How to Git Stash Specific Files?

Introduction

Git is a popular version control system used by developers to track changes in their codebase. Git Stash is a feature that allows developers to temporarily save changes they have made to their working directory, without committing them to the repository. This feature is useful when developers need to switch to a different branch or work on another feature, but don't want to commit untested changes.

When using Git Stash, all changes in the working directory are saved as a "stash" which can be retrieved later. This allows developers to work on multiple features simultaneously without having unfinished or untested code mixed with their main codebase.

The Basics of Git Stash

Git stash is a powerful and useful tool for managing changes in your Git repository. It allows you to save uncommitted changes in your working directory for later use, without having to commit them to the repository. This can be helpful when you want to switch branches, pull updates from the remote repository, or simply take a break from working on a particular feature or task.

Using git stash doesn't create any new commits in your repository; instead, it creates a stash object that contains the changes you've saved. When you're ready to retrieve these changes, you can apply the stash back onto your working directory or even onto another branch entirely.

How Git Stash Works?

When you run "git stash", Git saves all of your uncommitted changes into an anonymous "stash" object. This object is stored separate from your commits and branches - essentially creating an ad-hoc branch that only holds temporary changes. The contents of this stash are saved as a stack of commits, so multiple stashes can be stored at once.

By default, git stash will save all modified tracked files and untracked files in the current directory tree. If desired, users can choose which files they want to include (or exclude) by specifying file names or using wildcards with certain options such as --include-untracked or --patch.

How to Stash Specific Files?

Explanation of why you might want to stash specific files instead of all changes

In Git, stashing is a way to temporarily save changes that are not yet ready to be committed. This is especially useful when you need to switch branches or revert back to a previous state, but don't want to lose your current progress.

However, sometimes you may not want to stash all files and changes in your working directory. For example, if you are working on multiple features simultaneously and only want to stash the changes related to one feature, stashing specific files can save time and make the process more efficient.

Step-by-step guide on how to stash specific files using the git stash command with options such as --patch or --keep-index

To stash specific files using Git's built-in command line interface, follow these steps −

• Open your terminal and navigate to the repository where your changes are located.

• Use the git status command to see which files have been modified or created.

• Decide which file(s) or part(s) of a file should be included in your new local commit ("stashed").

• Depending on which part of a file should be included in your new local commit ("stashed”), use one of these two options −

• If you only want certain parts of changed lines (called "hunks") from some modifications added (or "stashed"), use `git add -p` (you will go through each modification interactively).

• If there are multiple changes that you want added (or "stashed") all together, you can use `git add` to stage the file(s).

• Use the git stash command with the desired options.

For example:

• To stash only the changes in certain files, use `git stash push path/to/file1 path/to/file2`.

• To stash only certain parts ("hunks") of changes in a file, use `git stash push --patch path/to/file`.

• If needed, you can add an optional message to describe your stash by adding it after the command.

• Confirm that your files have been stashed by running git status or git stash list.

Using these steps and options provided by Git can help you efficiently manage and organize your stashes while still being able to save specific files and changes that are essential for your workflow.

Examples and Use Cases

Real-World Examples: Multi-Tasking

One common example where stashing specific files is useful is when working on multiple features simultaneously. This can happen when you are working on a larger project that requires several different changes, or when you are working on several smaller projects at once. By stashing specific files, you can ensure that each set of changes is kept separate and organized.

For example, let's say you are a developer working on a new software application. You have several tasks to complete, including adding new features to the user interface, improving the backend code, and fixing some bugs in the existing codebase.

Instead of completing these tasks one at a time, you decide to work on them concurrently to save time. To keep your changes organized and prevent any issues from arising due to overlapping workspaces, you could use Git Stash to stash specific files related to each feature.

Real-World Examples: Temporarily Removing Files

Another example where stashing specific files is helpful is when needing to temporarily remove a file from the working directory without deleting it entirely. Let's say that there is an experimental feature in your project which hasn't been fully tested yet but it’s causing some bugs in other areas of the project.

To avoid deleting this file entirely until more testing has been done or more development has occurred elsewhere which may address these issues completely; instead of removing it completely with `rm -rf file/to/be/removed`, you stash the file using `git stash push path/to/directory`. Later, when you have time to revisit the feature and fix any issues that arose, you can easily unstash the specific file and continue working.

Stashing files in this way is a safe alternative to permanent removal, as it preserves the work done thus far while allowing you to continue working on other areas of your project. The benefits of using Git Stash in this scenario are clear; it allows developers to experiment and create without fear of losing data or changes permanently.

Conclusion

In this article, we've explored the basics of Git Stash and learned how to stash specific files. We've looked at the importance of knowing how to stash specific files, and provided real-world examples where stashing specific changes is essential.

We've also examined some advanced techniques and tips for managing stashes efficiently. By understanding how to stash specific files in Git, developers can work more efficiently with large codebases and complex projects.

Stashing provides a powerful way to temporarily save changes without committing them, which can be especially useful when dealing with multiple features or tasks simultaneously. With Git's built-in tools for stashing and managing changes, developers have an efficient workflow for managing temporary changes.