git diff for working directory changes - Interactive Code Practice

Practice - 5 Tasks

1fill in blank

easy

Complete the command to see changes in the working directory compared to the index.

Git

git [1]

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Astatus

Blog

Ccommit

Ddiff

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'git status' which shows file states but not detailed changes.

Using 'git log' which shows commit history, not file changes.

The git diff command shows the changes in your working directory compared to the index.

2fill in blank

medium

Complete the command to see changes only for a specific file named 'app.py'.

Git

git diff [1]

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Aapp.py

B--staged

C--cached

DHEAD

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using '--staged' or '--cached' which show staged changes, not working directory changes.

Using 'HEAD' which compares to last commit but not limited to one file.

Adding the filename after git diff shows changes only for that file.

3fill in blank

hard

Fix the error in the command to show staged changes for all files.

Git

git [1] --staged

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Astatus

Bdiff

Ccommit

Dpush

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'git status --staged' which is invalid.

Confusing staged and unstaged changes.

The --staged option does not work with git status. To see staged changes, use git diff --staged. But here, the command is incorrect because git status --staged is invalid. The correct command to see staged changes is git diff --staged. So the error is using git status with --staged.

4fill in blank

hard

Fill both blanks to show changes between the working directory and the last commit for the file 'README.md'.

Git

git [1] [2] README.md

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Adiff

Bstatus

CHEAD

Dcommit

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'git status HEAD README.md' which is invalid.

Using 'git diff commit README.md' which is not a valid reference.

The command git diff HEAD README.md shows changes in 'README.md' between the working directory and the last commit.

5fill in blank

hard

Fill all three blanks to create a command that shows staged changes for all files.

Git

git [1] [2] [3]

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Adiff

B--staged

C--cached

Dstatus

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'git status --staged --cached' which is invalid.

Using only one option instead of both.

The command git diff --staged --cached is redundant but valid to show staged changes. Usually, either --staged or --cached is used with git diff.

Practice

1. What does the command git diff show you?

easy

A. The current branch name

B. The changes in your working directory that are not yet staged

C. The list of all commits in the repository

D. The status of remote branches

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the purpose of git diff

   git diff compares your working directory files with the last saved snapshot (commit or staged changes).

2. Step 2: Identify what git diff outputs

   It shows the differences that are not yet staged for commit, meaning changes you made but haven't told git to save yet.

3. Final Answer:

   The changes in your working directory that are not yet staged -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   git diff = unstaged changes [OK]

Hint: git diff shows unstaged file changes only [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing git diff with git status
• Thinking git diff shows committed changes
• Assuming git diff shows staged changes

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to see changes only in a single file named app.js?

easy

A. git diff --single app.js

B. git diff --file app.js

C. git diff -f app.js

D. git diff app.js

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall the basic git diff syntax

   The command to check changes in a specific file is git diff <filename>.

2. Step 2: Match the correct option

   Only git diff app.js uses the correct syntax: git diff app.js. Other options use invalid flags.

3. Final Answer:

   git diff app.js -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   git diff + filename = correct syntax [OK]

Hint: Use git diff followed by filename to check one file [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Adding unsupported flags like --file or --single
• Using -f which is not for git diff
• Confusing git diff syntax with other git commands

3. Given the following scenario: You modified a file index.html by adding a new line. What will git diff index.html show?

medium

A. The difference showing the added line in index.html

B. An error saying file not found

C. No output because changes are staged

D. The full content of index.html

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand what git diff shows for a modified file

   When a file is changed but not staged, git diff filename shows the exact changes line by line.

2. Step 2: Apply this to index.html

   Since you added a line and did not stage it, the command will show the added line as a difference.

3. Final Answer:

   The difference showing the added line in index.html -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   git diff filename = shows unstaged changes [OK]

Hint: git diff filename shows unstaged changes in that file [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Expecting full file content instead of diff
• Thinking git diff shows staged changes
• Assuming error if file exists

4. You ran git diff but saw no output, even though you edited files. What could be the reason?

medium

A. You have untracked files only

B. You are on a detached HEAD state

C. You already staged the changes with git add

D. You have no git repository initialized

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand what git diff shows

   git diff shows changes in the working directory that are not staged.

2. Step 2: Analyze why no output appears despite edits

   If changes are already staged using git add, git diff will show nothing because working directory matches the staging area.

3. Final Answer:

   You already staged the changes with git add -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Staged changes hide from git diff output [OK]

Hint: No git diff output? Check if changes are staged [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking git diff shows staged changes
• Assuming untracked files appear in git diff
• Confusing detached HEAD with diff output

5. You want to review all your unstaged changes in the project but exclude changes in the docs/ folder. Which command will help you achieve this?

hard

A. git diff -- . ':!docs/'

B. git diff --exclude=docs/

C. git diff --ignore docs/

D. git diff --skip docs/

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand how to exclude paths in git diff

   Git supports pathspecs with negation using :!path syntax to exclude files or folders.

2. Step 2: Apply exclusion to docs/ folder

   The correct command uses git diff -- . ':!docs/' to show all changes except those in docs/.

3. Final Answer:

   git diff -- . ':!docs/' -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Use pathspec negation ':!folder/' to exclude [OK]

Hint: Use git diff with ':!folder/' to exclude paths [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using unsupported flags like --exclude or --ignore
• Trying --skip which is invalid
• Not using pathspec syntax for exclusion