How to take backup of the current state (including untracked files) so that if i want i can check them later

Question

I am currently working on a commit

I have some modified files and also untracked files

I want to keep a backup of the current state for future reference.

I have read and found mainly using stash.

I want whatever files at the current stage should all be saved to the stash. (including untracked and also not to delete gitignore files)

I found git stash is being used. It will save the current state to stash and will have a clean working tree after stashing

Which of the following way to use git stash.

$ git stash save "my_stash" 

$ git git stash --include-untracked save "my_stash"

$ git stash --all save "my_stash"

then we get back the stash again using

$ git apply

Also if possible i want to know how to do the same thing by creating a branch instead of stash.

Answer 1

This is what i was looking for

I am currently on the masters branch, I am in between a work with some unstaged files and also with some untracked files. I want to save my current state into a new branch just as a backup/reference for future.

So i did stash push --include-untracked in my current state and then create and checkout to a new branch and stash apply there and stage all files by add -A and then commit changes. Again come back to master branch and again do stash apply there.

there

$ git status

On branch master

Changes not staged for commit:
  (use "git add <file>..." to update what will be committed)
  (use "git checkout -- <file>..." to discard changes in working directory)

    modified:   filename1

Untracked files:
  (use "git add <file>..." to include in what will be committed)

    filename2

no changes added to commit (use "git add" and/or "git commit -a")

$ git stash push --include-untracked

One stash is run

$ git status
On branch master
Your branch is up to date with 'origin/master'.

nothing to commit, working tree clean

$ git checkout -b backup_branch
Switched to a new branch 'backup_branch'

$ git stash apply
On branch backup_branch


Changes not staged for commit:
  (use "git add <file>..." to update what will be committed)
  (use "git checkout -- <file>..." to discard changes in working directory)

    modified:   filename1

Untracked files:
  (use "git add <file>..." to include in what will be committed)

    filename2


$ git status
On branch backup_branch


Changes not staged for commit:
  (use "git add <file>..." to update what will be committed)
  (use "git checkout -- <file>..." to discard changes in working directory)

    modified:   filename1

Untracked files:
  (use "git add <file>..." to include in what will be committed)

    filename2

$ git add -A

$ git commit -m "Saved for backup"

$ git checkout master
Switched to branch 'master'
Your branch is up to date with 'origin/master'.

$ git stash apply
On branch origin/master


Changes not staged for commit:
  (use "git add <file>..." to update what will be committed)
  (use "git checkout -- <file>..." to discard changes in working directory)

    modified:   filename1

Untracked files:
  (use "git add <file>..." to include in what will be committed)

    filename2

$ git status
On branch origin/master


Changes not staged for commit:
  (use "git add <file>..." to update what will be committed)
  (use "git checkout -- <file>..." to discard changes in working directory)

    modified:   filename1

Untracked files:
  (use "git add <file>..." to include in what will be committed)

    filename2

Now i am back with the same working dir. With a backup of my current state in a new branch backup_branch