How to Apply Stash in Git: Simple Commands and Examples

To apply a stash in Git, use the command git stash apply which restores the most recent saved changes without removing them from the stash list. You can also apply a specific stash by adding its name, like git stash apply stash@{1}.

Syntax

The basic syntax to apply a stash in Git is:

• git stash apply: Applies the latest stash.
• git stash apply <stash-name>: Applies a specific stash by its identifier.

Applying a stash restores your saved changes to your working directory but keeps the stash in the list for reuse or later removal.

bash

git stash apply [<stash-name>]

Example

This example shows how to save changes to a stash and then apply them back to your working directory.

bash

git stash push -m "work in progress"
git stash list
git stash apply

Output

Saved working directory and index state WIP on main: 123abc4 work in progress
stash@{0}: WIP on main: 123abc4 work in progress
On branch main
Your branch is up to date with 'origin/main'.

Changes applied from stash@{0}.

Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes when applying stash include:

• Not specifying the stash name when multiple stashes exist, which applies only the latest stash.
• Expecting git stash apply to remove the stash; it does not remove it, so the stash remains unless dropped manually.
• Conflicts can occur if the stash changes clash with current files; you must resolve conflicts manually.

bash

git stash apply  # Applies latest stash but does not remove it

git stash drop  # Use this to remove a stash after applying

# Wrong: expecting stash to be removed automatically
# Right:
git stash apply
# then
 git stash drop

Quick Reference

Command	Description
git stash push -m "message"	Save current changes to a new stash with a message
git stash list	Show all saved stashes
git stash apply	Apply the latest stash without removing it
git stash apply stash@{n}	Apply a specific stash by index
git stash drop stash@{n}	Remove a specific stash from the list
git stash pop	Apply the latest stash and remove it from the list

Key Takeaways

Use git stash apply to restore saved changes without deleting the stash.

Specify the stash name like stash@{1} to apply a particular stash.

Conflicts may happen when applying stash; resolve them manually.

Stashes remain after applying unless you remove them with git stash drop.

Use git stash pop to apply and remove the stash in one step.