The Three Stages in Git

What Are the Three Stages in Git?

Git tracks your changes in three main stages:
Working Directory, Staging Area (Index), and Repository (Commit History).
Understanding these stages is key to mastering Git’s workflow!

1. Working Directory

• This is your project folder on your computer.
• Any changes you make to files—editing, adding, deleting—happen here first.
• Files in the working directory can be:
  • Untracked: New files Git hasn’t seen before.
  • Modified: Files you’ve changed since the last commit.

Example:
You edit main.py and add a new file README.md.
Both are in your working directory.

2. Staging Area (Index)

• The staging area is a place where you tell Git which changes you want to include in your next commit.
• You move changes from the working directory to the staging area using:

git add <filename>

• Only staged changes will be included in your next commit.

Example:
You want to commit only changes to main.py, not README.md yet:

git add main.py

Now, main.py is staged, but README.md is not.

3. Repository (Commit History)

• The repository is where Git permanently stores your project’s history.
• When you commit, all staged changes are saved as a new snapshot (commit) in the repository.
• Commits are safe, versioned, and can be shared with others.

Example:
You commit your staged changes:

git commit -m "Update main.py with new feature"

Now, your changes to main.py are part of the repository history.

Visual Summary

[Working Directory] --(git add)--> [Staging Area] --(git commit)--> [Repository]

• Working Directory: Where you edit files.
• Staging Area: Where you prepare changes for commit.
• Repository: Where your project’s history lives.

Why Are These Stages Important?

• Control:
  You choose exactly which changes to commit.
• Safety:
  Only committed changes are saved in history; you can undo or redo as needed.
• Collaboration:
  Commits can be shared, reviewed, and merged with others.

Tip:
Use git status often to see which files are untracked, modified, or staged.
Mastering the three stages gives you full control over your project’s