How to detect and delete large file throughout history

git-untrack.md

Delete Files in Git History

• Delete Files in Git History
  • How to detect and delete large file throughout history
  • How to untrack files based on changed .gitignore

How to detect and delete large file throughout history

1. Push and see what files are rejected:

   $ git push

2. Then it will show the path of the large file in a specific commit, delete the file throughout git history using this path:

   $ git filter-branch --force --index-filter \
       "git rm --cached --ignore-unmatch PATH-TO-LARGE-FILE" \
       --prune-empty --tag-name-filter cat -- --all

   However, note that if the file existed in another location at some point, that was not deleted, so push again to see the path if you fail to recall.

3. Repeat 1 and 2 until it was deleted completely, then

   $ git push --force

How to untrack files based on changed .gitignore

1. recursively -r remove rm files from index --cached

git rm -r --cached .

2. add add everything again

git add .