Working directory state in Git - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

💻 Command Output

intermediate

Identify the output of 'git status' after file modification

You have a Git repository. You modified a tracked file named app.py but have not staged the changes yet. What will be the output of git status?

Git

git status

A

On branch main
Changes to be committed:
  (use "git restore --staged <file>..." to unstage)

	modified:   app.py

B

On branch main
Changes not staged for commit:
  (use "git add <file>..." to update what will be committed)
  (use "git restore <file>..." to discard changes in working directory)

	modified:   app.py

no changes added to commit (use "git add" and/or "git commit -a")

C

On branch main
nothing to commit, working tree clean

D fatal: not a git repository (or any of the parent directories): .git

💡 Hint

Think about what happens when you modify a file but do not stage it.

When a tracked file is modified but not staged, 'git status' shows it under 'Changes not staged for commit'.

🧠 Conceptual

intermediate

Understanding the working directory vs staging area

Which statement correctly describes the difference between the working directory and the staging area in Git?

A The working directory is where you edit files, and the staging area is where you prepare changes to be committed.

B The working directory contains files as they are in the last commit, and the staging area holds files with uncommitted changes.

C The staging area is a backup of the working directory, and the working directory is the repository history.

D The working directory is a remote copy of the repository, and the staging area is the local repository.

💡 Hint

Think about where you make changes and where you mark changes for commit.

The working directory is your local files you edit. The staging area holds changes you want to include in the next commit.

❓ Troubleshoot

advanced

Diagnosing untracked files after git add

You ran git add README.md but git status still shows README.md as untracked. What is the most likely cause?

A README.md is ignored by a .gitignore rule.

B The file has been deleted from the working directory.

C You have not committed the file yet, so it remains untracked.

D You ran <code>git add</code> in a different directory than where README.md is located.

💡 Hint

Check if the file is excluded by Git rules.

If a file is ignored by .gitignore, adding it won't track it, so it remains untracked.

🔀 Workflow

advanced

Sequence to discard changes in working directory

You accidentally modified a file config.yaml and want to discard all changes, restoring it to the last committed state. Which sequence of commands achieves this?

A 2,4,1,3

B 1,4,2,3

C 1

D 4,2,3,1

💡 Hint

Think about the simplest way to discard unstaged changes.

The command 'git restore config.yaml' alone discards changes in the working directory restoring the last commit version.

✅ Best Practice

expert

Best practice to keep working directory clean in a team

In a team project, what is the best practice to ensure the working directory stays clean and avoids conflicts before starting new work?

A Ignore changes in the working directory and work directly on the remote repository.

B Delete the working directory and clone the repository fresh each time.

C Always commit all changes immediately, even incomplete work.

D Use <code>git stash</code> to save unfinished changes before switching branches or pulling updates.

💡 Hint

Think about temporarily saving work without committing.

Using 'git stash' saves your changes temporarily, keeping the working directory clean and allowing safe branch switching or updates.