Working directory state in Git - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Understanding Git Working Directory State

📖 Scenario: You are working on a small project using Git to manage your files. You want to understand how Git tracks changes in your working directory before you commit them.

🎯 Goal: Learn how to check the state of your working directory using Git commands to see which files are modified, staged, or untracked.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a new file in the working directory

Modify the file

Use Git commands to check the working directory state

Understand the output of git status

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Developers use Git to track changes in their project files. Understanding the working directory state helps avoid mistakes before committing code.

💼 Career

Knowing how to check and interpret the working directory state is essential for software developers, DevOps engineers, and anyone collaborating on code.

1

Create a new file in the working directory

Create a new file called example.txt with the exact content Hello, Git! in your working directory.

Git

# Create a file named example.txt with content 'Hello, Git!'
# Your code here

Hint

You can use the echo command to create a file with content.

2

Initialize Git repository, stage, and commit the file

Initialize a Git repository in the current directory using git init, add the file example.txt to the staging area using git add example.txt, and commit it using git commit -m "Initial commit".

Git

echo "Hello, Git!" > example.txt
# Initialize Git repository, stage and commit example.txt
# Your code here

Hint

Use git init to start a new repository, git add to stage files, and git commit -m "Initial commit" to commit them.

3

Modify the file and check working directory state

Modify the file example.txt by adding the line Welcome to Git learning. Then use git status to check the state of your working directory.

Git

echo "Hello, Git!" > example.txt
git init
git add example.txt
git commit -m "Initial commit"
# Append 'Welcome to Git learning.' to example.txt
# Use git status to check working directory state
# Your code here

Hint

Use >> to append text to a file. Then run git status to see changes.

4

Display the output of git status

Run git status and display the output showing that example.txt has been modified but not staged.

Git

echo "Hello, Git!" > example.txt
git init
git add example.txt
git commit -m "Initial commit"
echo "Welcome to Git learning." >> example.txt
# Run git status and print the output
# Your code here

Hint

The output of git status should list example.txt as modified but not staged.

Practice

1. What does the git status command show you about your working directory?

easy

A. It shows which files are new, modified, or staged for commit.

B. It deletes all untracked files from the directory.

C. It permanently commits all changes to the repository.

D. It resets the repository to the last commit.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the purpose of git status

   This command checks the current state of the working directory and staging area.

2. Step 2: Identify what git status reports

   It lists new files, modified files, and files staged for commit, helping you track changes.

3. Final Answer:

   It shows which files are new, modified, or staged for commit. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Working directory changes = git status output [OK]

Hint: Remember: git status shows current file changes and staging [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing git status with git commit
• Thinking git status deletes files
• Assuming git status changes files automatically

2. Which of the following commands correctly stages a file named app.js for commit?

easy

A. git commit app.js

B. git status app.js

C. git add app.js

D. git push app.js

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the command to stage files

   The git add command is used to add files to the staging area.

2. Step 2: Confirm the correct syntax for staging a specific file

   Using git add app.js stages the file named app.js for the next commit.

3. Final Answer:

   git add app.js -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Stage files = git add [OK]

Hint: Use git add to stage files before committing [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using git commit to stage files
• Trying to use git status to stage
• Using git push before commit

3. Given the following sequence of commands, what will git status show about index.html?

echo 'Hello' > index.html
git add index.html
echo 'World' >> index.html
git status

medium

A. index.html is staged and has unstaged changes.

B. index.html is deleted.

C. index.html is untracked.

D. index.html is staged and unchanged.

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze the commands on index.html

   First, 'Hello' is written and the file is staged with git add. Then 'World' is appended, modifying the file after staging.

2. Step 2: Understand git status output

   Git will show index.html as staged (with 'Hello') but also as modified (unstaged changes with 'World').

3. Final Answer:

   index.html is staged and has unstaged changes. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Modified after staging = staged + unstaged changes [OK]

Hint: Changes after git add show as unstaged modifications [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming staging updates automatically after file change
• Thinking file is untracked after git add
• Confusing staged with committed

4. You ran git add README.md but git status still shows README.md under 'Changes not staged for commit'. What is the likely cause?

medium

A. README.md is ignored by .gitignore.

B. You modified README.md after running git add.

C. You committed README.md already.

D. README.md is deleted from the working directory.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand git add and file modification

   Running git add stages the current file state. If the file changes after, those changes are unstaged.

2. Step 2: Interpret git status showing unstaged changes

   If README.md appears under 'Changes not staged for commit', it means it was modified after staging.

3. Final Answer:

   You modified README.md after running git add. -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Modify after add = unstaged changes shown [OK]

Hint: Modify after git add causes unstaged changes [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming git add stages future changes automatically
• Thinking .gitignore affects already tracked files
• Confusing committed files with staged files

5. You want to prepare a commit but accidentally staged a large file secret.txt. How can you remove it from the staging area without deleting the file from your working directory?

hard

A. git checkout secret.txt

B. git rm secret.txt

C. git clean secret.txt

D. git reset secret.txt

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the difference between unstaging and deleting

   To remove a file from staging but keep it in the working directory, you must unstage it.

2. Step 2: Identify the correct command to unstage a file

   git reset secret.txt removes the file from the staging area without deleting it from disk.

3. Final Answer:

   git reset secret.txt -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Unstage file = git reset filename [OK]

Hint: Use git reset to unstage files without deleting [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using git rm deletes the file from disk
• Using git checkout resets file content, not staging
• Using git clean deletes untracked files