Apply stash to different branch

Question

I was accidentally working on the wrong branch. Now I want to transfer all my changes to the correct branch.

If I stash the changes and apply them on the correct branch, will it only add the uncommitted changes to the correct branch or every change/commit from the wrong branch that doesn't exist on the correct branch?

For example

Wrong branch has:

Commit a
Uncommitted Changes b

Correct branch has

Commit c

If I do git stash on the wrong branch and git apply stash in the correct branch, will it transfer commit a to the correct branch?

Nope. Commit a won't be transfer – khrm May 24 '16 at 15:26 — khrm, May 24 '16 at 15:26

score 15 · Answer 1 · answered May 24 '16 at 15:37

15

I would do one stash, then reset (mixed so you don't lose the changes) the a commit, stash that, then change to the correct branch and pop both stashes.

git stash save "b"
git reset HEAD~
git stash save "a"
git checkout correct-branch
git stash pop
git commit -m "a"
git stash pop

answered May 24 '16 at 15:37

miguel_ibero

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Can you please explain what you are doing? I don't understand why you do `git reset HEAD~ git stash save "a" ` – likejudo Nov 19 '21 at 20:14
@likejudo the reset step moves the git to the previous commit, then stash it as "a" – weasel Mar 31 '22 at 03:38

score 15 · Answer 2 · edited Nov 19 '21 at 21:22

15

If your branch doesn't exist yet:

git stash branch "new_branch"

if it does:

git stash
git stash branch "temp_new_branch"
git add "your changes"
git commit
git checkout "your desired branch to apply stash"
git merge "temp_new_branch"
git push
git branch -d "temp_new_branch"

edited Nov 19 '21 at 21:22

likejudo

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answered Feb 01 '17 at 11:39

miguelfg

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`no stash entries found` when I try `git stash branch "temp_new_branch" ` – likejudo Nov 19 '21 at 20:27
If anyone can look at that second option, and still love git... Well, you and I would not get along... – spechter Oct 19 '22 at 10:30
@spechter well... any alternatives? I don't think love has anything to do with it. It's still the most efficient solution (for now). Besides, this is an issue specific to stashes, which are "sort of" a parallel reality to your work flow. So the fact that there is a workflow to solve something, I think that's great. – Lockszmith Apr 05 '23 at 14:35

score 6 · Answer 3 · answered May 24 '16 at 15:26

6

Workaround

Make a commit with those desired changes.
Checkout to the branch you want those changes to be on.
From that branch git cherry-pick 23h123kjb(<-- replace this hash with the one found in a git log specific to the commit you want to bring in)
Profit!

answered May 24 '16 at 15:26

dYale

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The problem with this solution is that you end up committing unrelated work to the first branch! – Posco Grubb Jul 03 '18 at 17:39
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Wouldn't call it a 'problem'. Can easily reset to previous commit on first branch. – dYale Jul 18 '18 at 16:19

score 1 · Answer 4 · answered May 24 '16 at 15:26

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No it won't. Commits are not put in the Stash. I also sometimes just switch branches with my changes uncommitted and unstashed and it also works (not sure if in every case, though).

answered May 24 '16 at 15:26

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered May 25 '18 at 07:51

0

What you can also do:

Create a patch on the 'wrong' branch.
Discard the changes
Switch to the correct branch
Apply the patch on that branch

answered May 25 '18 at 07:51

Serve Laurijssen

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Apply stash to different branch

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