Git: How to delete all local branches except master

Checkout to master branch.

The command to delete all branches except master is:
git branch | grep -v "master" | xargs git branch -D

To use the same command in Windows we have to install some utilities

Or, we can use PowerShell command that do the same thing that above command do:
git branch | %{ $_.Trim() } | ?{ $_ -ne 'master' } | %{ git branch -D $_ }
or
git branch -D @(git branch | select-string -NotMatch "master" | Foreach {$_.Line.Trim()})

Comments

[Rod Hartzell]

Ha! Sweet. Super simple and super efficient. Thanks for sharing.

[VishnuSankar]

thank you so much, just added one more check

git branch | %{$.Trim()} | ?{$ -ne 'master' -and $.Substring(0,1) -ne '*'} | %{git branch -D $}

[mahldcat]

I did noticed on the first powershell one liner, I did noticed that one of the response lines was:

"error: branch '* master' not found."

[Andrei Fedotov]

Hi,

I've just checked it again in PowerShell and everything works. I made a quick check like:
git init
git branch new
git branch new2
git branch new3
git branch new4
git branch | grep -v "master" | xargs git branch -D


Just to confirm, are you sure that you installed Gow utilities, input the command correctly and that you are in master branch?

[Vladislav Nagornyi]

It's the PS script which gives this error, as the git branch prefixes selected branch with asterisk:

❯ git branch |`
  %{ $_.Trim() } |`
  ?{ $_ -ne 'master' } |`
  %{ git branch -D $_ }

Deleted branch <branch1> (was <commit1>).
error: branch '* master' not found.

Could be addressed e.g. by adding check for * master:

git branch |`
  %{ $_.Trim() } |`
  ?{ $_ -ne 'master' -and $_ -ne '* master' } |`
  %{ git branch -D $_ }