Git Prune - Shell/Bash

Git prune is a command that allows you to delete all the loose objects that are no longer attached to any branch or tag in your repository. These loose objects are the result of previous commits, which are no longer needed in your git repository, but are still occupying space. This is where git prune comes in handy.

The command 'git prune' removes these loose objects from your repository, thereby freeing up space and memory.

How to use git prune

The basic syntax for git prune is:

git prune

This command removes all the loose objects from your repository that are not attached to any branch or tag.

When to use git prune

Git prune should be used when you have a large repository with a lot of commits and you want to free up some space. Also, if you've deleted a branch or tag and want to remove all of its associated objects, you can use git prune.

Additional Options

The basic syntax for git prune has additional options that can be used to further customize the behavior of the command.

git prune --verbose

The --verbose option provides a more detailed output for each object removed from the repository.

git prune --dry-run

The --dry-run option shows which objects will be removed from the repository, without actually removing them. This can be helpful if you want to make sure you're not deleting anything important.

Conclusion

Git prune is a powerful command for freeing up space in your git repository. It's a simple command that can be run from the terminal and provides useful options to customize its behavior.

So if you have a large repository, or just want to remove some unused objects, give git prune a try!