Git fetch vs. pull: What's the difference?

In the world of version control systems, Git stands out as one of the most powerful and widely used tools. To work efficiently in Git, it's crucial to understand certain key commands such as git fetch and git pull. These commands are often used interchangeably, but serve distinct purposes.

While both commands serve similar purposes of synchronizing the local repository with the remote repository, they differ in their approach to updating the local branch.

Branches are a key concept in Git, and are independent lines of development that diverge from the main codebase. Branches enable developers to work on new features or bug fixes in isolation without affecting the main development branch. This isolation facilitates parallel development and experimentation, leading to a more organized and efficient workflow.

Today, we'll discuss how distinctions between git fetch and git pull will influence your work.

Git workflow#

At its core, Git operates on the principle of snapshots or commits, which represent specific points in time where changes to the code are recorded. These commits create a timeline of the project's development history, allowing developers to track changes, revert to previous versions, and collaborate seamlessly with others.

The Git workflow is a system for managing project versions and collaboration. It helps developers track changes, revert to previous states, and collaborate seamlessly with others. The Git workflow involves several key areas: the working directory, the staging area, and the local repository:

Working directory:

The working directory is the place where we make changes to our files. It is the actual file system directory where we are working on the project. The working directory allows us to make and view changes to our project files. Any modifications we make to files are reflected here.

Note: Files in the working directory can be in an untracked, modified, or deleted state.

Staging area:

The staging area, also known as the index, is an intermediary area where changes are listed before they are committed to the local repository. The staging area allows us to prepare snapshots of the changes we want to commit. It acts as a buffer between the working directory and the local repository. Files added to the staging area are ready to be committed. This allows for more controlled and precise commits, where only selected changes are included.

Local Repository:

The local repository is a hidden directory (.git) where Git stores all of the project’s history, including commits, branches, and tags. The local repository keeps a record of all commits. Each commit represents a snapshot of the project at a given time. Once changes are committed, they move from the staging area to the local repository, becoming part of the project’s history.

Important Git Commands#

Let's quickly familiarize ourselves with some important Git commands.

Note: We can also use aliases instead of [repository URL] when interacting with an already configured remote repository in commands like git push, git pull, and git fetch. One of the common aliases is remote because it provides a convenient shorthand for referring to remote repositories.

Now, let's explore git fetch and git pull in detail and understand their differences and use cases.

What is git fetch?#

The git fetch command is used to retrieve the latest changes from a remote repository without merging them into the local branch. When we fetch updates, Git only downloads the changes from the remote repository without altering the local working directory.

Example:

Imagine a software development team working on a shared project hosted on a remote repository like GitHub. Each team member works on different features in separate branches. One developer, Alex, is working on the feature-xyz branch and wants to ensure their local repository is up-to-date with the latest changes from the remote repository before starting the day's work. Here's how Alex would use the git fetch command in this scenario:

In this code:

• git fetch is the command to retrieve updates from the remote repository.

• origin is the name of the remote repository they are fetching updates from. Note that the name origin is the default name given to the remote repository, and specifying the name here is optional. Remote tracking branches, such as origin/main or origin/feature-branch, are local references that track the state of branches in the remote repository.

Executing the command retrieves all branches from the remote repository named origin and updates the local copy of those branches. Importantly, this action does not merge the fetched changes into the current local branch, ensuring that the working directory remains unaffected. This approach enables users to review the changes fetched from the remote repository before considering integration into their local branches.

Benefits#

• Safely reviewing changes: Fetching updates allows developers to review changes before merging them into the local branch, reducing the risk of introducing bugs or conflicts. It retrieves changes from the remote repository without automatically merging them, enabling thorough review and ensuring compatibility with local modifications.

• Offline work: After fetching updates, developers can work offline with the latest changes stored locally. This enables them to continue development even without an internet connection, ensuring uninterrupted workflow and productivity.

• Increased visibility: git fetch updates all remote tracking branches, providing visibility into changes across different branches without affecting the local working directory. This comprehensive update mechanism ensures developers have access to all remote changes, enhancing collaboration and project management.

• Improved project history understanding: Fetching changes from the remote repository provides insights into the project's development history. Tracking the evolution of the codebase and understanding contributions made by team members over time becomes easier. This enhances project management and fosters a deeper understanding of the codebase.

• Efficient collaboration: Fetching updates from the remote repository facilitates efficient collaboration among team members. It allows everyone to stay informed about the latest changes without disrupting their local work environment. This fosters a collaborative atmosphere and promotes productivity within the development team.

What is git pull?#

The git pull command is used to retrieve the latest changes from a remote repository and integrate them into the current branch. Essentially, it combines the fetch and merge operations, ensuring that our local branch is updated with the changes from the remote repository.

Example:

Suppose a user has fetched the latest changes using git fetch and now intends to integrate those changes into their local branch. They can utilize git pull to accomplish this task efficiently. To integrate the fetched changes into your local branch, we can use the git pull command in the following manner:

In this code:

• git pull initiates the process of fetching and merging changes from the remote repository.

• origin specifies the remote repository from which changes are being fetched.

• main denotes the branch on the remote repository from which changes are being fetched and merged.

Executing this command fetches changes from the "main" branch of the "origin" repository and merges them into the user's current local branch.

Benefits#

• Convenience: git pull combines fetch and merge operations, simplifying the process of updating local branches with remote changes.

• Simplified collaboration: Pulling changes from the remote repository ensures that local branches remain synchronized with project developments, facilitating collaboration.

• Real-time collaboration: Pulling changes enables real-time collaboration and prevents divergence between team members' work by keeping local branches up to date.

• Reduced risk of divergence: Regularly pulling updates minimizes the risk of significant divergence from the main development branch, maintaining code consistency and reducing merge conflicts.

Differences between git fetch vs. git pull#

The following diagram illustrates the main difference between the two commands.

Below is a comparative table outlining the key differences between git fetch vs. git pull. This table highlights various aspects of each command, providing a clear understanding of their distinct purposes and effects on the local and remote repositories.

Why use fetch instead of pull?#

• Safe review: Fetching updates allows developers to review changes before merging them into the local branch, reducing the likelihood of conflicts or errors.

• Preserving local changes: Fetching updates doesn't modify the local working directory, preserving any local changes made by the developer, especially useful for experimental features or debugging.

• Customized merging: Fetching updates provides flexibility in merging changes, enabling developers to control when and how to integrate them into the local branch.

• Minimize conflicts: Fetching changes separately from merging helps resolve conflicts or discrepancies before merging, reducing errors or disruptions to the workflow.

Getting a hang of Git commands#

By leveraging git fetch and git pull commands appropriately, we can ensure that our local branch stays up to date with the latest developments in our project while maintaining control over when and how changes are integrated. This understanding is crucial for maintaining a clean and efficient version control workflow in Git.

You can get hands-on with mastering Git commands with some of our interactive courses on Educative: