What are the differences between git remote prune, git prune, git fetch --prune, etc
git, remote-branch
Solution
I don't blame you for getting frustrated about this. The best way to look at is this. There are potentially three versions of every remote branch:
- The actual branch on the remote repository (e.g., remote repo at https://example.com/repo.git, `refs/heads/master`)
- Your snapshot of that branch locally (stored under `refs/remotes/...`) (e.g., local repo, `refs/remotes/origin/master`)
- And a local branch that might be tracking the remote branch (e.g., local repo, `refs/heads/master`)
Let's start with `git prune`. This removes objects that are no longer being referenced, it does not remove references. In your case, you have a local branch. That means there's a ref named `random_branch_I_want_deleted` that refers to some objects that represent the history of that branch. So, by definition, `git prune` will not remove `random_branch_I_want_deleted`. Really, `git prune` is a way to delete data that has accumulated in Git but is not being referenced by anything. In general, it doesn't affect your view of any branches.
`git remote prune origin` and `git fetch --prune` both operate on references under `refs/remotes/...` (I'll refer to these as remote references). It doesn't affect local branches. The `git remote` version is useful if you only want to remove remote references under a particular remote. Otherwise, the two do exactly the same thing. So, in short, `git remote prune` and `git fetch --prune` operate on number 2 above. For example, if you deleted a branch using the git web GUI and don't want it to show up in your local branch list anymore (`git branch -r`), then this is the command you should use.
To remove a local branch, you should use `git branch -d` (or `-D` if it's not merged anywhere). FWIW, there is no git command to automatically remove the local tracking branches if a remote branch disappears.
Problem
My situation is this... someone working on the same repo has deleted a branch from his local & remote repo... Most people who have asked about this kind of problem on Stack Overflow, or other sites have the issue of branches still showing in their remote tracking branch list `git branch -a` at the bottom: ``` * master develop feature_blah remotes/origin/master remotes/origin/develop remotes/origin/feature_blah remotes/origin/random_branch_I_want_deleted ``` However, in MY situation the branch that shouldn't be there, is local: ``` * master develop feature_blah random_branch_I_want_deleted remotes/origin/master remotes/origin/develop remotes/origin/feature_blah ``` When I do any of the following, it doesn't get removed locally: ``` $ git prune ``` I also tried: ``` $ git remote prune origin $ git fetch --prune ``` More useful info: When I check `git remote show origin` this is how it looks: ``` * remote origin Fetch URL: utilities:homeconnections_ui.git Push URL: utilities:homeconnections_ui.git HEAD branch: master Remote branches: master tracked develop tracked feature_blah tracked other123 tracked other444 tracked other999 tracked Local branches configured for 'git pull': develop merges with remote develop feature_blah merges with remote other999 master merges with remote master random_branch_I_want_deleted merges with remote random_branch_I_want_deleted Local refs configured for 'git push': develop pushes to develop (local out of date) master pushes to master (up to date) feature_blah pushes to feature_blah(up to date) ``` Notice that it's only in the section titled `Local branches configured for 'git pull':` Why?