Repository navigation
Stashes
A stash is a shelf for unfinished work. It takes your uncommitted changes, puts them aside and leaves your files clean, so you can switch branches or pull. Later you bring the changes back.
- Choose Git > Uncommitted Changes > Stash Changes... in the menu bar.
- In the Stash Changes dialog, type a Message so you can recognise it later. It starts as
WIP("work in progress"). - Leave Include untracked files ticked to also put new files that git does not track yet on the shelf. Untick it to stash only changes to tracked files.
- Click Stash.
Your files go back to how they were at the last commit, a note says Changes stashed, and the stash appears in the sidebar. If there is nothing to stash, a note says No local changes to stash instead. When only new files changed and Include untracked files is off, it tells you to turn that on.
The Git menu works on the active repository. To stash another repository without switching, use its ... button in Changes: Stash > Stash keeps new files where they are, and Stash (Include Untracked) stashes them too. Both ask for the message. See Repository Actions.
Open the Branches and Stashes sidebar (Shift+Cmd+E). Stashes are the last section.
A stash under the mouse: its message and the Apply, Pop and Drop buttons.
Each row shows the message and a name like stash@{0}. Git puts the branch in front of your message, so WIP: free shipping threshold stashed on main shows as On main: WIP: free shipping threshold. Hover a long message to read all of it. The newest stash is always stash@{0}; older ones count up. The Stashes heading shows how many there are, and the filter box at the top also searches stash messages.
If git cannot read the stash list, the section stays empty and a note says Could not read stashes with git's message. It shows once, not on every refresh.
Hover a stash to see three buttons in place of its stash@{0} name, or right-click it for the same actions:
- Apply (check mark) puts the changes back into your files and keeps the stash, so you can apply it again elsewhere.
- Pop (up arrow) puts the changes back and removes the stash ("apply and drop"). This is the usual choice.
- Drop (x, or Drop... in the menu) deletes the stash without applying it. You are asked first (Drop Stash), because this cannot be undone.
A note confirms each one, for example Popped stash@{0}. The buttons wait while another operation runs.
You can also bring changes back without the sidebar:
- Git > Uncommitted Changes > Unstash Changes... lists the stashes of the active repository. Pick one, then choose Pop or Apply.
- A repository's ... > Stash submenu in Changes has Apply Latest Stash and Pop Latest Stash for
stash@{0}, and Apply Stash..., Pop Stash... and Drop Stash... with a list to pick from. - Drop All Stashes in the same submenu deletes every stash of that repository, after asking. This cannot be undone.
If the stashed changes clash with changes in your files, git stops with conflicts (a conflict is a spot where both versions changed the same lines). Nibtree opens the Conflicts dialog. See Resolving Conflicts. After a pop that stopped on conflicts, git keeps the stash, so nothing is lost; drop it yourself once you are done.
You are halfway through a free shipping change on main in the storefront repository when a bug report comes in.
- Choose Git > Uncommitted Changes > Stash Changes..., type
WIP: free shipping threshold, and click Stash. - Switch to
fix/tax-rates, fix the bug, commit and push. - Switch back to
main. - Hover On main: WIP: free shipping threshold in the sidebar and click Pop. Your half-done change is back.
- Give stashes clear messages.
WIPis fine for a minute, but after a week you will not remember what it was. - A stash is local to your computer. It is not pushed to the server.
- You can apply a stash on a different branch from the one you stashed on.
- To put aside only some files, use the Shelf instead.