Commit a file to a Different Branch Without Checkout

Question

Is it possible to commit a file in a git branch with out checking out that branch? If so how?

Essentially I want to be able to save a file in my github pages branch

Answer 1

It's not possible.

The changes you commit are related to the current working copy. If you want to commit to another branch it means that you could commit changes from your working copy, but base them from another copy state.

This is not a natural way of versioning your work, and this is why you need to make different steps (stash changes, checkout the branch, pop stash and commit) to accomplish it.

As for your specific use case, a simple way is to keep two copies of your work, one checked out at master branch, and the other at pages branch.

In the pages working copy, add the master copy as a remote repo.

• You commit pages on master
• Pull from master on the pages copy
• push to GitHub
• reset the master branch at its previous state.