What's the difference between `git add .` and `git add -u`?

Question

I was assuming that both work in the same way. Both add every file onto index. But I seem wrong.

• What's the difference between git add . and git add -u?

Lophophore

Answer 1

It is one of the git gotchas mentioned here (pre Git 2.0).

git add . only adds what is there, not what has been deleted (if tracked).

git add .
git commit
git status
//hey! why didn't it commit my deletes?, Oh yeah, silly me
git add -u .
git commit --amend

git add -A would take care of both steps...

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With Git 2.0, git add -A is default.

git add <path> is the same as "git add -A <path>" now, so that "git add dir/" will notice paths you removed from the directory and record the removal.
In older versions of Git, "git add <path>" used to ignore removals.

You can say "git add --ignore-removal <path>" to add only added or modified paths in <path>, if you really want to.

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Warning (git1.8.3 April 2013, for upcoming git2.0).
I have modified my answer to say git add -u ., instead of git add -u.:

git add -u will operate on the entire tree in Git 2.0 for consistency with "git commit -a" and other commands.
Because there will be no mechanism to make "git add -u" behave as "git add -u .", it is important for those who are used to "git add -u" (without pathspec) updating the index only for paths in the current subdirectory to start training their fingers to explicitly say "git add -u ." when they mean it before Git 2.0 comes.

As I mentioned in "e"

Eada

Thanks for your answer and an example. The "hey!" line really helps me. – Lophophore

@TK: yes, Benjol (stackoverflow.com/users/11410/benjol)'s example is a good one. – Eada

It seems we don't need to put the .(pathspec) with Git 2.x. It works find when I tested. – Stephen

Also, from Git 2.0, git add . adds all changes to index as -A option is default. Check this answer https://mcmap.net/q/11929/-difference-between-quot-git-add-a-quot-and-quot-git-add-quot – Stephen

@Sangdol Thank you for this reminder. I have updated the answer accordingly. – Eada

Very helpful thanks. Unfortunately this is bad design. The property -u should have become the update command all by its own. Laziness? Mountain of technical debt? – Fur

Answer 2

Like the manual says: git add . will add all files in the current directory, whereas git add -u . will only add those already being tracked.

Tenancy

add -u will also stage deletions. – Thermotaxis

only if the deleted file was tracked ;) – Tenancy

add -u is the commit -a equivalent, sort of(in files it operates on). – Sclerosed

Bannier: If the deleted file wasn't tracked then there's nothing to be deleted from the staging area anyway? – Thermotaxis

Answer 3

git add documentaiton

git add . 

add all files from the current directory

git add -u 

only update files currently being tracked.

Bentlee

Perhaps cover differences between Git 2.0 and versions of Git before that? – Atrabilious