would you like more details or examples? 🚀