Fetch
The act of downloading the latest history and changes from a remote repository without automatically merging them into your current work.
What it is
Fetching securely downloads new data from a remote repository so you can see what others have been working on. Unlike a pull, a fetch does not alter your working directory or merge any code. It strictly updates your local copy of the remote tracking branches, allowing you to review changes safely.
When you would use it
You use fetch when you want to see the latest updates on the server but aren't yet ready to blend that code into your own working files.
Common operations
- Checking to see if a teammate pushed new commits to a shared branch.
- Inspecting changes before deciding whether to merge them.
Related terms
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