How to remove local and remote tags in Git (2023)

It's the second quarter of the year and you and your team have developed many exciting features that will be rolling out this quarter. As a release manager, you prepare for the next release by collaborating with other teams. You must ensure a smooth and successful release process, including reviewing and identifying old release tags that are no longer relevant and should be removed to maintain a clean and organized repository.

In this article, we'll discuss what tags are, their role in release management, how to remove them, and the best practices to follow when removing them.

Central positions

• This allows you to easily delete a tag in your local Git repositorygit tag -d tag_name Commando.
• It is recommended to always communicate and test before removing the tag to avoid system failure, especially for critical systems.
• Use tags accordingly. For example, use release and branch tags to track ongoing development efforts.

What is a git tag?

Understand what a label isGitworks, you first need to understand the roles they playcommitsIbranches. A commit records code changes in your software project at a specific point in time. The branch has a floating pointer (HEAD pointer) that points to the latest commit. As you add more commits to a branch, the HEAD pointer automatically moves to the last commit made on that branch.

Well, for you to do itHighlight a specific version of your project(i.e. mark notch on branch),You have to create itSign.

above the dayv1.0.0, stands for surrender,04378d6. Also, the flag is not moved even if there are multiple commits (i.e.dab43d6,2d07abe, I80cb9ce) are madeMeesterZweig.

Want a quick introduction to Git and how to set it up on your system? Watch this video:

Git has two types of tags:

• Light trailer: As the name suggests, this type of tag has no additional information other than the tag name and the hash of the recording it references or tags. Can be made withgit and Commando.
• Komentirana merk: This type of tag contains additional information such as information about the tagger (name and email address), the date the tag was tagged, and any posts made by the tagger. Can be made withgit and -A-M Commando.

Now that we know how Git tags work, let's see how to remove them.

You can use to view a list of release tags from your repositorygit flag -nofgit show --oznakeCommand. You can view the data of an existing tag usinggit-show Command. Leave thisGit ShowAfter viewing the label, type the command "enter"Q'.

Now let's see how you can remove old tags from your local Git repository. Below is the command syntax to remove a local Git tag:

gitlabel -d

Below is an example showing how to remove multiple local tags with one command.

git tag -d tag_example_1 tag_example_2

The above command will be removedlabel_example_1Itag_example_2. All it takes is a simple space between the tag names.

Of-DOption is an alias for--to block.

How to remove git tags remotely

You probably also have old tags present in the external Git repository. You can use to view a list of these tagsgit ls-remote --tags <remote_repo_alias> Commando.

Now let's see how to delete those external bookmarks. These two methods can be used to remove Git tags remotely:

Method 1:

Below is the command syntax that can be used to remove a Git tag remotely:

Git push--to delete

Below is an example showing how to delete multiple remote tags with a single command.

git push origin --remove example_tag_1 example_tag_2

The above command removes remote name tagsexample_tag_1 and example_tag_2,on a remote repository with the alias asOrigin.

Method 2:

Another way to remove a tag remotely is to use a command with the following syntax:

Git push:references/tags/

Below is an example that demonstrates the use of the command:

Git-Push-Ursprung:refs/tags/example_tag_1

The above command removes the specified tag name.label_example_1from a remote repository with the alias asOrigin. Git is usedreferences/tags/as a prefix for reference tags.

Here are the best practices to keep in mind when removing tags:

• It is important to communicate and test before removing a tag to avoid service interruption or failure of dependent downstream systems.
• You should always document the removal of the tag. The documentation serves as a reference for new hires or existing team members to understand why it was removed and what steps have been taken to ensure critical systems are not compromised.
• Regularly check and clear unimportant tags to ensure a clean and organized repository and avoid clutter.
• Depending on the industry for which the software is being developed, tags can be very important to verify compliance. Before deleting such bookmarks, it is a good idea to make a backup copy for future use.
• Use branch security settings on external Git hosting platforms to limit who can actually push new tags to the external repository.

Benefits of tag removal

Here are some benefits of removing unused tags:

• It helps keep your storage clean and organized by reducing clutter. This ensures that only necessary tags are managed at any given time, making it easier to manage relevant tags.
• Removing unused tags makes problem management easier.
• This prevents it from taking up disk space, especially on your local computer. Tags (especially tags with tags that are stored as full objects) take up storage space just like branches. Therefore, deleting unimportant bookmarks helps you to use your storage space efficiently.
• Removing tags can make CI/CD pipelines more efficient because only relevant tags are considered and processed. Pipeline performance is improved because old tags aren't accidentally moved to fire them unnecessarily. This will also contribute to faster implementations and deliveries.

Common bookmark deletion errors and how to fix them

Some errors may occur when deleting a bookmark. Let's look at some of them below.

The removed tag still shows up even after local and remote removal

You may find yourself in a situation where you are sure that you have deleted certain Git tags both locally and remotely, but they still appear after some time for some unknown reason.

This can happen when you have other contributors to the Git repository. To resolve this issue, always communicate tag removal so that others can update their local repositories. Better yet, set branch protection.

Error deleting tag with same branch name

Error: dst refspec tag_name matches more than one. Error: Failed to send some credentials to https://remote_repository_url.

The above error occurs becauseConnect the nameThe reference has the same name as another reference in the remote repository; H. there are multiple references (e.g. branches, tags) in the remote repository with the same name you provided.

Run the following command to resolve the above error:

git push origin --remove refs/tags/

This will remove the aboveConnect the namefrom the remote repository specified asOriginin the example above. Git is usedreferences/tags/as a prefix for reference tags.

Alternatively, you can run the following command which will do the same:

git push oorsprong: refs/tags/

In addition to the above errors, you may have noticed other similar errors depending on your scenario. Feel free to comment below if you find any errors that we haven't covered in this article.

To ask

Below are some frequently asked questions about tag removal:

Does deleting a tag also remove the commitment?

Don't forget that oneconnectis a snapshot of your software project at a point in time, while aSignis simply a reference to that tradition.

Internally as oneLichttag created, Git creates a file with the same name as the tag name in.git/refs/tagsYour software project directory. Fornoticedtag, Git stores it as an object in.git/objectdirectory and references it as well.git/refs/tagsA folder containing a file with the same name as the commented tag created. Regardless of the type of tag created, e.g. H. lightweight or tagged, the tag file (for lightweight tags) or tag object (for tagged tags) contains the hash of the run referenced by the tag.

So if you delete a Git tag, only the tag is deleted. The obligation remains intact.

How do you know when to use tags or branches?

Branches are used to track the progress of development efforts. They are used to develop new features, fix bugs, etc.

Tags are mostly used for publications. They are used to indicate the snapshot or version or status of your software project for the software version.

Diploma

You've learned how to easily remove tags to keep your Git repository organized and uncluttered. Use release management tags and always review their usage before removing them to avoid disrupting dependent systems. Finally, follow the best practices outlined in this article to effectively manage tag removal.

If you're interested in learning Git with simple visualizations and animations and solving lab problems, check out ourGit course for beginners