Question

What does the command git stash do?

I’m working with Git and keep seeing the git stash command mentioned. Can someone explain what it actually does? I often find myself needing to switch branches but don’t want to commit unfinished changes. How does git stash handle these changes, and how can I retrieve them later

Answer 1

Sometimes you want to switch the branches, but you are working on an incomplete part of your current project. You don't want to make a commit of half-done work. Git stashing allows you to do so. The git stash command enables you to switch branches without committing the current branch.

Generally, the stash's meaning is "store something safely in a hidden place." The sense in Git is also the same for stash; Git temporarily saves your data safely without committing.

Syntax:

1. $ git status  

Stashing takes the messy state of your working directory, and temporarily save it for further use. Many options are available with git stash. Some useful options are given below:

• Git stash
• Git stash save
• Git stash list
• Git stash apply
• Git stash changes
• Git stash pop
• Git stash drop
• Git stash clear
• Git stash branch