Git Fetch vs Git Pull: What’s the Difference?
git fetch and git pull allow you to download changes from a remote repository and update your local repository accordingly. However, there are some important differences between the two commands that can affect how you use Git in your development workflow. In this guide, we’ll cover the differences between git fetch and git pull, along with some best practices and examples to help you choose the right command for your needs.
Git Fetch
The git fetch command downloads the latest changes from a remote repository, but it does not update your local working copy. Instead, it updates your local copy of the remote branches and their associated objects (i.e., commits, tags, and trees) without modifying your working files.
Here’s an example of how to use git fetch:
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$ git fetch origin
This command fetches the latest changes from the origin remote repository and updates your local copy of the remote branches, but it does not modify your local working files. This means that any changes you’ve made to your local files will not be affected by the fetch command.
Git Pull
The git pull command, on the other hand, downloads the latest changes from a remote repository and updates both your local repository and your working files. In other words, it is equivalent to running git fetch followed by git merge.
Here’s an example of how to use git pull:
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$ git pull origin master
This command pulls the latest changes from the master branch of the origin remote repository and updates both your local repository and your working files. This means that any changes you’ve made to your local files will be overwritten by the changes from the remote repository.
Differences Between Git Fetch and Git Pull
The main difference between git fetch and git pull is that git fetch only downloads the latest changes from the remote repository and updates your local copy of the remote branches, while git pull downloads the latest changes and updates both your local repository and your working files.
Another difference is that git fetch allows you to review the changes before merging them into your local copy, while git pull automatically merges the changes without giving you a chance to review them first. This can be a problem if there are conflicts between your local changes and the changes from the remote repository.
Best Practices for Git Fetch and Git Pull
Here are some best practices to keep in mind when working with git fetch and git pull:
Use git fetch when you want to check for updates from a remote repository without modifying your local working files.
Use git pull when you want to download the latest changes from a remote repository and update your local working files.
Always review the changes before merging them into your local copy, especially when using git pull.
Use git merge instead of git pull if you want to review the changes from a remote repository before merging them into your local copy.
Use git rebase instead of git merge if you want to apply the changes from a remote repository onto your local copy without creating a merge commit.
Conclusion
In summary, git fetch and git pull are both important commands in Git, but they have different purposes and behaviors. Use git fetch to download the latest changes from a remote repository without modifying your local working files, and use git pull to download the latest changes and update both your local repository and your working files. Always review the changes before merging.