Clear git local cache

I have a Webstorm project that I was about to commit, but before pressing the commit button in the Git Windows GUI, I remembered that I don't want to commit my .idea folder content.

So I used the website that auto generates .gitignores for certain IDEs and added it to my .gitignore file.

All .idea files that are explicitly ignored are still showing up to commit, despite me removing and re-added the files in question.

I've also committed the gitignore file without any other files, and re-pasted my content, but it still is not ignoring the .idea files.

How do I tell Git to refresh or clear its cache?
I tried /cd ing into the directory in question, and typing

git clean -n

but no files show up.

7 Answers

All .idea files that are explicitly ignored are still showing up to commit

you have to remove them from the staging area

git rm --cached .idea 

now you have to commit those changes and they will be ignored from this point on.
Once git start to track changes it will not "stop" tracking them even if they were added to the .gitignore file later on.

You must explicitly remove them and then commit your removal manually in order to fully ignore them.

When you think your git is messed up, you can use this command to do everything up-to-date.

git rm -r --cached . git add . git commit -am 'git cache cleared' git push 

Also to revert back last commit use this :

git reset HEAD^ --hard 

if you do any changes on git ignore then you have to clear you git cache also

> git rm -r --cached . > git add . > git commit -m 'git cache cleared' > git push 

if want to remove any particular folder or file then

git rm --cached filepath/foldername 

after that change in git-ignore file run this command , This command will remove all file cache not the files or changes

git rm -r --cached .

after execution of this command commit the files

for removing single file or folder from cache use this command

git rm --cached filepath/foldername

git rm --cached *.FileExtension 

This must ignore all files from this extension

To remove cached .idea/ directory. e.g. git rm -r --cached .idea

The easiest way to clear your Git cache is to use the “git rm” command with the “–cached” option.

git rm -rf --cached filename 

Clear Entire Git Cache

git rm -rf --cached .