How to Delete a Git Branch Locally and Remotely

Posted by thetechtowns.com 11 February 2025

Managing branches well is an important part of keeping your project organised when you are using Git. Over time, you may get a bunch of parts that you do not need anymore. Clearing out these old branches helps keep the library clean and efficient. This guide will show you how to delete a Git branch from both your computer and another computer.

Why Delete Git Branches?

Before you read the steps, it is important to know why it is a good idea to delete branches:

Keeps Your Repository Clean: Old branches can make your repository crowded, which makes it harder to find your way around.

Clears Things Up: Getting rid of parts that are not needed anymore keeps team members from using old code by accident.

Performance: Fewer branches may not have a big effect, but they can speed up some Git processes.

Prerequisites

Make sure you have these things before you start:

Installed Git: Check to see if Git is setup on your computer.

Proper access: Make sure you have the right access to delete branches, especially for sources that are far away.

Backup Important Data: Always double-check that the branch you’re deleting is no longer needed.

How to Delete a Git Branch Locally

Deleting a branch locally is straightforward. Follow these steps:

Step 1: List All Branches

To see all the branches in your local repository, use:

git branch

This command will list all local branches, with the current branch highlighted.

Step 2: Switch to a Different Branch

You cannot delete the branch you are currently on. Switch to another branch using:

git checkout main

Or, if you’re using newer Git versions:

git switch main

Step 3: Delete the Branch

To delete a local branch, use the following command:

git branch -d branch_name
  • –d: This flag deletes the branch but prevents deletion if it has unmerged changes.
  • –D: Use this to force delete a branch, even if it has unmerged changes:
git branch -D branch_name

Example:

git branch -d feature-xyz

If the branch is successfully deleted, you’ll see a confirmation message.

How to Delete a Git Branch Remotely

Deleting a branch remotely requires pushing the deletion command to the remote repository.

Step 1: Verify Remote Branches

List all remote branches with:

git branch -r

Step 2: Delete the Remote Branch

Use the following command to delete a remote branch:

git push origin --delete branch_name

Example:

git push origin --delete feature-xyz

After running this command, the branch will be deleted from the remote repository.

Step 3: Prune Deleted Branches Locally

Even after deleting the branch remotely, it may still appear in your local list. To clean this up, run:

git fetch -p

The -p flag prunes deleted branches from your local repository.

Final Tips

  • Double-Check Before Deleting: Always ensure the branch is no longer needed.
  • Communicate with Your Team: If you’re working in a team, let others know before deleting shared branches.
  • Use Descriptive Branch Names: This helps in identifying branches easily, reducing accidental deletions.

FAQs

Q1: Can I recover a deleted Git branch?

If you removed the branch locally and want to get it back, you might be able to use the git reflog tool to find the change code and make a new branch. But if you delete it from afar and do not have a backup, it is hard to get it back.

Q2: What happens if I delete a branch that’s not merged?

If you use git branch -d, Git will prevent the deletion of unmerged branches. To force delete, you can use git branch -D, but be cautious—you’ll lose any unmerged work.

Q3: Does deleting a branch delete the commits?

It does not get rid of the changes if they are part of other branches or have been combined. If the changes are specific to the removed branch, though, you might not be able to find them again unless they are mentioned somewhere else.

Q4: How can I see which branch I’m currently on?

Find the branch that has a star (*) next to it with git branch. This shows your current path.

Q5: Can I delete the main branch?

In a technical sense, yes, but you should not do it. A lot of the time, the production code is in the main branch. Make sure you have a backup or another branch set as the default before you try to delete it.

You can keep your Git folder clean and organized by following these steps. This will make working together on projects and managing them easier.