git diff for working directory changes - Step-by-Step Execution

Process Flow - git diff for working directory changes

Make changes in files

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Run 'git diff'

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Git compares working directory vs staging area

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Show line-by-line differences

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User sees what changed before staging

Shows how git diff compares your current file changes against the staging area to display differences.

Execution Sample

Git

git diff

# Shows changes in working directory not yet staged

This command shows line differences between your current files and the staging area.

Process Table

Step	Action	Comparison	Output
1	Modify file 'app.txt'	Working directory changed	No output yet
2	Run 'git diff'	Compare 'app.txt' in working directory vs staging area	Shows lines removed (-) and added (+)
3	Review output	See what lines changed before staging	Diff output with line numbers and +/- signs
4	No changes left	Working directory matches staging area	No output (empty)

💡 Stops when all changes are reviewed or no differences exist

Status Tracker

Variable	Start	After 1	After 2	Final
app.txt content	Original commit content	Modified content with changes	Same as After 1	Same as After 1

Key Moments - 2 Insights

Why does 'git diff' show nothing after staging changes?

Because 'git diff' compares working directory to the staging area (index), and staging copies changes from working directory to index, so working directory matches staging area content.

What do the '+' and '-' signs mean in the diff output?

'-' means a line was removed from the working directory version, '+' means a line was added in the working directory version, as shown in step 2 of the execution_table.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution table, what does step 2 output show?

A Lines added and removed between working directory and staging area

B List of staged files

C Commit history

D Untracked files

💡 Hint

Check the 'Output' column in step 2 of the execution_table

At which step does 'git diff' show no output?

A Step 1

B Step 2

C Step 4

D Step 3

💡 Hint

Look at the 'Output' column for step 4 in the execution_table

If you modify a file but do not run 'git diff', what will the output be?

A Shows line differences

B No output

C Shows staged changes

D Shows commit logs

💡 Hint

Refer to step 1 in the execution_table where changes are made but no command run yet

Concept Snapshot

git diff
- Shows line-by-line changes in working directory vs staging area
- '+' lines added, '-' lines removed
- Useful to review changes before staging
- No output means no differences
- Only compares unstaged changes

Full Transcript

When you change files in your project, git diff helps you see what exactly changed compared to the staging area. You run 'git diff' and git compares your current files to the staging area. It shows lines removed with a minus sign and lines added with a plus sign. This helps you review your work before saving it permanently. If you stage changes, 'git diff' no longer shows them because it only compares unstaged changes. When there are no differences, 'git diff' outputs nothing.