Git Stashing

Hello DevOps/DevSecOps team Guys!! As you know we are learners always shine with 'Learning by doing'. In this post exploring the git stashing it's nice to know how you can keep code in safer for reuse after sometime or after some other code commits getting back.

 

What is Git Stash means?

Stashing takes the dirty state of your working directory — that is, your modified tracked files and staged changes — and saves it on a stack of unfinished changes that you can reapply at any time (even on a different branch).

To demonstrate stashing, you should go into your project and start working on a couple of file(s) and possibly stage one of the changes.

Power of git stash

Why do we need git stashing?

We have already git commit command right then why stashing? You can commit your code and switch to another branch. Your actual work is in a "messy state" and there are still more new feature changes need to be done on the projects coming up and don't want to commit your current changes.

For this problem, a simple solution is that you can use the command git stash.

You are working on a feature branch let's say feature1. But there is a burning issues in live needs higph priority on the hotfix, you are the only person can fix it. In such situations stashing the current changes and working highly urgent task once it is commited then we can get back to last changes. Stashing is temporary store in git repository without disturbing index, stage, work areas. 

Preparation to test the git stash commands : 

1. Create a directory name as 'git-stashtest'

2. initialize the git initial repo

clear
mkdir git-stashtest; cd git-stashtest; ls -lrt
# Do the changes like create/modify a file

You got the eligibility to play with git stash command

How to use the git stash command?

The "git stash" command can help you to (temporarily but safely) store your uncommitted local changes - and leave you with a clean working copy. Stash changes in a dirty working directory

Example: Enter the data in the 'index.html file and stash the changes.

vi index.html  # working with edit
git stash 
cat index.html

example of git stash 

Git push

Introduces the option of stashing selected pathspecs. git stash save : The changes can be saved with or without message.
git stash list : To check the stored stashes. You can list the stashes by using this command.
git stash show : We can track the stashes and their changes. To see the changes in the file before stash and after stash operation.

Git stash apply

Example for git stash apply

Git stash with list

Git stash pop

Git stash pop with index

Git stash drop with index number

You can clear specific stashed index as shown below:

git stash list
git stash drop 2
git stash list

How to clear up the stashed dirty?

Git stash Clear

git stash list
git stash clear # clears here
git stash list # to check the clear done

remove all stashed entries

Example : git stash clear

Happy to share new learnings on GitOps. If you find this useful please share it to your technical communities.