Git Stash

Key Commands for Stashing

• git stash - Stash your changes
• git stash push -m "message" - Stash with a message
• git stash list - List all stashes
• git stash branch <branchname> - Create a branch from a stash

What is Git Stash? Why Use It?

Sometimes you need to quickly switch tasks or fix a bug, but you're not ready to commit your work.

git stash lets you save your uncommitted changes and return to a clean working directory.

You can come back and restore your changes later.

Here are some common use cases:

• Switch branches safely: Save your work before changing branches.
• Handle emergencies: Stash your work to fix something urgent, then restore it.
• Keep your work-in-progress safe: Avoid messy commits or losing changes.

Stash Your Changes (git stash)

Save your current changes (both staged and unstaged tracked files) with:

git stash
Saved working directory and index state WIP on main: 1234567 Add new feature

This command saves your changes and cleans your working directory so you can safely switch tasks or branches.

Your changes are now saved in a stack.

Your working directory is clean, and you can switch branches or pull updates safely.

Stash with a Message (git stash push -m)

Add a message to remember what you stashed:

git stash push -m "WIP: homepage redesign"
Saved working directory and index state On main: WIP: homepage redesign

This command lets you add a descriptive message to your stash so you can remember what you were working on.

List All Stashes (git stash list)

See all your saved stashes:

git stash list
stash@{0}: On main: WIP: homepage redesign
stash@{1}: WIP on main: 1234567 Add new feature

This command shows all the stashes you have saved so far, with their names and messages.

Show Stash Details (git stash show)

See what was changed in the latest stash:

git stash show
 src/index.html | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

This command gives a summary of what files and changes are in your most recent stash.

To see a full diff:

git stash show -p
diff --git a/src/index.html b/src/index.html
index 1234567..89abcde 100644
--- a/src/index.html
+++ b/src/index.html
@@ ...

This command shows the exact lines that were changed in your most recent stash.

Apply the Latest Stash (git stash apply)

Restore your most recent stashed changes (keeps the stash in the stack):

git stash apply
On branch main
Changes not staged for commit:
  (use "git add <file>..." to update what will be committed)
  (use "git restore <file>..." to discard changes in working directory)
    modified:   src/index.html

This command restores your most recent stashed changes, but keeps the stash in the list so you can use it again if needed.

Apply a Specific Stash (git stash apply stash@{n})

Restore a specific stash from the list:

git stash apply stash@{1}
On branch main
Changes not staged for commit:
    modified:   src/index.html

This command lets you restore a specific stash from your list, not just the most recent one.

Pop the Stash (git stash pop)

Apply the latest stash and remove it from the stack:

git stash pop
On branch main
Changes not staged for commit:
    modified:   src/index.html
Dropped refs/stash@{0} (abc1234d5678)

This command restores your most recent stash and removes it from the list at the same time.

Drop a Stash (git stash drop)

Delete a specific stash when you no longer need it:

git stash drop stash@{0}
Dropped stash@{0} (abc1234d5678)

This command deletes a specific stash from your list when you no longer need it.

Clear All Stashes (git stash clear)

Delete all your stashes at once:

git stash clear

This command deletes all your stashes at once. Be careful! This cannot be undone!

Branch from a Stash (git stash branch)

Create a new branch and apply a stash to it.

Useful if your stashed work should become its own feature branch:

git stash branch new-feature stash@{0}
Switched to a new branch 'new-feature'
On branch new-feature
Changes not staged for commit:
    modified:   src/index.html
Dropped stash@{0} (abc1234d5678)

This command creates a new branch and applies your stashed changes to it.

This is useful if you decide your work should become its own feature branch.

Best Practices for Stashing

Troubleshooting

• Did you lose your changes? Try git stash list and git stash apply to recover stashed work.
• Stash didn't apply cleanly? You may need to resolve conflicts, just like a merge.
  Git will mark the conflicts in your files for you to resolve.
• Untracked files missing? By default, untracked files are not stashed.
  If you need to stash them, use git stash -u next time.
• Accidentally cleared all stashes? Unfortunately, git stash clear is permanent.
  Always double-check before running it!