Difference between "git pull" and "git fetch"

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Difference Between git fetch and git pull

When working with Git, you often need to get the latest changes from a remote repository. Two commands commonly used for this are git fetch and git pull. Although they are related, they behave quite differently.

What Does git fetch Do?

git fetch downloads the latest commits and other changes from the remote repository, but it does not change your current working branch.

git fetch origin

Think of git fetch as saying: “Show me what has changed on the remote, but don't apply those changes yet.”

This makes git fetch a safer option when you want to inspect incoming changes before integrating them into your work.

What Does git pull Do?

git pull downloads changes from the remote repository and then immediately integrates them into your current branch.

git pull origin main

In simple terms, git pull is roughly equivalent to:

git fetch
git merge

Depending on your Git configuration and the situation, the integration step may use a merge or rebase.

Key Difference

Feature	git fetch	git pull
Downloads remote changes	Yes	Yes
Changes your current branch	No	Yes
Lets you inspect changes first	Yes	Not by default
Can cause merge conflicts	No	Yes

Easy way to remember:
git fetch = “Download the changes.”
git pull = “Download and integrate the changes.”

Which One Should You Use?

Use git fetch when you want more control and want to review remote changes before incorporating them. Use git pull when you are comfortable bringing the latest remote changes directly into your current branch.

For beginners, a good habit is to use git fetch when you are unsure about incoming changes, and then decide whether to merge or rebase them after reviewing what has changed.

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