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

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Changes saved in stash stack

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git stash apply

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git stash pop

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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.