Ever feel that your codebase is just a runaway train? Git is like a conductor, holding everything on track. The “git status” is the control panel providing a real-time snapshot of the health of your project. No need to sift through countless files; “git status” immediately shows what has been altered, staged for commit, or is there waiting without being noticed. Ready to dominate your Git? This article walks you through maximizing “git status” to keep your workstyle streamlined and code in check.
Related : if you are new to Git, check out our beginner’s guide to Git.
What is git status
git status: The crystal ball into your project. Unleash the secrets locked away in your repository! Find out which files are ready to be committed, which files are lying about with changes that are not saved yet, and which new files are sitting around waiting to be added to Git.git statusis more than a command-line option; it is the compass pointing you through the winding path of your development journey.
Importance of Using the Git Status Command
Here are some advantages that show the importance of using the git status command:
- It displays the files that have been altered, staged, or are not being tracked.
- It retrieves an overview of the project’s present status.
- It helps us understand what changes are ready to be committed.
- The git status command helps avoid committing unwanted files by mistake.
- It keeps your workflow clean and organized.
- It reminds you to include or exclude files from the staging area.
- It is useful for troubleshooting merge conflicts.
When to Use git status
Lost in the labyrinth of your Git repository?git statuswill be your guiding star. This command acts like a real-time detective to tell you what’s going on in your working directory and staging area. Did you change that important function?git statusknows it. You’re about to commit your masterpiece? Perfect. It will show you precisely what’s being committed so that you don’t accidentally commit things you don’t want to and so that you can be sure that every change you want is staged before the commit actually exists in the commit history. Use it often; commit with confidence.
Before diving into a new branch or pulling the latest updates, a quickgit statuscheck is your safety net. It reveals whether your workspace is pristine or harboring unsaved changes, preventing potential merge conflicts and keeping your development journey smooth.
How to Use the Git Status Command
You can run thegit statuscommand to check the present state of any git repository:
“`
git status
“`
Silence permeates the repository. The output hints that no changes were brought into existence to mar this tranquility, no new files clamored for attention. Our working tree? Spotless. Pristine. A digital zen garden.
Let’s create a new empty file in our git repository:
“`
touch
new_file.txt “`
After creating the file, confirm the status of your Git repository by using:
“`
git status
“`
You see those words:Untracked files: new_file.txt? Git is telling you: “Hey, there is a file callednew_file.txtsitting here, but I am pretending it does not exist.” It’s the newcomer on the block whom the Git has never really been introduced to.
Apply thegit addcommand to move untracked files into the staging area:
“`
git add
new_file.txt “`
Now rungit status! This command will tell you how your repository is doing at this moment. That output, look at it carefully. The new file,new_file.txt, has taken center stage, proudly flashing the pre-staged sign. It is now fully prepared for the limelight!
To save the staged modifications, execute the command below:
“`
git commit
-m
“My first commit”
“`
Replace “My first commit” with any custom message of your choice. After this, verify the current status withgit status
The message “nothing to commit, working tree clean” confirms that the file was successfully added to the repository:
Open “new_file.txt” in a text editor, make some changes to it:
Perfect! You made changes tonew_file.txt. Type ingit status, and you’re gonna see something heart-breaking: “Changes not staged for commit: modified: new_file.txt”. This basically tells you that Git never lost sight of those changes; it’s just that they’re now neither staged nor committed. Weather’s fine there. Awaiting staging… Go forth and stage them.
Add the updated file to the staging area by executing the following command:
“`
git add
new_file.txt “`
Then, apply the changes by running the command below:
“`
git commit
-m
“file has been modified”
“`
Then, verify the current git status:
“`
git status
“`
The output snippet indicates that the working tree has been cleaned:
Let’s remove a file by executing the rm command:
“`
git rm
new_file.txt “`
In the output, git returns the message Changes to be committed: deleted: new_file.txt:
After this, you can use the following command to permanently record the file deletion in the repository’s commit history:
“`
git commit
-m
“file has been deleted”
“`
Finally, check the status by executing the command below:
“`
git status
“`
Useful git status Options
You can use different options with the git status command to change how the output is displayed. For example:
- We can use
git status --shortto get a concise summary. - The
git status -ulets us control how untracked files appear. git status -u=normaldisplays untracked files in the usual way.git status -u=allshows every individual file inside untracked directories.- If you prefer a cleaner view without untracked files, you can use
git status -u=no. Unlock Git automation secrets!git status --porcelaindelivers a streamlined, script-friendly output, turning your terminal into a powerful automation engine.
Final Thoughts
Let’s call it as it is. Whilegit statusis a command, imagine it as a window that looks straight into the soul of your repository. One may liken it to the very heartbeat of the project- revealing the worlds of changed, staged, and untracked files. Once you master the workings ofgit status, you are no longer a code chaotician but an orchestrator of order. You know exactly what changes have been made; you sidestep those accidental commits; you are forever ahead in your project’s evolution.
Other than git status, you should also learn about git cache command to manage the cache in your git folder.
Thanks for reading Git Status Command Explained With Examples
