Step 1: Understand the Git Stash Command
Before diving into the specifics of using git stash apply, it’s important to have a good understanding of the git stash command itself.
The git stash command is used to save changes that you have made to your working directory, but do not want to commit yet. It allows you to temporarily store your changes and revert back to a clean working state. This can be useful when you need to switch to a different branch or pull in changes from a remote repository without committing your local changes.
When you run git stash, it creates a new stash entry with a unique name and saves your changes. By default, it stashes both staged and unstaged changes. However, you can also choose to stash only staged changes or even untracked files using different options.
Related Article: How to Discard All Local Changes in a Git Project
Step 2: Apply a Stash with git stash apply
Once you have created one or more stashes using git stash, you can apply them back to your working directory using the git stash apply command. This command takes the most recent stash by default and applies it to your current branch.
To apply the most recent stash, simply run:
git stash apply
This command will apply the changes from the stash and merge them with your current working directory. If there are any conflicts, Git will provide instructions on how to resolve them.
Step 3: Apply a Specific Stash
If you have multiple stashes and want to apply a specific one, you can use the stash index. Each stash is assigned an index number, starting from 0 for the most recent stash, 1 for the second most recent, and so on.
To apply a specific stash, use the following command:
git stash apply stash@{<index>}
Replace <index> with the desired stash index number. For example, to apply the second most recent stash, you would run:
git stash apply stash@{1}
This command will apply the specified stash to your working directory.
Step 4: Keep the Stash after Applying
If you want to remove the stash from the stash list after applying it, you can use the --drop option. For example:
git stash apply --drop
This command will apply the stash and remove it from the stash list.
Related Article: How to Stash Untracked Files in Git
Step 5: Resolve Conflicts
When applying a stash, conflicts may arise if the changes in the stash conflict with the changes in your working directory. Git will notify you of any conflicts and mark the conflicting files accordingly.
To resolve conflicts, you can use Git’s standard conflict resolution tools, such as git mergetool or manually editing the conflicting files. After resolving the conflicts, you need to mark them as resolved using git add and then create a new commit.
Step 6: Best Practices
Here are some best practices to keep in mind when using git stash apply:
– Before applying a stash, make sure you are on the correct branch where you want to apply the changes. Switch branches if necessary using git checkout.
– It’s a good practice to review the changes in a stash before applying it. You can use git stash show to see the changes in a stash before applying.
– If you have multiple stashes and want to selectively apply changes from different stashes, consider using git cherry-pick or creating a new branch from the stash and merging it with the desired branch.
– Remember to commit and push your changes after applying a stash, especially if you are working in a collaborative environment. Stashes should be used for temporary storage and not as a substitute for proper version control.