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The command git add [--all|-A] appears to be identical to git add .. Is this correct? If not, how do they differ?
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Git add sends all files from the untracked area to the stage area. Git add is more like to be used in big projects where small changes are used to be made. Git add -a, all the untracked files to the staging area.
In review, git add is the first command in a chain of operations that directs Git to "save" a snapshot of the current project state, into the commit history. When used on its own, git add will promote pending changes from the working directory to the staging area.
The easiest way to add all files to your Git repository is to use the “git add” command followed by the “-A” option for “all”. In this case, the new (or untracked), deleted and modified files will be added to your Git staging area.
The git add command adds new or changed files in your working directory to the Git staging area. git add is an important command - without it, no git commit would ever do anything. Sometimes, git add can have a reputation for being an unnecessary step in development.
This answer only applies to Git version 1.x. For Git version 2.x, see other answers.
Summary:
git add -A stages all changes
git add . stages new files and modifications, without deletions (on the current directory and its subdirectories).
git add -u stages modifications and deletions, without new files
Detail:
git add -A is equivalent to git add .; git add -u.
The important point about git add . is that it looks at the working tree and adds all those paths to the staged changes if they are either changed or are new and not ignored, it does not stage any 'rm' actions.
git add -u looks at all the already tracked files and stages the changes to those files if they are different or if they have been removed. It does not add any new files, it only stages changes to already tracked files.
git add -A is a handy shortcut for doing both of those.
You can test the differences out with something like this (note that for Git version 2.x your output for git add . git status will be different):
git init echo Change me > change-me echo Delete me > delete-me git add change-me delete-me git commit -m initial echo OK >> change-me rm delete-me echo Add me > add-me git status # Changed but not updated: # modified: change-me # deleted: delete-me # Untracked files: # add-me git add . git status # Changes to be committed: # new file: add-me # modified: change-me # Changed but not updated: # deleted: delete-me git reset git add -u git status # Changes to be committed: # modified: change-me # deleted: delete-me # Untracked files: # add-me git reset git add -A git status # Changes to be committed: # new file: add-me # modified: change-me # deleted: delete-me | Command | New Files | Modified Files | Deleted Files | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
git add -A | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | Stage all (new, modified, deleted) files |
git add . | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | Stage new and modified files only in current folder |
git add -u | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | Stage modified and deleted files only |
| Command | New Files | Modified Files | Deleted Files | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
git add -A | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | Stage all (new, modified, deleted) files |
git add . | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | Stage all (new, modified, deleted) files in current folder |
git add --ignore-removal . | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | Stage new and modified files only |
git add -u | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | Stage modified and deleted files only |
git add -A is equivalent to git add --all git add -u is equivalent to git add --update
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