Checking Status
The git status command is your window into what's happening in your repository. It shows which files have changed, which are ready to be committed, and which Git isn't tracking at all. Running this command frequently keeps you oriented and prevents surprises.
Your Most-Used Command
Get in the habit of running git status often — before staging files, before committing, and whenever you're unsure what state your project is in:
Git tells you exactly what's going on and often suggests what to do next.
Understanding File States
Files in a Git repository exist in one of several states:
Untracked means Git sees the file but isn't monitoring it. New files start here. Git won't include them in commits until you explicitly add them.
Modified means Git is tracking the file and you've made changes since the last commit. These changes aren't staged yet.
Staged means the file's changes are queued up for the next commit. You've told Git "include this in my next snapshot."
Unmodified means the file matches what's in the last commit. Git doesn't mention these files in status output — no news is good news.
Reading the Output
After you've made some changes and staged some files, status output becomes more detailed:
This tells you:
hello.pyis staged and will be included in the next commitreadme.mdhas changes that aren't staged yetnotes.txtis a new file Git isn't tracking
A Shorter View
For a more compact status, use the -s flag:
The letters indicate state: A for added/staged, M for modified, ?? for untracked.