Created a branch from a remote branch for a quick fix, but git status shows my modified files that I had in my previous working branch

Question

I was working on a feature (on my local master branch), git status showed me that I have 3 modified files uncommitted. That's ok. Then I noticed a bug on the live site. I wanted to abandon my current work, and create a quick fix for the bug.

I created a branch from the remote repo's master: git checkout -b quickfix origin/master

But git status shows that I have 3 modified files. Why is that? I made no update on any files, only created the branch from the remote.

I just want to have a clean branch from remote/master that I can start working on with the quickfix.

Have you seen [this answer](http://stackoverflow.com/a/2569513/912144)? — Shahbaz, Dec 13 '12 at 16:42
Just checked that answer. From what I understand, git checkout -f deletes my local changes. Is there a way to keep the changes when I switch back to master? I think may have to commit them first, that's the only way. — Kocsonya Laci, Dec 13 '12 at 16:49
You can `git stash` and then `git stash apply` them. I would go with committing them first though. — Shahbaz, Dec 13 '12 at 17:36

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Dec 13 '12 at 17:36

You should stash your changes, so they are stored in a "floating" commit, and then you can apply them back after you work on your bugfix:

$ git stash save "Working on ... - going to bugfix"
$ git status --short # should show only untracked files
$ git checkout bugfix
# work work work
$ git add file1
$ git commit
$ git push # probably a merge and that
$ git checkout master
$ git stash pop # applies the last stash's changes to working copy

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 13 '12 at 17:37

Git won't delete files just because you switched a branch - that's good, you wouldn't want to lose them. This is what I would do (starting from the branch :

git add --all
git stash
git checkout quickfix
# do all the work you need to fix the problem and commit 
git checkout master
git stash pop # apply stashed work and remove it

Git stash saves the changes you made and you may reapply them later after you're done fixing other things (you can apply stashed work to different branches and more than one time if you need to).

Created a branch from a remote branch for a quick fix, but git status shows my modified files that I had in my previous working branch

2 Answers2