Stashing Changes in Git

Stashing Changes in Git

Git stash provides a way to temporarily store your working changes without committing them. This guide will show you how to effectively use stashing in your Git workflow.

What You’ll Learn

• Basic stashing
• Managing stashes
• Applying stashes
• Best practices
• Common scenarios

Implementation Steps

1. Basic Stashing

   # Stash all changes
   git stash save "WIP: feature in progress"
   
   # Stash with description
   git stash push -m "Work in progress"
   
   # Stash specific files
   git stash push path/to/file1 path/to/file2
   

   • Save changes
   • Add messages
   • Select files
   • Verify stash

2. View Stashes

   # List all stashes
   git stash list
   
   # Show stash contents
   git stash show -p stash@{0}
   
   # View stash diff
   git stash show -p
   

   • Check stash list
   • View contents
   • Compare changes
   • Track stash

3. Apply Stashes

   # Apply latest stash
   git stash apply
   
   # Apply specific stash
   git stash apply stash@{2}
   
   # Apply and remove
   git stash pop
   

   • Apply changes
   • Select stash
   • Remove after apply
   • Verify changes

4. Manage Stashes

   # Drop specific stash
   git stash drop stash@{1}
   
   # Clear all stashes
   git stash clear
   
   # Create branch from stash
   git stash branch new-branch stash@{0}
   

   • Remove stashes
   • Clean up
   • Create branches
   • Organize work

Best Practices

1. Before Stashing

   • Review changes
   • Add descriptions
   • Check status
   • Plan workflow

2. During Stashing

   • Use clear messages
   • Select relevant files
   • Track stash list
   • Test after apply

3. After Stashing

   • Verify changes
   • Clean up old stashes
   • Update documentation
   • Monitor conflicts

4. Stash Organization

   • Name stashes clearly
   • Group related changes
   • Regular cleanup
   • Document purpose

Common Use Cases

1. Switch Branches

   # Stash changes
   git stash save "WIP: feature"
   
   # Switch branch
   git checkout main
   
   # Return and apply
   git checkout feature
   git stash pop
   

2. Pull Updates

   # Stash changes
   git stash
   
   # Pull updates
   git pull
   
   # Apply stash
   git stash pop
   

3. Emergency Fix

   # Stash current work
   git stash save "WIP: main feature"
   
   # Fix emergency
   git checkout hotfix
   # ... fix and commit ...
   
   # Return to work
   git checkout feature
   git stash pop
   

4. Clean Working Directory

   # Stash all changes
   git stash --include-untracked
   
   # Clean directory
   git clean -fd
   
   # Restore when needed
   git stash pop
   

Advanced Usage

1. Selective Stashing

   # Stash specific changes
   git stash push -p
   
   # Stash untracked files
   git stash --include-untracked
   

2. Stash Branching

   # Create branch from stash
   git stash branch new-feature stash@{0}
   

3. Stash Patches

   # Create stash patch
   git stash show -p > changes.patch
   
   # Apply patch
   git apply changes.patch
   

4. Stash with Message

   # Stash with description
   git stash push -m "Feature in progress"
   

Common Issues and Solutions

1. Merge Conflicts

   # Resolve conflicts
   git stash pop
   # ... resolve conflicts ...
   git add .
   git commit -m "Resolve stash conflicts"
   

2. Lost Stash

   # Find lost stash
   git fsck --unreachable | grep commit
   git show <commit-hash>
   

3. Stash Application

   # Apply with conflicts
   git stash apply --3way
   

Conclusion

Stashing is a powerful tool for managing work in progress. Remember to:

• Use clear messages
• Organize stashes
• Clean up regularly
• Follow best practices
• Plan workflow

Next Steps

After mastering stashing, consider:

• Learning about Git workflows
• Exploring Git hooks
• Understanding Git internals
• Setting up automated stashing