How to Delete a Branch in Git

Git branches create isolated environments for development, allowing you to work on features, fixes, or experiments without affecting the main codebase. Each branch tracks a unique commit history, helping you test changes safely before merging. However, as your project grows, unused or merged branches can clutter the repository and make collaboration harder. Regularly deleting outdated branches, whether after a merge, a failed experiment, or a completed milestone, keeps your repository clean, focused, and easier to manage. This article explains how Git branches work and guides you in deleting them locally and remotely.

The Short Answer Version

If you're familiar with Git and just need quick reference commands for branch deletion:

# Delete a local branch (safe, won't delete unmerged changes)
$ git branch -d <branch_name>

# Force delete a local branch (will delete even with unmerged changes)
$ git branch -D <branch_name>

# Delete a remote branch
$ git push origin --delete <branch_name>

Continue reading for detailed explanations and examples of each command.

Delete A Branch In Git Locally

After merging a feature branch into your main branch, you can safely delete the feature branch to keep your local repository clean. Git provides simple commands for this task, along with safeguards to prevent accidental deletion.

Command Explanation (Local)

Use the git branch command with either the -d or -D flag to delete a local branch. Git blocks deletion if the branch has unmerged changes unless you force it using -D.

Command Syntax (Local)

The basic syntax for deleting a local branch is:

git branch -d <branch_name>

• git branch: Manages branch operations
• -d: Deletes the branch only if it has been merged
• <branch_name>: The name of the branch to delete

To force deletion, use the capital -D flag:

git branch -D <branch_name>

Command Flags Overview (Local)

In addition to the basic -d and -D flags for branch deletion, Git offers several useful options for listing or filtering branches. The table below summarizes the most relevant flags for managing local branches:

Use these flags to verify merge status, check last commits, or manage remote and local branches together.

Command Demonstration (Local)

Follow this typical workflow to safely delete local Git branches.

1. List all local branches to identify which one you want to delete.

   console Copy

   $ git branch
   

   Your output should be something similar to:

     development
     feature-login
     hotfix-header
   * main

   In this example, you have four branches and you're on the main branch (indicated by the asterisk).

2. Check which branches are already merged into the current branch.

   console Copy

   $ git branch --merged
   

   Your output should be something similar to:

     development
     feature-login
   * main

   Here, feature-login and development are safe to delete. hotfix-header is not merged yet.

3. Delete the merged feature-login branch.

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   $ git branch -d feature-login
   

   Output.

   Deleted branch feature-login (was 8cd77fa).

4. Attempt to delete the unmerged hotfix-header branch.

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   $ git branch -d hotfix-header
   

   Output.

   error: the branch 'hotfix-header' is not fully merged
   hint: If you are sure you want to delete it, run 'git branch -D hotfix-header'
   hint: Disable this message with "git config advice.forceDeleteBranch false"

5. Git prevents the deletion and suggests using the force-delete option if you're certain about deleting this unmerged branch. Force-delete hotfix-header since it's unmerged.

   console Copy

   $ git branch -D hotfix-header
   

   Output.

   Deleted branch hotfix-header (was a0716a9).

6. After these operations, recheck your remaining branches.

   console Copy

   $ git branch
   

   Your output should be something similar to:

     development
   * main

Deleting a branch only removes its reference. If it wasn’t merged, its commits may become unreachable and eventually purged by Git's garbage collector.

Delete A Branch In Git Remotely

When you've deleted a branch locally, you might also want to delete its corresponding branch on the remote repository. This helps maintain consistency across all copies of the project and keeps remote servers free from obsolete branches.

Command Overview (Remote)

To delete a remote branch, use the git push command with either:

• the --delete flag (preferred modern syntax), or

Unlike local deletion, remote branch removal does not include safety checks for merge status. If you have permission, the deletion will proceed.

Command Syntax (Remote)

The modern syntax for deleting a remote branch is:

git push <remote> --delete <branch_name>

• git push: Updates the remote repository.
• <remote>: Remote name (typically origin).
• --delete: Requests deletion of the specified branch.
• <branch_name>: The branch you want to remove.

Git also supports an older, legacy alternative:

git push <remote> :<branch_name>

The colon before the branch name means “delete this branch from remote”.

Command Flags Overview (Remote)

Git provides two ways to delete branches on a remote repository: the modern --delete flag and the older colon-based syntax. While remote deletions don’t include built-in safety checks for unmerged branches, both methods achieve the same result. Below is a breakdown of useful flags when performing remote deletions.

Command Demonstration (Remote)

Follow this workflow to safely delete a remote Git branch and clean up your local references.

1. List all remote branches.

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   $ git branch -r
   

   Your output should be something similar to:

   origin/HEAD -> origin/main
   origin/development
   origin/feature-login
   origin/hotfix-header
   origin/main

2. Delete the feature-login branch from the remote repository.

   console Copy

   $ git push origin --delete feature-login
   

   Output.

   To https://github.com/<username>/<repository>.git
    - [deleted]         feature-login

3. Prune deleted references from your local clone.

   console Copy

   $ git fetch --prune
   

   Output.

   From https://github.com/<username>/<repository>.git
    - [deleted]         (none)     -> origin/feature-login

   The --prune option removes any remote-tracking references that no longer exist on the remote.

4. Confirm the branch has been removed.

   console Copy

   $ git branch -r
   

   Output.

   origin/HEAD -> origin/main
   origin/development
   origin/hotfix-header
   origin/main

5. Delete your local copy of the removed remote branch.

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   $ git branch -d feature-login
   

   If other team members have cloned the repository, they'll need to update their local copies to reflect the deleted remote branch. They can do this by running:

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   $ git fetch --prune
   

Deleting a remote branch requires proper permissions on the repository. If you see an error, verify your access rights or contact the repository owner.

Conclusion

You now understand how to delete branches in Git—both locally and remotely. Whether you're cleaning up merged feature branches or removing obsolete remote branches, using commands like git branch -d, git branch -D, and git push origin --delete helps you maintain a clean and efficient repository.

You also explored when branch deletion is appropriate and learned how to avoid common pitfalls such as force-deleting unmerged work.

For more details and advanced configuration options, refer to the official Git documentation.