How to add and commit removals made with "rm" instead of "git rm"?

Question

I deleted a bunch of files and directories from a Git repository using rm, the Finder, etc.

I'm looking for a Git command that'll record these to the index as marked for removal, as if I had called git rm on them.

I understand git add -u will do this, along with a bunch of other things. I'd like my command to exclusively handle removals.

Answer 1

Without spaces in filenames:

$ git rm `git ls-files -d`

More robust:

$ git ls-files -z -d | xargs -0 --no-run-if-empty git rm

Answer 2

Take a look what Jonio C Hamano wrote in "Re: [PATCH 1/2] Documentation: 'git add -A' can remove files" post at git mailing list, namely that this question looks like XY problem (you are asking about assumed solution Y to the problem, instead about the problem X itself). The solution to problem (if it is really "XY problem" situation) might be:

• git commit -a, which would automatically pick up deletions, committing current state of tracked files in working directory

• git add -A, which would add not ignored untracked files and remove no longer existing files, e.g. if you want to create commit from sideways update of working directory, e.g. unpacking a snapshot or result of rsync.

Nevertheless if what you ask is a problem (and not solution), then as you can see from other answers there are tools in place to do it.