> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://ploegert.gitbook.io/til/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://ploegert.gitbook.io/til/tools/git/dry-runs-in-git.md).

# Dry Runs in Git

There are a few commands in git that allow you to do a *dry run*. That is, git will tell you the effects of executing a command without actually executing that command.

For instance, if you are clearing out untracked files, you can double check what files are going to be deleted with the *dry run* flag, like so:

```
$ git clean -fd --dry-run
Would remove tmp.txt
Would remove stuff/
```

Similarly, if you want to check in which files a commit is going to be incorporated, you can:

```
$ git commit --dry-run --short
M  README.md
A  new_file.rb
```

Try running `git commit --dry-run` (that is, without the `--short` flag). Look familiar? That is the same output you are getting from `git status`.