How to change the remote repository for a git submodule?

Question

I\'ve created a git repository with a submodule in it. I\'m able to tell the submodule itself to change its remote repository path, but I\'m not sure how to tell the parent

Answer 1

What worked for me (on Windows, using git version 1.8.3.msysgit.0):

• Update .gitmodules with the URL to the new repository
• Remove the corresponding line from the ".git/config" file
• Delete the corresponding directory in the ".git/modules/external" directory (".git/modules" for recent git versions)
• Delete the checked out submodule directory itself (unsure if this is necessary)
• Run git submodule init and git submodule update
• Make sure the checked out submodule is at the correct commit, and commit that, since it's likely that the hash will be different

After doing all that, everything is in the state I would expect. I imagine other users of the repository will have similar pain when they come to update though - it would be wise to explain these steps in your commit message!