Git: updating remote branch information

If it were branches in remote repository that got deleted, and you want to update all local remote-tracking branches at once, you can use

$ git remote prune <remotename>

to delete all stale remote-tracking branches for a given remote (i.e. those that follow branches which were removed in remote repository).

See git remote documentation.

If you perform something like

git branch -d -r remote_name/branch_name

you only remove your local checkout. This command doesn't do anything to the remote repository, which is why it still shows up.

Solution:

git push origin :branch_name

will remove the the remote branch (note the ':'), and

git branch -d branch_name

will remove your local checkout.

(Reference)

git remote update --prune

Should refresh all remotes' branches, adding new ones and deleting removed ones.

Edit: The remote update command basically fetches the list of branches on the remote. The --prune option will get rid of your local remote tracking branches that point to branches that no longer exist on the remote.