Temporarily set aside work with git stash

You are halfway through a feature when an urgent fix arrives. The work is not ready for a commit, but you need a clean working tree to switch context.

git stash push saves selected working state so you can return to a cleaner checkout. git stash list shows saved entries. git stash apply reapplies one while keeping it; git stash pop applies and then removes it if successful.

By default, untracked files are not always included; use options such as -u deliberately when needed. A stash can also conflict when reapplied if the target files changed meanwhile.

Run this in a disposable practice repository unless the lesson explicitly says otherwise.

git stash push -m "WIP search layout"
git stash list
# switch and handle another task
git stash show -p stash@{0}
git stash pop

The message makes the stash easier to identify. show -p lets you inspect what you saved before reapplying it.

Your task: Create a staged change and an unstaged change, stash them, verify the working tree is clean, then pop the stash and confirm both return.

Do not use the stash as long-term project history. Important work should eventually become named branches and commits that are easier to discover and share.

Temporarily set aside work with git stash is complete when you can explain the state being changed before you run the command, not merely repeat the syntax.

Read further: official supporting documentation.