git add with patterns and directories - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What does the command git add . do?

It stages all changes (new, modified, deleted files) in the current directory and all its subdirectories for the next commit.

beginner

How can you stage all .txt files in the current directory using git add?

Use the pattern git add *.txt to stage all files ending with .txt in the current directory only.

intermediate

What is the difference between git add * and git add .?

git add * stages all files and directories in the current directory but does not include hidden files or files in subdirectories.
git add . stages all changes including hidden files in the current directory and subdirectories.

beginner

How do you stage all files inside a specific directory named docs?

Use git add docs/ to stage all changes inside the docs directory and its subdirectories.

intermediate

Can git add use wildcards to stage files recursively in subdirectories?

No, wildcards like *.txt only match files in the current directory. To stage files recursively, use git add . or specify directories.

Which command stages all changes in the current directory and all subdirectories?

A git add -p

B git add *

C git add *.txt

D git add .

git add . stages all changes recursively in the current directory and subdirectories.

What does git add *.js do?

A Stages all JavaScript files in all subdirectories

B Stages all files including hidden ones

C Stages all JavaScript files in the current directory only

D Stages all files except JavaScript files

The pattern *.js matches JavaScript files only in the current directory.

How to stage all files inside a folder named src?

A git add src/

B git add src/*

C git add *.src

D git add .src

Using git add src/ stages all files and folders inside src recursively.

Which command does NOT stage hidden files?

A git add .

B git add *

C git add docs/

D git add -A

git add * does not include hidden files (files starting with a dot).

To stage only modified parts of files interactively, which command is used?

A git add -p

B git add .

C git add *

D git add --all

git add -p lets you choose parts of files to stage interactively.

Explain how to use git add with patterns to stage specific file types.

Think about how shell wildcards work in file names.

Describe how to stage all changes inside a directory and its subdirectories using git add.

Consider how folders are referenced in commands.

Practice

1. What does the command git add src/ do?

easy

A. Removes the 'src' directory from the repository.

B. Stages only the 'src' directory itself, not its contents.

C. Commits changes in the 'src' directory immediately.

D. Stages all changes in the 'src' directory and its subdirectories.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the command context

   The command git add src/ targets the directory named 'src'.

2. Step 2: Know how git add works with directories

   Git stages all files and subdirectories inside 'src' recursively when adding a directory.

3. Final Answer:

   Stages all changes in the 'src' directory and its subdirectories. -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   git add directory = stage all inside [OK]

Hint: Adding a directory stages all files inside it recursively [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking it stages only the directory, not contents
• Confusing add with commit
• Assuming it deletes files

2. Which of the following is the correct command to stage all .txt files in the current directory using a pattern?

easy

A. git add txt.*

B. git add .txt*

C. git add *.txt

D. git add *txt

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand wildcard usage in git add

   The asterisk (*) matches any characters, so *.txt matches all files ending with '.txt'.

2. Step 2: Check each option's pattern

   git add *.txt correctly matches all '.txt' files. Others do not match the intended pattern.

3. Final Answer:

   git add *.txt -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Use * before extension to match all files [OK]

Hint: Use '*.ext' to add all files with that extension [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Placing * after extension instead of before
• Using wrong order of characters in pattern
• Confusing dot placement in patterns

3. Given the directory structure:

project/
  ├─ app.js
  ├─ README.md
  └─ docs/
      ├─ intro.md
      └─ setup.md

What files will be staged after running git add docs/*.md?

medium

A. Only docs/intro.md and docs/setup.md

B. All files in project including app.js and README.md

C. No files, command fails due to pattern

D. Only docs/setup.md

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze the pattern used

   The pattern docs/*.md matches all files ending with '.md' inside the 'docs' directory only.

2. Step 2: Identify matching files

   Inside 'docs', 'intro.md' and 'setup.md' match. Files outside 'docs' are not matched.

3. Final Answer:

   Only docs/intro.md and docs/setup.md -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Pattern matches files only inside specified directory [OK]

Hint: Pattern 'dir/*.ext' adds matching files only inside that directory [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming files outside 'docs' are staged
• Thinking pattern matches recursively
• Believing command fails if pattern matches multiple files

4. You run git add docs/*.md but only docs/intro.md is staged, not docs/setup.md. What is the most likely cause?

medium

A. You need to add files one by one manually.

B. The file docs/setup.md is ignored by .gitignore.

C. Git add cannot stage files in subdirectories.

D. The pattern '*.md' only matches one file at a time.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand why some files are not staged

   If a file is ignored by .gitignore, git add will skip it even if the pattern matches.

2. Step 2: Check other options for correctness

   Patterns can match multiple files; git add works recursively for directories; manual adding is not required.

3. Final Answer:

   The file docs/setup.md is ignored by .gitignore. -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Ignored files are skipped by git add [OK]

Hint: Check .gitignore if some matching files are not staged [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Believing patterns match only one file
• Thinking git add can't stage multiple files
• Assuming manual add is always needed

5. You want to stage all JavaScript files in the 'src' directory and all Markdown files in the 'docs' directory with one command. Which command achieves this?

hard

A. git add src/*.js docs/*.md

B. git add 'src/*.js docs/*.md'

C. git add src/*.js && git add docs/*.md

D. git add src/ docs/ *.js *.md

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand how to add multiple patterns in one command

   Git add accepts multiple paths or patterns separated by spaces without quotes.

2. Step 2: Evaluate each option

   git add src/*.js docs/*.md correctly lists both patterns separated by space. git add 'src/*.js docs/*.md' quotes patterns unnecessarily, which may cause shell to treat them literally. git add src/*.js && git add docs/*.md runs two commands, not one. git add src/ docs/ *.js *.md mixes directories and patterns incorrectly.

3. Final Answer:

   git add src/*.js docs/*.md -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Multiple patterns separated by space work in one git add [OK]

Hint: List multiple patterns separated by spaces in one git add command [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using quotes that prevent shell expansion
• Trying to combine commands with && instead of one command
• Mixing directories and patterns incorrectly