Git & GitHub · Chapter 19 of 42
git stash
`git stash` temporarily saves your uncommitted changes so you can switch branches or pull updates without committing incomplete work. It's like a clipboard for work in progress.
Stashed changes are stored in a list, so you can stash multiple times and later reapply any of them with `git stash pop` or `git stash apply`.
Syntax
git stash
git stash list
git stash popSaving and listing stashes
Run `git stash` to save current changes and clean the working directory. Run `git stash list` to see all saved stashes.
Restoring stashed changes
Run `git stash pop` to reapply the most recent stash and remove it from the list, or `git stash apply` to reapply it while keeping it in the list.
Example 1 (bash)
git stashOutput
Saved working directory and index state WIP on main: 9c2e1aa Fix crashSaves current uncommitted changes and restores a clean working directory.
Example 2 (bash)
git stash popOutput
On branch main
Changes not staged for commit:
modified: app.jsReapplies the most recently stashed changes and removes them from the stash list.
Key points
- git stash temporarily saves uncommitted changes.
- It cleans your working directory so you can switch tasks.
- git stash pop reapplies and removes the latest stash.
- git stash list shows all saved stashes.
💡 Note: Stashes are local only — they are not pushed to GitHub and can be lost if you clear your local repository.