Git: move files in an subfolder keeping history

git-move-files-in-subfolder.md

Change structure of project folder with Git

I have this structure:

 project-folder/
     .git
     wp-admin/
     wp-content/
     wp-includes/
    .htaccess
    ...

I want this structure:

 project-folder/
     .git
     public
          wp-admin/
          wp-content/
          wp-includes/
         .htaccess
         ...

The benefits

• Keep away from the Internet my .git folder
• Wordpress files separated in a sub-folder
• Keep Git history changes
• Hide from the Internet deployment scripts or project sensitive informations

Move files with git and keep file history

1. Be sure you don't have files uncommitted, if not commit them before next step.

   git status

2. In project-directory create public subfolder

   mkdir public

3. Move files with git mv except public subfolder to avoid errors

   for file in $(ls | grep -v 'public'); do git mv $file public; done;

4. Move specific files like .htaccess etc...

   git mv .htaccess public/

5. Commit changes

   git commit -m 'Moved files to public/'

6. That's all !

   git log -M summary

To see file history of moved files

In Bash:

git log --follow

http://git-scm.com/docs/git-log

In SourceTree:

On logging file(s) you have to check [x] Follow renamed files

getting an error:- file was unexpected at this time.

Try GitBash. Not CMD.

If you're coming to this gist from Google looking for "the right way" to rename files while retaining git history, the title is a bit misleading:

Move files with git and keep file history

Nothing in the steps especially helps keep the history intact, it's just relying on git log --follow like any other time you move files. The git mv command used in step 3 doesn't do anything special:

Git has a rename command git mv, but that is just for convenience. The effect is indistinguishable from removing the file and adding another with different name and the same content.

I'd guess most people looking at this have already had problems with git log --follow not working for them, so just a heads up this isn't going to solve that problem for you. Unfortunately there's no "correct" way to do this with git. Really the only way to get what you probably want is if you're willing to rewrite your entire history via a rebase, for example using something like this: https://gist.github.com/emiller/6769886 (risky move, be careful!)

Sorry to be critical, just thought it was worth the clarification since this was the top result on Google for me for this question.

Move files with git and keep file history

Nothing in the steps especially helps keep the history intact, it's just relying on git log --follow like any other time you move files. The git mv command used in step 3 doesn't do anything special:

But git mv seems like work on Windows 10.

If I move file in windows explorer, git will not track, but use git mv work.

I'm not sure what specific problem it's solving with Explorer, but as far as the actual tracking of renames through Git history is concerned, git mv functionally equivalent to:

mv path/to/old/file path/to/new/file
git add path/to/new/file
git rm path/to/old/file

In terms of being able to follow the history of a file through renames in Git, neither approach do a better job.

I concur with @cxgreat2014 , testing it myself on a windows system, the key points of interest are:

1. open the project folder with gitbash in order to avail yourself of linux
2. use the for file in $(ls | grep -v 'public'); do git mv $file public; done; line, substituting public with the name of your new folder
3. upon reopening my terminal in this folder, I see a message from git written in blue stating * History restored
4. I find git now has all moved files staged for a commit, marked as 'renamed'. I make a new commit of these renames, and I find I have my old git history intact with only an additional commit added to my repo. Great work @ajaegers !