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Git Stash: Temporarily Saving Your Work in Progress

2025-03-03

Introduction

Sometimes while you're working on your code, you might need to pause and switch to another task without losing your current changes. Git stash is like a magical drawer where you can temporarily put your work aside and then retrieve it later when you're ready to continue.

What is Git Stash?

Git stash lets you save your uncommitted changes so your working directory goes back to the last committed state. This is very handy when you need a clean workspace quickly, for example, to switch branches or pull new changes.

Why Use Git Stash?

Here are a few reasons why Git stash can be very useful:

  • Quick Task Switching: Save your current changes when you need to work on something else.
  • Clean Workspace: Temporarily remove changes to pull updates without conflicts.
  • Experiment Safely: Try new ideas without committing incomplete work.

How to Use Git Stash

Saving Your Changes

To stash your current changes, open your terminal in the project directory and run:

git stash

This command stores your modifications and resets your working directory to match the last commit.

Viewing Your Stashes

To see a list of your saved stashes, use:

git stash list

Applying a Stash

When you're ready to bring back your changes, run:

git stash apply

If you have multiple stashes and want to apply a specific one, use its identifier, for example:

git stash apply stash@{1}

Removing a Stash

After you've applied a stash and no longer need it, remove it with:

git stash drop stash@{1}

Best Practices with Git Stash

  • Add Descriptions: Use a message when stashing to remember what you saved. For example: git stash save "work on new feature"
  • Apply Before Dropping: Always confirm your stash has been applied before deleting it.
  • Keep it Tidy: Regularly clear out old stashes to avoid confusion.

Conclusion

Git stash is a simple yet powerful tool that helps you temporarily set aside your work so you can switch tasks or update your project without losing progress. With a little practice, you'll find it becomes an essential part of your Git workflow.