git stash pop to restore - Step-by-Step Execution

Process Flow - git stash pop to restore

Make changes in working directory

↓

Run git stash

↓

Changes saved and working directory clean

↓

Run git stash pop

↓

Changes restored to working directory

↓

Stash entry removed from stash list

This flow shows how changes are saved temporarily with git stash, then restored and removed from stash using git stash pop.

Execution Sample

Git

git stash
# saves changes

git stash pop
# restores changes and removes stash

This code saves current changes to stash and then restores them back to the working directory, removing the stash entry.

Process Table

Step	Command	Action	Working Directory State	Stash List State	Output
1	git stash	Save changes to stash	Clean (no changes)	1 stash entry	Saved working directory and index state WIP on branch
2	git stash pop	Apply stash and remove it	Changes restored	Empty (stash cleared)	On branch branch-name Dropped refs/stash@{0} (hash)
3	-	End	Changes restored in working directory	No stash entries

💡 Stash applied and removed, working directory restored to saved changes

Status Tracker

Variable	Start	After git stash	After git stash pop	Final
Working Directory	Has uncommitted changes	Clean (no changes)	Changes restored	Changes restored
Stash List	Empty	1 stash entry	Empty	Empty

Key Moments - 2 Insights

Why does git stash pop remove the stash entry after restoring changes?

Because git stash pop applies the saved changes and then deletes that stash entry to keep the stash list clean, as shown in execution_table step 2.

What happens if there are conflicts when running git stash pop?

Git will apply changes but pause to let you resolve conflicts manually before completing, which is not shown here but important to know.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution table, what is the state of the working directory after step 1?

A Contains uncommitted changes

B Clean with no changes

C Contains committed changes

D Empty directory

💡 Hint

Check the 'Working Directory State' column in row for step 1

At which step is the stash entry removed from the stash list?

A Step 1

B Step 3

C Step 2

D Never removed

💡 Hint

Look at the 'Stash List State' column in the execution table

If you run git stash pop twice in a row without new stashes, what happens?

A Second pop fails with no stash entries

B Second pop creates a new stash

C Second pop restores changes again

D Second pop cleans working directory

💡 Hint

Refer to the stash list state after step 2 and what happens when stash is empty

Concept Snapshot

Use git stash to save your current changes temporarily.
Then git stash pop restores those changes back to your working directory.
It also removes the stash entry so it doesn't stay saved.
Use it to quickly save and restore work in progress.
If conflicts occur, you must resolve them manually.

Full Transcript

This visual execution shows how git stash pop works. First, you make changes in your working directory. Running git stash saves those changes and cleans your directory. The stash list now has one entry. Next, running git stash pop applies those saved changes back to your working directory and removes the stash entry. The working directory now has your changes restored, and the stash list is empty. This helps you temporarily save work and restore it later. Remember, if conflicts happen during pop, you must fix them manually before continuing.