version control - Git: renamed file manually, Git confused

Question

I am using Git and manually renamed a file that I had added to the repository. Now, I have added the "new" file which I renamed to the repository but Git complains that the "old" file has been deleted. So how can I make Git forget about the old file? Better yet, how do I tell Git that the "new" file really is the "new" file so that I can keep the change history intact?

Answer 1

There is no problem. Simply git rm old or even git add -A and it will realize that it is a rename. Git will see the delete plus the add with same content as a rename.

You don't need to undo, unstage, use git mv etc. git mv old new is only a short hand for mv old new; git rm old; git add new.