How to delete a local (and remote) Git branch

1. Delete a local branch
2. Delete the remote branch
3. Clean up stale remote-tracking branches

#Delete a local branch

Use -d (lowercase) to delete a branch that has already been merged. Git refuses if the branch has unmerged commits, which protects you from losing work:

git branch -d feature-login

If you are sure you want to discard the branch even though it is not merged, force it with -D:

git branch -D feature-login

You cannot delete the branch you are currently on. Switch away first:

git switch main
git branch -d feature-login

#Delete the remote branch

Removing the branch locally does not touch the remote. Delete it there explicitly:

git push origin --delete feature-login

An older shorthand does the same thing (note the leading colon):

git push origin :feature-login

#Clean up stale remote-tracking branches

After a branch is deleted on the remote, your local clone may still show it under git branch -r. Prune those references:

git fetch --prune

To rename a branch instead of deleting it, see How to rename a Git branch. To check out a tagged release without deleting anything, see how to check out a Git tag.