clean

Git · Reference cheat sheet

📋 Overview

git clean deletes untracked files and directories from the working tree. Dry-run first (-n). It does not remove ignored files unless -x / -X is used. Irreversible for files not stored in Git.

🔧 Core concepts

• Untracked — files not in the index (and not ignored, by default).
• -n / --dry-run — show what would be removed.
• -f — required unless clean.requireForce is false.
• -d — also remove untracked directories.
• -x / -X — include ignored / only ignored (build artifacts).

💡 Examples

git clean -n -d          # preview
git clean -f -d          # delete untracked files + dirs

# Also remove ignored (e.g. dist/, .env.local if ignored)
git clean -n -xd
git clean -f -xd

# Only ignored
git clean -f -X -d

# Interactive
git clean -i -d

# Path limited
git clean -f -d -- apps/web/tmp

⚠️ Pitfalls

• No recycle bin — untracked work is gone unless backed up elsewhere.
• -x can delete local secrets and IDE files that were gitignored on purpose.
• Don’t clean during a conflicted merge without understanding untracked conflict helpers.
• Nested other repos / submodules need care — clean won’t remove submodule gitlinks.
• Prefer targeted pathspecs over repo-wide -xd in large monorepos.

🔗 Related

• status.md
• gitignore.md
• stash.md
• reset.md
• stage.md
• worktree.md