What is the difference between git add and git commit?

The Difference Between git add and git commit

Git is a powerful version control system that helps developers manage their codebase effectively. Two of the most fundamental commands in Git are git add and git commit. While they are closely related, they serve distinct purposes in the Git workflow. Let's dive into the differences between these two commands.

git add

The git add command is used to stage changes in the working directory. When you make changes to your files, those changes are not automatically tracked by Git. You need to explicitly tell Git which changes you want to include in the next commit by using the git add command.

Here's an example of how you can use git add:

# Modify a file
echo "This is a new line" >> README.md

# Stage the changes
git add README.md

When you run git add, Git takes a snapshot of the specified file(s) and adds them to the staging area, also known as the "index". The staging area is a holding place where you can group together multiple changes before creating a commit.

git commit

The git commit command is used to create a new commit, which is a snapshot of your project at a specific point in time. When you run git commit, Git takes the changes that are currently in the staging area and creates a new commit with a unique identifier (the commit hash).

Here's an example of how you can use git commit:

# Stage the changes
git add README.md

# Create a new commit
git commit -m "Add a new line to the README file"

The -m option allows you to provide a commit message, which is a brief description of the changes included in the commit. Commit messages are essential for understanding the evolution of your project and making it easier to navigate the commit history.

The Relationship Between git add and git commit

To summarize the relationship between git add and git commit:

1. Working Directory: This is where you make changes to your files.
2. Staging Area: The git add command moves changes from the working directory to the staging area.
3. Commit: The git commit command creates a new commit based on the changes in the staging area.

It's important to understand that git add and git commit are separate steps in the Git workflow. git add prepares the changes you want to include in the next commit, while git commit actually creates the new commit with those changes.

By using these two commands together, you can carefully control what goes into each commit, ensuring that your commit history is clean and meaningful.