git stash apply vs pop - Visual Side-by-Side Comparison

Process Flow - git stash apply vs pop

Make changes in working directory

↓

Run git stash

↓

Changes saved in stash stack

↓

git stash apply

↓

git stash pop

↓

Working directory updated with stashed changes

This flow shows how changes are saved to stash and then reapplied using either 'apply' or 'pop'. 'Apply' keeps stash, 'pop' removes it.

Execution Sample

Git

git stash
# saves changes

git stash apply
# reapplies changes, stash stays

git stash pop
# reapplies changes, stash removed

This sequence saves changes, reapplies them with apply (stash kept), then reapplies and removes stash with pop.

Process Table

Step	Command	Action	Stash State	Working Directory State
1	git stash	Save current changes to stash stack	stash@{0} created with changes	Clean (changes saved)
2	git stash apply	Reapply changes from stash@{0}	stash@{0} remains unchanged	Changes reapplied
3	git stash pop	Reapply changes from stash@{0} and remove stash	stash@{0} removed	Changes reapplied
4	git stash list	Check stash stack	Empty (no stashes)	Working directory unchanged

💡 After pop, stash is removed so no stashes remain.

Status Tracker

Variable	Start	After Step 1	After Step 2	After Step 3	After Step 4
stash stack	empty	stash@{0} with changes	stash@{0} with changes	empty	empty
working directory	with changes	clean	changes reapplied	changes reapplied	changes reapplied

Key Moments - 2 Insights

Why does 'git stash apply' keep the stash but 'git stash pop' removes it?

'git stash apply' reapplies changes but leaves stash@{0} intact (see step 2 in execution_table). 'git stash pop' reapplies and deletes stash@{0} (step 3), so stash is empty after.

What happens if you run 'git stash pop' twice without new stashes?

After first pop, stash is empty (step 4). Second pop will fail because no stash exists to apply or remove.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution table, what is the stash state after 'git stash apply'?

A stash@{0} remains unchanged

B stash@{0} removed

C stash stack is empty

D stash@{1} created

💡 Hint

Check Step 2 in the execution_table under 'Stash State'

At which step does the stash get removed from the stack?

A Step 1

B Step 2

C Step 3

D Step 4

💡 Hint

Look at 'Stash State' column in execution_table for when stash@{0} is removed

If you want to keep the stash for later use after reapplying changes, which command should you use?

A git stash pop

B git stash apply

C git stash drop

D git stash clear

💡 Hint

Refer to the difference between apply and pop in concept_flow and execution_table

Concept Snapshot

git stash saves changes temporarily.
Use 'git stash apply' to reapply changes but keep stash.
Use 'git stash pop' to reapply and remove stash.
Apply is safe to reuse stash; pop cleans stash after use.
Check stash with 'git stash list'.

Full Transcript

This visual execution shows how git stash saves your current changes safely. When you run 'git stash', your changes are saved and your working directory becomes clean. Using 'git stash apply' reapplies those saved changes but keeps the stash for later. Using 'git stash pop' reapplies the changes and removes the stash entry. The execution table tracks each step, showing stash state and working directory state. Key moments clarify why apply keeps stash while pop removes it, and what happens if you pop twice. The quiz tests understanding of stash state changes and command choice. Remember, apply is for reusing stash, pop is for reapplying and cleaning stash.

Practice

1. What is the main difference between git stash apply and git stash pop?

easy

A. git stash apply only shows the stash content, git stash pop applies it.

B. git stash apply deletes the stash after applying, git stash pop keeps it.

C. git stash apply restores changes but keeps the stash saved, while git stash pop restores changes and removes the stash.

D. git stash apply creates a new stash, git stash pop deletes all stashes.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand git stash apply behavior

   This command restores the saved changes from the stash but keeps the stash entry intact for future use.

2. Step 2: Understand git stash pop behavior

   This command restores the changes and then removes the stash entry, cleaning up automatically.

3. Final Answer:

   git stash apply restores changes but keeps the stash saved, while git stash pop restores changes and removes the stash. -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Apply keeps stash, pop removes stash [OK]

Hint: Apply keeps stash, pop removes stash after applying [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking apply deletes stash
• Confusing pop with apply
• Believing apply only previews changes
• Assuming pop keeps stash

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to restore stash changes and remove the stash entry?

easy

A. git stash apply

B. git stash pop

C. git stash save

D. git stash list

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify command to restore and remove stash

   git stash pop restores the changes and deletes the stash entry.

2. Step 2: Confirm other commands

   git stash apply restores but keeps stash; git stash save creates stash; git stash list shows stashes.

3. Final Answer:

   git stash pop -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Pop restores and removes stash [OK]

Hint: Pop restores and deletes stash, apply keeps stash [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using apply instead of pop to remove stash
• Confusing save with pop
• Trying to remove stash with list
• Using wrong command syntax

3. Given this sequence of commands:

git stash save "work in progress"
git stash apply

What happens to the stash list after these commands?

medium

A. The stash list still contains the saved stash.

B. The stash list is empty.

C. The stash list contains two identical stashes.

D. The stash list is deleted.

Solution

1. Step 1: Save a stash

   git stash save "work in progress" creates a stash entry and saves changes.

2. Step 2: Apply stash without removing

   git stash apply restores changes but keeps the stash entry intact.

3. Final Answer:

   The stash list still contains the saved stash. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Apply keeps stash in list [OK]

Hint: Apply restores but stash remains in list [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming apply removes stash
• Thinking stash list duplicates
• Believing stash list clears automatically
• Confusing apply with pop

4. You ran git stash pop but got a conflict error. What should you do to fix this?

medium

A. Run git stash apply again to fix conflicts automatically.

B. Run git stash pop again without resolving conflicts.

C. Delete the stash file manually from .git folder.

D. Manually resolve conflicts, then run git stash drop to remove stash.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand conflict on pop

   git stash pop applies changes and removes stash, but conflicts can occur if changes clash.

2. Step 2: Resolve conflicts and clean stash

   Manually fix conflicts, then remove stash with git stash drop if pop did not remove it due to conflict.

3. Final Answer:

   Manually resolve conflicts, then run git stash drop to remove stash. -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Fix conflicts, then drop stash manually [OK]

Hint: Resolve conflicts manually, then drop stash [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Rerunning pop without fixing conflicts
• Assuming apply fixes conflicts automatically
• Deleting stash files manually
• Ignoring conflicts and continuing

5. You want to test changes saved in a stash without removing it, then later clean up if everything works. Which sequence of commands should you use?

hard

A. git stash apply; if okay, git stash drop

B. git stash pop; if okay, git stash apply

C. git stash drop; then git stash apply

D. git stash list; git stash pop

Solution

1. Step 1: Use git stash apply to test changes

   This command restores changes but keeps stash, so you can test without losing the stash.

2. Step 2: Remove stash if tests pass

   If changes work well, run git stash drop to delete the stash and clean up.

3. Final Answer:

   git stash apply; if okay, git stash drop -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Apply to test, drop to clean [OK]

Hint: Apply to test, drop to remove stash later [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using pop first and losing stash before testing
• Dropping stash before applying
• Applying stash twice unnecessarily
• Confusing list with apply or pop