# Use git rm

**\<pathspec>…​**

Files to remove. A leading directory name (e.g. `dir` to remove `dir/file1` and `dir/file2`) can be given to remove all files in the directory, and recursively all sub-directories, but this requires the `-r` option to be explicitly given.

The command removes only the paths that are known to Git.

File globbing matches across directory boundaries. Thus, given two directories `d` and `d2`, there is a difference between using `git rm 'd*'` and `git rm 'd/*'`, as the former will also remove all of directory `d2`.

**-f**

**--force**

Override the up-to-date check.

**-n**

**--dry-run**

Don’t actually remove any file(s). Instead, just show if they exist in the index and would otherwise be removed by the command.

**-r**

Allow recursive removal when a leading directory name is given.

**--**

This option can be used to separate command-line options from the list of files, (useful when filenames might be mistaken for command-line options).

**--cached**

Use this option to unstage and remove paths only from the index. Working tree files, whether modified or not, will be left alone.

**--ignore-unmatch**

Exit with a zero status even if no files matched.

**--sparse**

Allow updating index entries outside of the sparse-checkout cone. Normally, `git rm` refuses to update index entries whose paths do not fit within the sparse-checkout cone. See [git-sparse-checkout\[1\]](https://git-scm.com/docs/git-sparse-checkout) for more.

**-q**

**--quiet**

`git rm` normally outputs one line (in the form of an `rm` command) for each file removed. This option suppresses that output.

**--pathspec-from-file=\<file>**

Pathspec is passed in `<file>` instead of commandline args. If `<file>` is exactly `-` then standard input is used. Pathspec elements are separated by LF or CR/LF. Pathspec elements can be quoted as explained for the configuration variable `core.quotePath` (see [git-config\[1\]](https://git-scm.com/docs/git-config)). See also `--pathspec-file-nul` and global `--literal-pathspecs`.

**--pathspec-file-nul**

Only meaningful with `--pathspec-from-file`. Pathspec elements are separated with NUL character and all other characters are taken literally (including newlines and quotes).

## Reference links

* <https://git-scm.com/docs/git-rm>
* <https://www.atlassian.com/git/tutorials/undoing-changes/git-rm>


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