Working directory state in Git - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is the working directory in Git?

The working directory is the folder on your computer where you edit and create files. It shows the current state of your project files before you save changes to Git.

beginner

What does it mean if a file is modified in the working directory?

A modified file means you changed it in your working directory but have not yet saved those changes to Git with a commit.

beginner

How can you see the state of your working directory in Git?

Use the command git status. It shows which files are modified, staged, or untracked in your working directory.

intermediate

What is the difference between the working directory and the staging area?

The working directory is where you edit files. The staging area is where you prepare files to be saved in the next commit.

intermediate

What happens if you run git checkout -- <file> on a modified file in the working directory?

It discards changes in the working directory for that file, restoring it to the last committed version.

What does the working directory in Git represent?

A The remote repository on GitHub

B The saved commit history

C The list of branches

D The current files you are editing on your computer

The working directory is where your project files live on your computer and where you make changes.

Which command shows the state of your working directory?

A git status

B git commit

C git push

D git branch

git status shows which files are modified, staged, or untracked in your working directory.

If a file is modified in the working directory, what does that mean?

A The file is unchanged

B The file has changes not yet saved to Git

C The file is deleted from the project

D The file is staged for commit

Modified means the file has changes in the working directory that are not yet committed.

What does the command git checkout -- <file> do to a modified file?

A Saves changes to the remote repository

B Adds the file to the staging area

C Discards changes and restores the last committed version

D Deletes the file permanently

This command discards local changes in the working directory for that file.

Which area holds files you want to include in the next commit?

A Staging area

B Working directory

C Remote repository

D Commit history

The staging area is where you prepare files before committing them to Git.

Explain the role of the working directory in Git and how it relates to the staging area and commits.

Think about the flow of changes from editing to saving in Git.

Describe how you can check the state of your working directory and what information you get from it.

This command helps you know what files need attention.

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