Git Add All Except One File - Shell/Bash

As a programmer, you might come across the need to add all modified files in a Git repository, but exclude a specific file. This can easily be achieved using the Git add command in the Shell/Bash environment.

Syntax

The syntax for adding all modified files except one in Git is as follows:

git add -u :/<file-to-exclude>

The parameter should be replaced with the file path that needs to be excluded.

For example, to add all modified files in the repository except an app.js file in the src directory, the command would be:

git add -u :/src/app.js

Explanation

The Git add command is used to stage changes for committing. The -u option tells Git to add all modified files that are already tracked. The :/ operator is used to specify a path from the root of the repository.

By adding :/ followed by the file path to exclude, Git will exclude that file from the add operation.

Conclusion

Using the Git add command with the -u option and :/ operator is a quick and simple way to add all modified files in a Git repository, while excluding a specific file. This can be especially useful when working on large projects with many files, where excluding a single file can save time and prevent errors in the staging process.