Understanding the Difference Between 'git pull' and 'git fetch'

Both git pull and git fetch are commands used in Git to update your local repository with changes from a remote repository.

Git Fetch

When you run git fetch, Git contacts the remote repository and fetches all the new changes that exist there. However, these changes are not automatically merged into your local branch. Instead, they are stored in your local repository as remote branches. This allows you to review the changes before incorporating them into your working branch.

The command to fetch changes from the remote repository is as follows:

git fetch <remote-name>

Replace <remote-name> with the name of the remote repository, usually "origin" if you cloned the repository.

Git Pull

On the other hand, git pull is a combination of two actions: git fetch and git merge. When you execute git pull, Git fetches the new changes from the remote repository and then automatically merges them into your current local branch.

The command to pull changes from the remote repository is as follows:

git pull <remote-name> <branch-name>

Replace <remote-name> with the name of the remote repository and <branch-name> with the name of the branch you want to update. If you omit <branch-name>, Git will pull changes into the currently checked-out branch.

Key Differences

• git fetch only downloads the changes from the remote repository and keeps them in separate remote branches in your local repository. You need to explicitly merge these changes into your working branch using git merge or git switch.

• git pull, on the other hand, automatically fetches and merges the changes into your current branch in one step.

• Using git fetch is safer as it allows you to review the changes before incorporating them. You can decide to merge or rebase the changes later after verifying them.

• git pull is more convenient for a quick update, but it might lead to unexpected conflicts if you are not careful, as it directly merges the changes into your branch.

Choosing the Right Command

Use git fetch when you want to inspect the changes before merging them. This is helpful when collaborating with others and reviewing their contributions.

Use git pull when you are confident that you want to update your current branch immediately and don't need to review the changes beforehand.