Git Pull vs Fetch

By Atul Rai | Last Updated: June 13, 2023 Previous       Next

Understanding the Difference Between Git Pull and Fetch: In this article, we’ll explore the differences between git pull and git fetch commands. In Git git pull and git fetch  are two commonly used commands and both allow you to retrieve changes from a remote repository, they differ in how they integrate those changes into your local branch.

1. Git Fetch

The git fetch command is primarily used to retrieve changes from a remote repository without merging them into your local branch. It updates your remote-tracking branches to reflect the latest state of the remote repository. By fetching the changes, you can see what others have done, review them, and decide how to integrate them into your work.

Syntax: git fetch <remote>

Example: Let’s say you’re working on a project with a remote repository named “main.” To fetch the latest changes from the remote repository, you’d use the following command:

git fetch main

After running this command, Git will download any new commits and update the corresponding remote-tracking branches, such as origin/master or origin/develop, to point to the latest commit on the remote repository.

Benefits of using Git Fetch

1. Reviewing changes: Fetching allows you to see what others have committed to the remote repository. You can review their changes and evaluate whether you want to incorporate them into your local branch.
2. Updating local references: Fetching updates your remote-tracking branches, which are useful for comparing the state of your local branch with the remote branch. This can help identify differences and merge conflicts before merging the changes.

Similar Post: Git Merge vs. Rebase

2. Git Pull

The git pull command combines the git fetch command with the git merge command. It fetches the latest changes from the remote repository and automatically merges them into your current branch. This command is a convenient way to retrieve and integrate remote changes in a single step.

Syntax: git pull <remote> <branch>

Example: Assume you have a local branch called “feature” that you’d like to update with the latest changes from the remote repository’s “develop” branch. You can use the following command:

git pull origin develop

Git will fetch the latest changes from the remote repository and automatically merge them into your local “feature” branch. If there are no conflicts, the merge will be completed seamlessly.

Benefits of using Git Pull

1. Fast-forward merges: When working on a shared branch or collaborating with others, using git pull is convenient as it automatically merges the remote changes into your local branch. This is particularly useful when you don’t have any conflicting changes.
2. Immediate integration: If you want to quickly integrate remote changes into your local branch without reviewing or modifying them, git pull allows you to do that in a single step.

3. Choosing between Git Fetch and Git Pull

The decision to use git fetch or git pull depends on your workflow and the specific situation. Here are some point to consider:

• If you want to review and evaluate the remote changes before merging them, use git fetch. It allows you to inspect the changes and decide how to integrate them manually.
• If you want a seamless integration of remote changes into your local branch and don’t need to review the changes beforehand, git pull is a convenient choice.
• If you’re unsure about potential conflicts or if you’ve made local changes that need to be resolved before integrating remote changes, it’s recommended to use git fetch followed by git merge or git rebase to handle conflicts explicitly.

References

1. Git – git-pull Documentation
2. Git – git-fetch Documentation
3. Git Top Daily Life Usage Commands