How to Make Git Forget a Previously Tracked File Now in .gitignore

Sometimes, while working with Git, you may find yourself in a situation where you want Git to forget about a file that was previously tracked but is now included in the .gitignore file. This can happen, for example, if you mistakenly tracked a file containing sensitive data, like API keys or passwords, or if you just want to keep your repository cleaner.

In this blog post, we will go through the steps to make Git forget about a previously tracked file that is now in the .gitignore file. Let’s get started!

Prerequisites

Before proceeding, make sure you have:

1. A Git repository with a tracked file you want to remove from the repository.
2. The .gitignore file updated to include the file you want Git to forget.

Step-by-step guide

Step 1: Remove the file from the repository

The first step is to remove the file from the repository, while keeping it in your working directory. You can do this using the git rm command with the --cached option. This will remove the file from the repository without deleting it from your local file system.

Here’s the command:

git rm --cached <file_path>

Replace <file_path> with the path of the file you want to remove from the repository.

Step 2: Commit the change

After removing the file from the repository, you need to commit this change. Use the following command to commit the change:

git commit -m "Remove previously tracked file now in .gitignore"

This will create a new commit with the message “Remove previously tracked file now in .gitignore”.

Step 3: Push the changes

Now that you’ve committed the change locally, you need to push it to the remote repository to make sure it’s reflected there as well. Use the following command to push the changes:

git push

This will push the changes to the remote repository, making Git forget about the previously tracked file that is now in the .gitignore file.

Important note: Sensitive data

If the file you removed contains sensitive data, be aware that the file’s history will still be present in the repository, even after following these steps. In order to remove the file’s history completely, you will need to perform additional steps, such as rewriting the Git history or creating a new repository.

Conclusion

By following the steps outlined in this article, you can make Git forget about a file that was previously tracked but is now in the .gitignore file. This is useful for maintaining a clean repository and avoiding the tracking of unnecessary files. However, keep in mind that the file’s history will still be present in the repository, so take additional measures if the file contains sensitive data.