How to tell if a file is git tracked (by shell exit code)?

Question

Is there a way to tell if a file is being tracked by running some git command and checking its exit code?

In other words: is git tracking a file?

Answer 1

I suggest a custom alias on you .gitconfig.

You have to way to do:

1) With git command:

git config --global alias.check-file 

2) Editing ~/.gitconfig and add this line on alias section:

[alias]
    check-file = "!f() { if [ $# -eq 0 ]; then echo 'Filename missing!'; else tracked=$(git ls-files ${1}); if [[ -z ${tracked} ]]; then echo 'File not tracked'; else echo 'File tracked'; fi; fi;  };  f"

Once launched command (1) or saved file (2), on your workspace you can test it:

$ git check-file
$ Filename missing 

$ git check-file README.md
$ File tracked 

$ git check-file foo
$ File not tracked