How do I delete a Git branch locally and remotely?

When working with Git, you may need to delete branches that are no longer needed. You can delete a branch both locally and remotely using simple commands.

1. Deleting a Local Branch

  git branch -d branch-name

The -d flag deletes the branch but prevents deletion if it has unmerged changes.

If the branch is not fully merged, use:

  git branch -D branch-name

This force deletes the branch, even if there are unmerged changes.

2. Deleting a Remote Branch

  git push origin --delete branch-name

• This removes the branch from the remote repository.
  
• Other team members will no longer see this branch when they fetch updates.
  

3. Removing Deleted Remote Branch Locally

  git fetch --prune

Cleans up deleted remote branches from your local Git references.

Important Notes:

You cannot delete the branch you’re currently on, so switch to another branch first:

  git checkout main

Be careful when using -D as it permanently removes unmerged work.