Why does git keep deleting my folder?

Question

I have a folder in my repository called 'activity'. It keeps getting strangely deleted from the repository, and isn't seen as an untracked file.

In github, it is rendered as a folder with a green arrow, and the text '→ f32111b' next to it. This has happened several times now, and only with this one folder.

I've already checked .gitignore. Is there another reason why a folder called 'activity' would be trouble in git?

Answer 1

Is the directory empty?

Git doesn't track empty dirs.

The hack trick is to touch an empty file in there if you really need to keep the directory kicking around.

Answer 2

In addition to the answer madlep gave (git doesn't tracks empty directories):

http://git.or.cz/gitwiki/GitFaq#CanIaddemptydirectories.3F:

That is, directories never have to be added to the repository, and are not tracked on their own.

Answer 3

That's not a directory, that's a submodule. Or at least GitHub seems to think so.

What does your .gitmodules file look like? Did you maybe forget to run git submodule init and git submodule update?

Submodules can be a little bit tricky, especially when you convert from a directory to a submodule or back.