Tracking changes is great most of the time…
However, for them occasions when tabula rasa is needed.
Local git repository only
To erase your whole history and start over again, run the commands below and start committing again:
cd <repo>
rm -rf .git
git init
If you want to remove both files and history, run the commands below and start committing again:
cd <repo>
rm -rf *
git init
Local repo with a remote repository
To start over again, but retain history there is a quick way:
git pull
git rm -r *
git commit
git push
To also clean up the history (N.B. this will cause trouble for anyone else linked to that same remote repository):
git checkout <first commit hash>
git rm -r *
touch README
git add README
git commit --amend
git push -f
Create an empty README file for the first commit, as a commit cannot be empty.
Refs: