What is the workflow to clean git submodules on clones?

Question

There are useful answers how to remove submodules "locally" - How do I remove a submodule?

However I have the issue I have clones of my repo on several machines. Two I only work once or twice a month. So when I update the branches on those although the submodules are no longer tracked the files are still on the working branch as well in .git/modules. On more than one occasion I accidentally checked some in. In other cases I have builds failing due to the presence of these unwanted files/directories.

I suppose I could keep a list of stuff to delete - but that doesn't seem right - how about another person would do the removal and I don't have info outside git what to remove?

So what is the suggested way to clean up clones?

update

For me git --version returns git version 2.18.0 which seems to be current (it is 2018-09-01).

I add a reproducible example.

Setup

mkdir parent
cd parent 
git init
git submodule add https://github.com/jakesgordon/javascript-tetris.git
git commit -am add

cd ..
git clone parent clone
cd clone
git submodule update --init

Now both directories contain the submodule with checked out files in javascript-tetris/. .gitmodules contains the submodule.

When I do

cd parent
git rm javascript-tetris
git commit -am delete

In parent the directory is javascript-tetris gone and the entry in .gitmodules removed. But there remains a populated .git/modules/javascript-tetris directory.

on the clone side:

git pull

gives the warning: warning: unable to rmdir 'javascript-tetris': Directory not empty. And the directory remains, also .git/modules/javascript-tetris is still there.

Answer 1

Is this helpful to you?

git clean -xfd
git submodule foreach --recursive git clean -xfd
git reset --hard
git submodule foreach --recursive git reset --hard
git submodule update --init --recursive

UPDATE

To remove a submodule you need to:

• Delete the relevant section from the .gitmodules file.
• Stage the .gitmodules changes git add .gitmodules
• Delete the relevant section from .git/config.
• Run git rm --cached path_to_submodule (no trailing slash).
• Run rm -rf .git/modules/path_to_submodule (no trailing slash).
• Commit git commit -m "Removed submodule "

• Delete the now untracked submodule files rm -rf path_to_submodule

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