Clean vs dirty working directory in Git - Practice Questions

Challenge - 5 Problems

💻 Command Output

intermediate

Identify clean working directory status

You run git status in a repository. Which output indicates a clean working directory?

A On branch main\nYour branch is ahead of 'origin/main' by 1 commit

B On branch main\nChanges not staged for commit:\n modified: file.txt

C On branch main\nUntracked files:\n newfile.txt

D On branch main\nnothing to commit, working tree clean

💡 Hint

Look for the phrase that says no changes are pending.

A clean working directory means no changes to commit or stage. Option D shows this exact message.

🧠 Conceptual

intermediate

Difference between staged and unstaged changes

Which statement correctly describes the difference between staged and unstaged changes in Git?

A Staged changes are files deleted from the repository; unstaged changes are new files only.

B Unstaged changes are ready to be committed; staged changes are ignored by Git.

C Staged changes are ready to be committed; unstaged changes are modified files not yet added to the staging area.

D There is no difference; both terms mean the same in Git.

💡 Hint

Think about what 'git add' does.

Staged changes are those added to the staging area with 'git add' and ready for commit. Unstaged changes are modified but not yet staged.

❓ Troubleshoot

advanced

Detecting dirty working directory with a script

You want to write a shell script to check if the Git working directory is dirty (has unstaged or staged changes). Which command correctly returns a non-empty output only if the directory is dirty?

A git diff --name-only || git diff --cached --name-only

B git diff --quiet || git diff --cached --quiet

C git diff --quiet && git diff --cached --quiet

D git diff --name-only && git diff --cached --name-only

💡 Hint

Use commands that list changed files and combine with OR to detect any changes.

Option A lists unstaged and staged changed files. It outputs file names if dirty, empty if clean. Using OR (||) ensures any changes are detected.

🔀 Workflow

advanced

Handling dirty working directory before switching branches

You want to switch branches but your working directory is dirty. What is the safest way to switch branches without losing your changes?

A Run 'git stash' to save changes, switch branch, then 'git stash pop' to reapply changes.

B Run 'git reset --hard' to discard changes, then switch branch.

C Switch branch directly with 'git checkout' ignoring changes.

D Delete the modified files manually, then switch branch.

💡 Hint

Think about saving your work temporarily.

Using 'git stash' saves your changes safely so you can switch branches and reapply them later. Other options risk losing work.

✅ Best Practice

expert

Best practice for committing changes in a dirty working directory

You have multiple unrelated changes in your dirty working directory. What is the best practice to commit them properly?

A Create a new branch for each change without staging selectively.

B Use 'git add -p' to stage changes interactively and commit logically separated changes in multiple commits.

C Delete unrelated changes and commit only one feature at a time.

D Commit all changes at once with a single message describing everything.

💡 Hint

Think about how to organize commits clearly.

Using 'git add -p' lets you stage parts of files interactively, enabling clean, focused commits. This improves history clarity.