git stash list to view stashes - Step-by-Step Execution

Process Flow - git stash list to view stashes

Run 'git stash list'

↓

Git reads stash references

↓

Git formats stash info

↓

Display list of stashes

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Done

This flow shows how the 'git stash list' command reads and displays all saved stashes in your repository.

Execution Sample

Git

git stash list

This command shows all the stashes saved in the current git repository.

Process Table

Step	Action	Evaluation	Result
1	User runs 'git stash list'	Command received by git	Start processing stashes
2	Git reads stash references	Reads stash commits from .git/logs/refs/stash	Finds stash entries
3	Git formats stash info	Formats each stash with index and message	Prepares list output
4	Git outputs stash list	Prints list to terminal	Shows stashes like 'stash@{0}: WIP on main: ...'
5	Command ends	No more stashes to show	Returns to prompt

💡 All stash entries displayed, command completes

Status Tracker

Variable	Start	After Step 2	After Step 3	Final
stash_list	empty	stash@{0}: WIP on main: 123abc4 Fix bug	formatted list with index and message	final list displayed
command_status	not started	processing	formatting	completed

Key Moments - 2 Insights

Why does 'git stash list' show stash@{0} as the most recent stash?

Because git numbers stashes with 0 as the newest. See execution_table step 4 where the list is printed starting from stash@{0}.

What if there are no stashes saved? What does 'git stash list' show?

It shows no output or an empty list because in execution_table step 2, git finds no stash references.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution table, what does git do at step 3?

A Reads stash commits from disk

B Formats stash info for display

C Prints stash list to terminal

D Ends the command

💡 Hint

Check the 'Action' and 'Evaluation' columns at step 3 in the execution_table.

At which step does git output the stash list to the terminal?

A Step 4

B Step 2

C Step 1

D Step 5

💡 Hint

Look for the row where 'Git outputs stash list' is the action.

If there are no stashes, what will the 'stash_list' variable contain after step 2?

A A list with one stash

B An error message

C An empty list

D A list with default stash

💡 Hint

Refer to variable_tracker for 'stash_list' after step 2.

Concept Snapshot

git stash list
- Shows all saved stashes in the repo
- Lists stashes newest first as stash@{0}, stash@{1}, ...
- Displays stash message and branch info
- Empty if no stashes saved
- Useful to review saved work

Full Transcript

The 'git stash list' command shows all the stashes saved in your git repository. When you run it, git reads the stash references stored internally, formats each stash with its index and message, then prints the list to your terminal. The newest stash is shown as stash@{0}. If no stashes exist, the list is empty. This helps you see what work you saved temporarily.

Practice

1. What does the command git stash list do in Git?

easy

A. Applies the latest stash to the working directory

B. Deletes all stashes permanently

C. Shows all saved stashes with their names and messages

D. Creates a new stash from current changes

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the purpose of git stash list

   This command is used to display all the stashes saved in the repository, showing their names and messages.

2. Step 2: Differentiate from other stash commands

   Unlike commands that create, apply, or delete stashes, git stash list only shows the list without changing anything.

3. Final Answer:

   Shows all saved stashes with their names and messages -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   View stashes = git stash list [OK]

Hint: Use git stash list to see all saved stashes quickly [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing list with apply or drop commands
• Thinking it deletes or creates stashes
• Expecting it to show file changes inside stash

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to view all stashes in Git?

easy

A. git stash show

B. git stash list

C. git stash view

D. git stash display

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall the exact command to list stashes

   The correct command to list all stashes is git stash list.

2. Step 2: Verify other options are invalid

   git stash show shows details of one stash, not the list; git stash view and git stash display are not valid Git commands.

3. Final Answer:

   git stash list -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   List stashes = git stash list [OK]

Hint: Remember: 'list' shows all stashes, not 'show' or 'view' [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using 'git stash show' to list all stashes
• Typing 'git stash view' which is invalid
• Confusing 'list' with 'show'

3. Given the following output from git stash list:

stash@{0}: WIP on main: 123abc Fix header
stash@{1}: WIP on feature: 456def Add login
stash@{2}: WIP on main: 789ghi Update footer

What is the message of the stash at stash@{1}?

medium

A. Add login

B. Fix header

C. Update footer

D. WIP on main

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the stash index and message

   The stash at stash@{1} shows the message after the colon, which is 'Add login'.

2. Step 2: Confirm the message corresponds to the correct stash

   Other stashes have different messages: stash@{0} is 'Fix header', stash@{2} is 'Update footer'.

3. Final Answer:

   Add login -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Message at stash@{1} = 'Add login' [OK]

Hint: Read stash index carefully; message follows the colon [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Mixing stash indexes and messages
• Choosing the branch name instead of message
• Ignoring the stash number format

4. You ran git stash list but got no output, even though you recently stashed changes. What is the most likely reason?

medium

A. Git stash list only shows uncommitted changes

B. You used git stash list incorrectly with extra arguments

C. Your stashes were deleted automatically after applying

D. You are in a different repository without stashes

Solution

1. Step 1: Check repository context

   If git stash list shows nothing, you might be in a different repository where no stashes exist.

2. Step 2: Evaluate other options

   Using extra arguments would cause an error, not empty output; stashes are not deleted automatically unless dropped; git stash list shows saved stashes, not uncommitted changes.

3. Final Answer:

   You are in a different repository without stashes -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   No output means no stashes in current repo [OK]

Hint: Check current repo; no stashes means empty list [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming stashes auto-delete after apply
• Expecting git stash list to show uncommitted changes
• Using wrong command syntax causing silent failure

5. You have multiple stashes saved. You want to apply the second stash shown in git stash list without removing it from the stash list. Which command should you use?

hard

A. git stash apply stash@{1}

B. git stash pop stash@{1}

C. git stash drop stash@{1}

D. git stash list stash@{1}

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the difference between apply and pop

   git stash apply applies a stash but keeps it in the list; git stash pop applies and removes it.

2. Step 2: Identify correct command to apply second stash

   To apply the second stash, use git stash apply stash@{1}. git stash drop deletes the stash, and git stash list stash@{1} is invalid syntax.

3. Final Answer:

   git stash apply stash@{1} -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Apply without removing = git stash apply [OK]

Hint: Use apply to keep stash, pop to remove after applying [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using pop which deletes stash after applying
• Trying to list a specific stash with wrong syntax
• Dropping stash instead of applying