GIT Basics - 5 Rename and Move files

Renaming and Moving files

Create file at each level and commit

eg: lv1 --> lv1.txt , lv2 --> lv2.txt

git status  --> clean

Rename using mv command. git mv {currentFileName} {newFileName}

git mv lv3.txt lv3-new.txt

ls - list old files, git has already renamed the file in opertating system level

lv3-new.txt

git status

Changes to be committed:

renamed: lv3.txt --> lv3-new.txt

git commit -m "renaming lv3 file "

Now let's rename with os commands. go to top folder cd..

cd..

ls

lv2.txt lv3/

to rename, mv {filename} {newFileName}

mv lv2.txt lv2-new.txt

ls

lv2-new.txt lv3/

if you check git status, git see this as two operations

git status

Changes not statged for commit:

deleted: lv2.txt

Untracked files:

lv2-new.txt

git add -A

recursively add any changes, but also update any file renamed, moved or deleted

git status

Changes to be committed:

renamed: lv2.txt --> lv2-new.txt

git commit

renaming level 2 file

Rename the file and back it out

git mv lv2-new.txt 2.txt

ls

2.txt lv3/

git status

Changes to be committed:

renamed: lv2-new.txt -> 2.txt

Note: file is staged

Now you need to unstage:

you can use reset command shown in status. git reset HEAD 2.txt

let's use simple way using mv command. mv {newFileName} {oldFileName}

git mv 2.txt lv2-new.txt

ls   this will show rename is happened in OS level

lv2-new.txt lv3/

git status

nothing to commit, working directory clean

Move the file to another directory

ls

lv2-new.txt lv3/

git mv lv2-new.txt lv3

ls

lv3/

cd lv3

ls

lv2-new.txt lv3.txt

git status

Changes to be committed:

renamed: ../lv2-new.txt -> lv2-new.txt

Note: this has been staged

let's see what we can see if we go up in directory structure

cd..

git status

Changes to be committed:

renamed: lv2-new.txt -> lv3/lv2-new.txt

git commit

"Moving file from lv2 to lv3"

ls

lv3/

cd lv3

ls

lv2-new.txt lv3.txt

Let's do without git.

mv lv2-new.txt ..

ls

lv3.txt

cd..

pwd

ls

lv2-new.txt lv3/

git status

Changes not staged for commit:

deleted: lv3/lv2-new.txt

Untracked files:

lv2-new.txt

to fix this

git add -A

git status

Changes to be committed:

renamed: lv3/lv2-new.txt -> lv2-new.txt

git commit 

"Moving lv 2 file back to lv2 directory"

cd..

pwd

{..}/lv1

Use windows file explorer to rename file with right click / Mac "Finder"

rename lv1.txt to lv1-new.txt

Now go to terminal and see

ls

lv1-new.txt lv2/

git status will show like before

git status

Changes to be committed:

deleted: lv1.txt

Untracked files:

../.DS_Store

lv1-new.txt

git add lv1-new.txt

git add -u  --> to understand we renamed a file than simply adding afile

git status

Changes to be committed:

renamed: lv1.txt -> lv1-new.txt

Untracked files:

../.DS_Store

git commit

"renaming lv1 file using explorer"