Checking Repository Status
Once you have a Git repository set up, you need to know how to check the current state of your files and commits. This helps you track changes and understand what to do next.
1. Check Status of Files
git status
Description: Shows which files are staged, unstaged, or untracked.
It helps you see what changes are ready to be committed and what files are new or modified.
Output will list files like:
modified: file1.txt→ changed but not stagednew file: file2.txt→ new file not yet tracked
2. See Differences
git diff
Description: Shows the actual changes in your files that have not been staged for commit.
It’s useful to review what you’ve modified before committing.
- Lines removed will start with
- - Lines added will start with
+
To see changes that are staged for commit:
git diff --staged
3. View Commit History
git log
Description: Displays the commit history of the repository in reverse chronological order.
You can see who made each commit, the commit message, and the commit hash.
To make it shorter and easier to read:
git log --oneline
This shows each commit on a single line with its short hash and message.
Summary of Status & Log Commands
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
git status | Check staged, unstaged, and untracked files |
git diff | See changes not staged for commit |
git diff --staged | See changes staged and ready to commit |
git log | View full commit history |
git log --oneline | View compact commit history |
Next, you’ll learn how to stage and commit changes in the repository.