Difference between ( git add -A followed by git commit ) and git commit -a?

Question

git add --all or git add -A followed by git commit -m "commit message" seem to produce a different result from git commit -am "commit message" when I thought they would produce the same final result.

Am I doing something wrong with git commit -am "commit message"?

Also is git commit -a -m "commit message" the same as git commit -am "commit message"?

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 12:27:05Z

4

git add -A will add new files (as well as deleted and modified files)
See "Difference of “git add -A” and “git add .”" for more.
git commit -a will not add new files: it will only stage files that have been modified and deleted.

More generally, I always recommend to add first, check the status, and then commit.
I find that extra step a good opportunity to:

check that nothing had been forgotten for the next commit
check that no extra elements are added for the next commit (which shouldn't be part of it, being not ready)
polish the commit message (I usually git commit -f file)

And yes, git commit -a -m "commit message" is the same as git commit -am "commit message".

edited May 23, 2017 at 12:27

CommunityBot

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answered Oct 27, 2012 at 18:18

VonC

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1 Comment

VonC Over a year ago

unix.stackexchange.com/questions/13573/… is an interesting read regarding unix-style for parameters.

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