How to move existing, uncommitted work to a new branch in Git?

To move existing, uncommitted work to a new branch in Git, follow these methods:

Method 1: Directly Create a New Branch (Without Stashing)

Use this if you don’t need to return to the original branch immediately.

1. Create and switch to the new branch (your uncommitted changes remain in the working directory):

   git checkout -b new-branch

2. Add and commit the changes on the new branch:

   git add .                   # Stage all changes (including untracked files)
   git commit -m "Your message"

3. Verify the original branch is unchanged:

   git checkout original-branch  # Changes are now only in `new-branch`

Method 2: Stash Changes and Apply to the New Branch

Use this if you need to keep the original branch clean (e.g., to switch back later).

1. Stash your uncommitted changes (saves both staged and unstaged work):

   git stash

2. Create and switch to the new branch:

   git checkout -b new-branch

3. Apply the stash to the new branch:

   git stash pop   # Restores changes and deletes the stash

4. Commit the changes:

   git add .
   git commit -m "Your message"

Handling Specific Scenarios

• Staged Changes Only:

  git stash --keep-index  # Stash only unstaged changes, keeping staged ones
  git checkout -b new-branch
  git commit -m "Commit staged changes"
  git stash pop          # Restore unstaged changes (if needed)

• Untracked Files:
  Include untracked files in the stash:

  git stash -u           # Stash untracked files too

Key Notes

• Why Use git checkout -b?
  Creates a new branch from the current commit, preserving your uncommitted work in the working directory.
• Avoid Losing Work:
  Always stash or commit changes before switching branches if Git warns about overwriting files.
• After Moving:
  Your original branch (main, develop, etc.) will no longer have the uncommitted changes once they’re committed to the new branch.

Example Workflow

# Start on `main` with uncommitted changes
git status           # Shows modified/file.txt

# Method 1: Directly create a new branch
git checkout -b feature/new-work
git add .
git commit -m "Add new work"

# Method 2: Stash and apply
git stash
git checkout -b feature/new-work
git stash pop
git add .
git commit -m "Add new work"

Troubleshooting

• “Your local changes would be overwritten” Error:
  Stash or commit changes before switching branches.
• Accidentally Committed on the Wrong Branch:
  Use git reset to undo the commit, then move the changes:

  git reset HEAD~1     # Undo the last commit (keeps changes in working directory)
  git stash
  git checkout correct-branch
  git stash pop

Choose the method that fits your workflow!