Stop 05 · Git & GitHubTopics · 8/11

Stash

In short

You're halfway through a feature and someone says 'urgent bug on main!'. Your work isn't ready to commit. Stash tucks it away safely so you can switch.

`git stash` temporarily shelves uncommitted changes so you can switch branches cleanly, then reapply them later with `git stash pop`. Stashes are useful for short-lived context switches, but meaningful work is generally safer as a branch or commit so it remains visible and shareable.

The jaadu mascot slides loose notebook pages into an open backpack to clear its desk.

Think of it like this

Putting your notes in your bag

You're writing notes when the professor says 'clear your desk, surprise test'. You don't throw the notes away. You slide them into your bag, take the test, then take them out again. That's git stash.

Watch it happen

The stash shelf

push(search bar WIP)

search bar WIP

Top of the stack is coloured

1/4git stash push -u -m "search bar WIP" shelves your unfinished work. Your folder is clean again.

The big ideas

What you need to know

Saves unfinished work

git stash takes your uncommitted changes and puts them on a shelf. Your folder goes back to clean.

pop brings it back

git stash pop re-applies the latest stash and removes it from the shelf.

It's a stack

You can stash many times. git stash list shows them all, newest on top.

New files need -u

By default, brand new untracked files aren't stashed. Add -u to include them.

How it works

Handling an urgent interruption

1
Stash your work
git stash push -u -m with a short note about what it is.
2
Switch and fix
Go to main, fix the bug, commit and push.
3
Come back
Switch to your feature branch again.
4
Pop the stash
git stash pop and continue exactly where you left off.

See it in code

Walk through the code

bash

1git stash push -u -m "half-done search bar"2git switch main3# ...fix the bug, commit, push...4 5git switch feature/search6git stash list7# stash@{0}: On feature/search: half-done search bar8 9git stash pop          # apply and remove from the list10# git stash apply      # apply but keep a copy in the list

1/4Shelve all changes, including new files (-u), with a note so you recognise it later.

Always add a message with -m. A week later, 'stash@{3}: WIP on main' tells you nothing.

Save yourself the pain

Common mistakes

Oops

Stashing and forgetting, until you have ten mystery stashes.

Do this instead

Treat stash as short-term. Pop it the same day, or commit the work on a branch instead.

Oops

Stashing without -u and losing track of a new file.

Do this instead

Use git stash push -u so new, untracked files go into the stash too.

Your mission

Survive an interruption

~10 min

Quick check

You run git stash, but your new file notes.txt is still sitting in the folder. Why?

Go deeper

1Make some uncommitted changes, stash them, switch branches, then pop them back. Validate your understanding by applying it in a small practical example.
2Learn `git stash list` and `git stash apply <n>` for managing multiple stashes. Focus on understanding the underlying reason it works, not only memorizing the definition.
3Practice `git stash push -m 'message'` to label stashes for clarity.