What is the difference between git add [--all | -A] and git add .?

Both git add --all (or git add -A) and git add . are used to stage changes for the next commit in a Git repository. However, there is a subtle difference in the files they include:

    git add --all (or git add -A):
        This command stages all changes, including modifications, deletions, and new files, throughout the entire repository.
        It stages changes in the working directory and updates the staging area (also known as the index) to reflect the current state of the entire repository.

    git add .:
        This command stages all changes, similar to git add --all, but it only stages modifications and new files in the current directory and its subdirectories.
        It doesn't include deletions from the current directory or any changes from parent or sibling directories.

Here's an example to illustrate the difference:

Suppose you have the following file structure:

lua

my-repo/
|-- file1.txt
|-- subdir/
|   |-- file2.txt
|   |-- file3.txt

    If you modify file1.txt, create a new file4.txt in the subdir/ directory, and delete file2.txt, the changes look like this:

lua

my-repo/
|-- file1.txt (modified)
|-- subdir/
|   |-- file3.txt
|   |-- file4.txt (new)

    Using git add --all stages all changes, including the modified file1.txt, the new file4.txt, and the deletion of file2.txt.

    Using git add . stages only the modified file1.txt and the new file4.txt, but it doesn't stage the deletion of file2.txt.

Here's how you would use these commands:

bash

# Using git add --all
git add --all

# Using git add .
git add .

In general, if you want to ensure that all changes in your entire repository are staged, including modifications, new files, and deletions, git add --all is the more comprehensive option. However, if you only want to stage changes within the current directory and its subdirectories, git add . is sufficient.