Fetch vs Pull

Difference Between git fetch and git pull

Both git fetch and git pull are used to retrieve updates from a remote repository, but they behave differently in terms of how they apply the updates to your local repository.

1. git fetch

• What It Does:

  • git fetch downloads the latest changes (commits, branches, tags, etc.) from the remote repository without modifying your working directory or current branch. It only updates the local reference to the remote repository (often called origin).
  • The fetched changes are available in your local repository but remain in a separate area, not merged into your current branch yet.

• Use Case:

  • You want to check for any changes in the remote repository without merging them immediately into your local branch.
  • Allows you to review changes before integrating them into your local branch.

• Command Example:

  git fetch origin

• After git fetch:

  • You can inspect the changes fetched using commands like:

    git log origin/main
  • If you decide to merge the changes later:

    git merge origin/main

2. git pull

• What It Does:

  • git pull is essentially a combination of git fetch and git merge. It downloads the changes from the remote repository (like git fetch), and then immediately merges those changes into your current branch.
  • It automatically applies the changes from the remote branch to your working directory.

• Use Case:

  • You want to quickly bring your local branch up to date with the remote branch, and you’re okay with immediately merging the changes.
  • Useful when you are collaborating on a shared branch and need to stay synced with others.

• Command Example:

  git pull origin main

• What Happens After git pull:

  • Your local branch is updated with any new commits from the remote.
  • If there are merge conflicts between your local changes and the pulled changes, you’ll need to resolve them.

Key Differences Between git fetch and git pull

Example Scenario

• Using git fetch:

  • If you want to see what’s new in the remote branch without updating your working directory:
    1. Fetch the latest changes:

       git fetch origin main
    2. Check the log to inspect the new commits:

       git log origin/main
    3. Decide if/when to merge the changes:

       git merge origin/main

• Using git pull:

  • If you are collaborating on the main branch and want to quickly bring your local copy up to date:
    1. Run git pull, which both fetches and merges:

       git pull origin main
    2. If no conflicts exist, your branch will now include the latest changes from origin/main. If there are conflicts, you’ll need to resolve them before completing the merge.

Conclusion:

• git fetch gives you more control by downloading changes but not merging them automatically, allowing you to inspect and decide when to integrate those changes.
• git pull is more direct, fetching and merging the changes in one command, making it faster but with less flexibility in conflict management.