In the git diff output, the --- and +++ lines help you identify which versions of the file are being compared. Here is the breakdown:
--- a/greet.js: This represents the original file (the version currently in your staging area or your last commit). Think of the---as the "minus" or "old" side.+++ b/greet.js: This represents the new file (the version in your working directory containing your recent unsaved changes). Think of the+++as the "plus" or "new" side.
Why does this matter?
These markers set the stage for the rest of the diff display:
- Lines starting with a
-(minus) are present in the "a" version but removed from the "b" version. - Lines starting with a
+(plus) are missing in the "a" version and have been added to the "b" version.
In your current experiment, since greet.js shows + lines, it means those lines exist in your working directory but haven't been recorded in the staging area yet!
Do you have any other questions about the diff output, or are you ready to try git diff --staged?
