How do I remove a submodule in Git?

To remove a submodule in Git, you need to follow these steps:

1. Delete the submodule reference: In the parent repository, open a terminal and navigate to the root directory of your Git project. Use the git submodule deinit command followed by the path to the submodule you want to remove. For example:

   git submodule deinit path/to/submodule
   

2. Remove the submodule files: After running the git submodule deinit command, the submodule is no longer referenced by the parent repository. However, the submodule files still exist in your working directory. To remove them, execute the following commands:

   git rm path/to/submodule
   rm -rf .git/modules/path/to/submodule
   

   The first command, git rm, removes the submodule from the Git index and working tree. The second command deletes the .git directory of the submodule.

3. Commit the changes: After removing the submodule files, you need to commit the changes to reflect the removal in the Git history. Use the following command:

   git commit -m "Remove submodule"
   

4. Update the .gitmodules file: Finally, open the .gitmodules file in the root of your repository and remove the section related to the submodule you just deleted. Save the file and commit the change to complete the removal.

   Note: Be careful not to accidentally delete any other relevant sections in the .gitmodules file.

After completing these steps, the submodule will be removed from your Git repository, and its files will no longer be tracked. Make sure to inform other team members about the removal if you’re working in a collaborative environment to ensure consistency across the codebase.