Git status

Git Status: Check the State of Your Repository

What is git status?

The git status command shows the current state of your working directory and staging area. It helps you see which files have been modified, staged, or untracked before committing changes.

How to Use git status

1. Basic Usage

Run the following command inside a Git repository:

git status

This will display information about:

• Untracked files (files not yet added to Git).
• Changes not staged for commit (modified but not added to staging).
• Changes staged for commit (files ready to be committed).
• Current branch and tracking status.

Example Scenarios

Scenario 1: No Changes (Clean Working Directory)

If you haven't made any changes, you'll see:

On branch main  
Your branch is up to date with 'origin/main'.  

nothing to commit, working tree clean

This means your working directory and staging area are clean.

Scenario 2: Untracked Files

If you create a new file (newfile.txt), but haven't added it to Git, running git status will show:

On branch main  
Untracked files:  
  (use "git add <file>..." to include in what will be committed)  
    newfile.txt  

nothing added to commit but untracked files present

To track this file, run:

git add newfile.txt

Scenario 3: Modified but Not Staged Files

If you modify a tracked file (index.html), but haven't staged the changes, you'll see:

On branch main  
Changes not staged for commit:  
  (use "git add <file>..." to update what will be committed)  
    modified: index.html  

To stage the file, run:

git add index.html

---

Scenario 4: Staged Files Ready for Commit

Once you stage files using git add, running git status will show:

On branch main  
Changes to be committed:  
  (use "git restore --staged <file>..." to unstage)  
    modified: index.html  

Now, commit the changes:

git commit -m "Updated index.html"

Scenario 5: Checking Branch Status

If you're working on a feature branch and want to check if it's ahead or behind the remote repository:

On branch feature-branch  
Your branch is ahead of 'origin/feature-branch' by 2 commits.  
  (use "git push" to publish your local commits)

This means you have two new commits that need to be pushed to the remote repository:

git push origin feature-branch

Conclusion

The git status command is an essential tool to keep track of changes in your repository. Before committing your work, it helps you understand what files are modified, staged, or untracked.

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