06 · Stash¶

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Stash is a temporary clipboard for uncommitted changes: set work aside, switch context, and come back without making a messy commit.

git stash push -u -m "wip: description"   # -u also stashes untracked files
git stash list
git stash show -p stash@{0}                # the diff a stash contains
git stash pop                              # apply the newest stash and drop it
git stash apply stash@{1}                  # apply but keep it in the list
git stash drop stash@{1}                   # delete one
git stash clear                            # delete all (careful)
git stash branch <new-branch> stash@{0}    # new branch from the commit the stash was taken on

stash@{0} is always the newest; stash@{1} the one before, and so on.

Useful variants:

git stash push -- <path> — stash only some files.
git stash push -p — choose hunks interactively.
git stash push --keep-index — stash only unstaged changes.
-a / --all also stashes ignored files.

Where stashes live¶

In the local .git (refs/stash). They are not pushed, and other clones cannot see them. On conflict, pop/apply leaves both versions in the file for you to resolve; a conflicted pop does not drop the stash.

Stash vs commit¶

Use stash to: * switch branches quickly when work isn't ready, * test something on a clean working tree, * create a safety net before a destructive command (git-adm discard does this).

Use a WIP commit (amend or squash later) when: * you are about to rebase (stashes survive but can conflict), * the work will sit for more than a day or two, * you want it visible in git log and safe on a pushed branch.