How to use the command 'git clear-soft' (with examples)

The ‘git clear-soft’ command is a part of the ‘git-extras’ extension and is used to clear a Git working directory as if it was freshly cloned with the current branch, excluding files in the ‘.gitignore’ file. This command is useful when you want to reset all tracked files and delete all untracked files while preserving only the files that are tracked by Git.

Use case 1: Reset all tracked files and delete all untracked files

Code:

git clear-soft

Motivation: When working on a project, there may be times when you want to start with a clean working directory without any untracked or modified files. Using ‘git clear-soft’ allows you to quickly reset your working directory to the state as if you had just cloned the repository, excluding the files listed in the ‘.gitignore’ file.

Explanation: The ‘git clear-soft’ command performs the following actions:

1. Resets all tracked files to the state of the branch you are currently on.
2. Deletes all untracked files in the working directory.

Example Output:

Resetting tracked files...
Deleting untracked files...
Working directory is now clean.

Conclusion:

The ‘git clear-soft’ command is a convenient way to reset your working directory to a clean state while preserving only the tracked files. It saves time and allows you to start fresh without needing to clone the repository again.