Git remove added directory before git commit - revert git add -A

In this article we would like to show how to undo directory added with 'git add -A' command.

Quick solution:

$ git reset our_directory_name/

Practical example. Remove entire intellij IDEA settings added to git changes by mistake:

$ git reset .idea/

Entire practical example - step by step:

1. git add -A

We add all of our files to git repo (coding ASAP).

root@DES /c/repos/java-html-sanitizer (main)
$ git add -A

2. git status

We see that we have unwanted changes directory .idea/

root@DES /c/repos/java-html-sanitizer (main)
$ git status
On branch main
Your branch is up to date with 'origin/main'.

Changes to be committed:
  (use "git restore --staged <file>..." to unstage)
        new file:   .idea/.name
        new file:   .idea/compiler.xml
        new file:   .idea/encodings.xml
        new file:   .idea/misc.xml
        modified:   pom.xml
        modified:   src/main/java/org/owasp/html/Encoding.java

3. git reset .idea/

We remove entire .idea/ directory from git changes.

root@DES /c/repos/java-html-sanitizer (main)
$ git reset .idea/

4. git status

Now, we see, we don't have .idea/ direcotry in git changes. We can commit our changes.

root@DES /c/repos/java-html-sanitizer (main)
$ git status
On branch main
Your branch is up to date with 'origin/main'.

Changes to be committed:
  (use "git restore --staged <file>..." to unstage)
        modified:   pom.xml
        modified:   src/main/java/org/owasp/html/Encoding.java