Advanced Git Stash — Partial Stashes, Branches, and Recovery

# Working on login.py, style.css, and database.py
git status
# modified:   login.py
# modified:   style.css
# modified:   database.py

# Stash only CSS and HTML files
git stash push -m "UI changes" -- *.css *.html
# Saved working directory and index state On main: UI changes

# Only login.py and database.py remain modified
git status
# modified:   login.py
# modified:   database.py

# Stash the database changes separately
git stash push -m "DB migration" -- database.py
# Saved working directory and index state On main: DB migration

# Now only login.py is modified
git status
# modified:   login.py

# Stash interactively
git stash push -p
# Diff divided into hunks. For each hunk:
# (1) yes / (2) no / (3) edit / (4) quit / (5) all / (6) help

# Example:
# diff --git a/login.py b/login.py
# @@ -10,5 +10,8 @@ def login():
#     verify_password()
# +    send_welcome_email()     # ← Hunk 1
# +    log_attempt()             # ← Hunk 2
# Stash this hunk? [y,n,q,a,d,e,?] y    # Stash hunk 1
# Stash this hunk? [y,n,q,a,d,e,?] n    # Keep hunk 2 in working dir

# Stage some changes, leave others unstaged
git add login.py           # Staged
echo "debug" >> utils.py   # Unstaged

# Stash only unstaged changes
git stash push -k -m "WIP utils debug"
# --keep-index keeps staged files (login.py) in the working tree
# Only utils.py changes are stashed

git status
# modified:   login.py     # Still staged as before

# Restore the unstashed changes
git stash pop
# utils.py changes are back

# Current branch has diverged since the stash was created
git stash list
# stash@{0}: WIP on feature: a1b2c3 Add login form

# Trying to pop causes conflicts
git stash pop
# CONFLICT (content): Merge conflict in login.py

# Instead, create a branch from the commit where stash was made
git stash branch new-feature stash@{0}
# Switched to a new branch 'new-feature'
# On branch new-feature
# Changes to be committed:
#   modified:   login.py

# The stash is automatically dropped if successful

# List all stashes
git stash list
# stash@{0}: On main: DB migration
# stash@{1}: On main: UI changes
# stash@{2}: WIP on feature: a1b2c3

# Show summary of what's in a stash
git stash show stash@{1}
# style.css | 15 +++++++++++++++
# 1 file changed, 15 insertions(+)

# Show the full diff
git stash show -p stash@{1}

# Show as a patch
git stash show -v stash@{1}

# Accidentally dropped a stash
git stash drop stash@{1}
# Dropped stash@{1} (a1b2c3d4e5f6...)

# Use reflog to find the commit
git reflog show refs/stash
# a1b2c3 refs/stash@{0}: WIP on main: UI changes
# d4e5f6 refs/stash@{1}: WIP on main: DB migration  ← still in reflog

# Recover by applying the commit directly
git stash apply d4e5f6
# Changes restored as if you did git stash pop

# Default: stash only tracked, modified files
git stash

# Include untracked files (new files not yet tracked)
git stash --include-untracked   # or -u

# Include everything (including .gitignore'd files)
git stash --all                 # or -a
# WARNING: -a stashes everything including node_modules, .env, etc.

# Before switching branches, auto-stash
#!/bin/bash
# git-switch-safe: stash changes, switch branch, pop stash
BRANCH=$1
CURRENT=$(git branch --show-current)

if [ -n "$(git status --porcelain)" ]; then
    git stash push -m "Auto-stash from $CURRENT"
    STASHED=true
fi

git checkout "$BRANCH"

if [ "$STASHED" = true ]; then
    git stash pop
fi