Remove file from the repository but keep it locally Remove file from the repository but keep it locally git git

Remove file from the repository but keep it locally


git rm --cached -r somedir

Will stage the deletion of the directory, but doesn't touch anything on disk. This works also for a file, like:

git rm --cached somefile.ext

Afterwards you may want to add somedir/ or somefile.ext to your .gitignore file so that git doesn't try to add it back.


I would just:

  • Move the folder out of your working tree
  • git rm the folder, commit the change
  • Add to .gitignore (or .git/info/excludes), commit the change
  • Move the folder back