How to Create a Branch from a Git Stash Quickly

To create a new branch from a stash, first create the branch with git checkout -b <branch-name>, then apply the stash using git stash apply or git stash pop. This lets you work on the stashed changes in a new branch safely.

Syntax

Here is the basic syntax to create a branch from a stash:

• git checkout -b <branch-name>: Creates and switches to a new branch.
• git stash apply [stash@{index}]: Applies the stashed changes without removing them from the stash list.
• git stash pop [stash@{index}]: Applies the stashed changes and removes them from the stash list.

bash

git checkout -b <branch-name>
git stash apply [stash@{index}]
# or
# git stash pop [stash@{index}]

Example

This example shows how to create a new branch named feature-from-stash and apply the latest stash to it.

bash

git stash list
# Output: stash@{0}: WIP on main: 123abc Fix bug

git checkout -b feature-from-stash
Switched to a new branch 'feature-from-stash'

git stash apply stash@{0}
# Applies the stashed changes to the new branch

Output

stash@{0}: WIP on main: 123abc Fix bug
Switched to a new branch 'feature-from-stash'
On branch feature-from-stash
Changes applied from stash@{0}

Common Pitfalls

Applying stash without switching branches: Applying a stash on the wrong branch can cause conflicts or unwanted changes.

Using git stash pop without confirming success: If conflicts occur, the stash is not lost but changes are not applied cleanly.

Not specifying stash index: If you have multiple stashes, applying without specifying which one can apply the wrong changes.

bash

git stash pop
# If conflicts occur, stash is not lost but changes are not cleanly applied

# Correct way:
git stash apply stash@{0}
# Resolve conflicts if any
# Then drop stash manually if successful
git stash drop stash@{0}

Quick Reference

Command	Description
git stash list	Show all saved stashes with their indexes
git checkout -b	Create and switch to a new branch
git stash apply [stash@{index}]	Apply stash changes without removing them
git stash pop [stash@{index}]	Apply stash changes and remove from stash list
git stash drop [stash@{index}]	Delete a stash after applying it successfully

Key Takeaways

Always create and switch to a new branch before applying stash to keep work organized.

Use 'git stash apply' to keep stash intact until you confirm changes apply cleanly.

Specify stash index if you have multiple stashes to avoid applying wrong changes.

Avoid using 'git stash pop' blindly as it removes stash even if conflicts occur.

Drop stash manually after successful application to keep stash list clean.