Git submodules cheat sheet

Note: run these from the top level of your repo.

Clone a repo with submodules:

    $ git clone git@bitbucket.org:akrabat/dotvim.git .vim
    $ git submodule update --init

View status of all submodules:

    $ git submodule status

Update submodules after switching branches:

    $ git submodule update

Add a submodule:

    $ git submodule add git://github.com/tpope/vim-sensible.git bundle/vim-sensible

Update all submodules to latest remote version

    $ git submodule update --remote --merge
    $ git commit -m "Update submodules"

Update a specific submodule to the latest version (explicit method):

    cd bundle/vim-sensible
    git pull origin master
    cd ../..
    git add bundle/vim-sensible
    git commit -m "update vim-sensible"

Remove a submodule:

    edit .gitmodules and remove this submodule's section
    $ git rm --cached bundle/vim-sensible
    $ rm -rf bundle/vim-sensible
    $ git commit -m "Remove vim-sensible"

or

    git submodule deinit bundle/vim-sensible    
    git rm bundle/vim-sensible
    git commit -m "Remove vim-sensible"

Docs:

• Manual page on submodules
• Git book chapter on submodules
• LornaJane’s guide to submodules