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doc: git-add: clarify intro & add an example
- 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 <[email protected]>
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Documentation/git-add.adoc

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@@ -16,18 +16,18 @@ git add [--verbose | -v] [--dry-run | -n] [--force | -f] [--interactive | -i] [-
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DESCRIPTION
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-----------
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This command updates the index using the current content found in
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the working tree, to prepare the content staged for the next commit.
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It typically adds the current content of existing paths as a whole,
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but with some options it can also be used to add content with
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only part of the changes made to the working tree files applied, or
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remove paths that do not exist in the working tree anymore.
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The "index" holds a snapshot of the content of the working tree, and it
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is this snapshot that is taken as the contents of the next commit. Thus
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after making any changes to the working tree, and before running
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the commit command, you must use the `add` command to add any new or
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modified files to the index.
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Add contents of new or changed files to the index. The "index" (also
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known as "staging area") is where Git stores the contents of the next
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commit.
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When you run `git commit` without any other arguments, it will only
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commit staged changes. For example, if you've edited `file.c` and want
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to commit your changes to that file, you can run:
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git add file.c
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git commit
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You can also add only part of your changes to a file with `git add -p`.
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This command can be performed multiple times before a commit. It only
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adds the content of the specified file(s) at the time the add command is

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