From: Julia Evans <julia@xxxxxxx> - Add a basic example of how "git add" is normally used - It's not technically true that you *must* use the `add` command to add changes before running `git commit`, because `git commit -a` exists. Instead say that you *can* use the `add` command. - Mention early on that "index" is another word for "staging area", since Git very rarely uses the word "index" in its output (`git status`) uses the term "staged", and many Git users are unfamiliar with the term "index" - Remove "It typically adds" (it's not clear what "typically" means), and instead mention that `git add -p` can be used to add partial contents - Currently the introduction is somewhat repetitive ("to prepare the content staged for the next commit" ... "this snapshot that is taken as the contents of the next commit."), replace with a single sentence ("The "index" [...] is where Git stores the contents of the next commit.") Signed-off-by: Julia Evans <julia@xxxxxxx> --- Documentation/git-add.adoc | 24 ++++++++++++------------ 1 file changed, 12 insertions(+), 12 deletions(-) diff --git a/Documentation/git-add.adoc b/Documentation/git-add.adoc index b7a735824d6c..19f99b0e7f6f 100644 --- a/Documentation/git-add.adoc +++ b/Documentation/git-add.adoc @@ -16,18 +16,18 @@ git add [--verbose | -v] [--dry-run | -n] [--force | -f] [--interactive | -i] [- DESCRIPTION ----------- -This command updates the index using the current content found in -the working tree, to prepare the content staged for the next commit. -It typically adds the current content of existing paths as a whole, -but with some options it can also be used to add content with -only part of the changes made to the working tree files applied, or -remove paths that do not exist in the working tree anymore. - -The "index" holds a snapshot of the content of the working tree, and it -is this snapshot that is taken as the contents of the next commit. Thus -after making any changes to the working tree, and before running -the commit command, you must use the `add` command to add any new or -modified files to the index. +Add contents of new or changed files to the index. The "index" (also +known as "staging area") is where Git stores the contents of the next +commit. + +When you run `git commit` without any other arguments, it will only +commit staged changes. For example, if you've edited `file.c` and want +to commit your changes to that file, you can run: + + git add file.c + git commit + +You can also add only part of your changes to a file with `git add -p`. This command can be performed multiple times before a commit. It only adds the content of the specified file(s) at the time the add command is -- gitgitgadget