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Commonly confused · DevOps & Automation

Git Fetch vs Git Pull: What's the Difference?

git fetch downloads new commits and branch updates from a remote into remote-tracking branches without touching your working files. git pull does a fetch and then immediately merges (or rebases) those changes into your current branch.

git fetch

vs
git fetchgit pull
Downloads remote changesYesYes
Changes working branchNoYes
Equivalent toJust the download stepgit fetch plus git merge (or rebase)
Risk of conflictsNonePossible merge conflicts
Use whenYou want to review before integratingYou want to update your branch now
Updatesorigin/main and other remote-tracking refsRemote-tracking refs and your local branch
Remember it

Fetch looks; pull looks and leaps.

Exam tip

Exams ask which command safely retrieves updates without modifying local work (fetch). Related distractors include git clone (initial copy) and git push (upload).

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