How do I delete a file from a Git repository?

To delete a file from a Git repository, follow these steps:

1. Remove the File from Git

Use git rm to delete the file from the working directory and stage the deletion:

git rm filename.txt

• If the file was already deleted manually (e.g., via rm filename.txt), stage the deletion with:

  git add -u  # Stages all deleted/modified files

2. Commit the Change

git commit -m "Remove filename.txt"

3. Push to Remote Repository

git push origin branch-name

Example Workflow

# Delete and stage the file
git rm old-file.txt

# Verify changes
git status  # Shows "deleted: old-file.txt"

# Commit and push
git commit -m "Remove old-file.txt"
git push origin main

Key Notes

• Remove from History (Advanced):
  If the file needs to be completely purged from Git history (e.g., sensitive data), use tools like:

  git filter-repo --path filename.txt --invert-paths

or the BFG Repo Cleaner.
⚠️ Warning: Rewriting history affects collaborators.

• Keep File Locally:
  To remove the file from Git but keep it in your working directory, use:

  git rm --cached filename.txt

Summary

Step	Command	Action
Delete & Stage	git rm filename.txt	Removes file and stages deletion
Commit	git commit -m "message"	Finalizes removal in Git history
Push	git push	Updates remote repository