`git mv` Move or rename a tracked file

Renames or moves a file and stages the change in one step. Git then records it as a rename and keeps the file history connected.

Synopsis

git mv [OPTION]... SOURCE DESTINATION
git mv [OPTION]... SOURCE... DIRECTORY

Option or form	What it does
`SOURCE`	The existing file or folder
`DESTINATION`	The new name or location
`-f`	Overwrite the destination if it exists
`-n, --dry-run`	Show what would happen without doing it
`-k`	Skip errors instead of stopping

Rename a file

git mv readme.txt README.md

Move a file into a folder

git mv logo.png assets/

Preview a rename

git mv -n app.js main.js

Checking rename of 'app.js' to 'main.js'
Renaming app.js to main.js

Check the result

git status

renamed:    app.js -> main.js

It is the same as mv followed by git add on both paths. Doing it by hand gives the same result.
Git detects renames from content, so a rename plus a big edit in one commit can look like a delete and an add. Rename first, commit, then edit.
On case-insensitive systems, git mv is the safe way to change only the case of a name.