How to Add a File to Git Staging Area

In the previous blog, we learned how to convert a normal folder into a Git repository using git init. But until now, our project has been completely empty.

In this lesson, we’ll learn:

How to create a file in a Git project
How to check whether the file is tracked
How to move the file into the staging area (also called the index area)

Step 1: Create a File

There are many ways to create a file in your project:

Using a text editor like VS Code or Eclipse
Or directly from the terminal

For this example, let’s create a file using the echo command:

echo "13.27.30" > first.txt

This command creates a new file called first.txt with the content 13.27.30.

If you run:

ls

You will see the file first.txt inside your project folder.

To view its content:

cat first.txt

Step 2: Check Staging Area Before Adding

Now let’s check the staging area. Run:

git ls-files

At this point, the command will not return anything. 👉 This means your staging area is empty.

Step 3: Add File to Staging Area

To move the file into the staging area, use:

git add first.txt

Now, if you check again:

git ls-files

You’ll see:

first.txt

🎉 This means the file is now in the staging area and ready to be committed.

Why Staging Area Matters

The staging area is like a waiting room before a commit:

You decide which files go into the next snapshot of your project.
You can prepare multiple files, review them, and then commit all at once.

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