git and local modifications

Question

I am discovering how to use git.

I just made the following test:

1. create a folder and 2 files
2. then git init, git add ., git commit -m "initial commit"
3. create a branch: git branch experimental, git checkout experimental
4. then change the name of the folder and delete one of the files, then git add ., git commit -m "experimental"

5. go back to master: git checkout master

   Surprise: I do not find the master as I left it; the folder has disappeared. And I have to do a git -reset --hard to find my folder.

   I wonder if I did something wrong or if I have not understood how git manages local changes. Thanks for your help.

Detailed scenario:

mkdir GitTest
cd GitTest/
mkdir Folder1
echo "master" > Folder1/File1.txt
echo "master" > File2.txt
git init
git add .
git commit -m "init"
git branch expe
git checkout expe
mv File2.txt File3.txt 
mv Folder1/ Folder1-exp/
echo "expe" >> Folder1-exp/File1.txt 
git add .  
git commit -m "expe"
git checkout master
ls
git checkout expe
ls

Answer 1

That would be because of the difference between git add . and git add -A.

Only git add -A will record new files and deleted files.

When you did your second git add ., here what git status had to say:

C:\HOMEWARE\git\tests\p2>git status
# On branch exp
# Changes to be committed:
#   (use "git reset HEAD <file>..." to unstage)
#
#       new file:   f2/f1b.txt
#
# Changed but not updated:
#   (use "git add/rm <file>..." to update what will be committed)
#   (use "git checkout -- <file>..." to discard changes in working directory)
#
#       deleted:    f1/f1a.txt
#       deleted:    f1/f1b.txt
#

The working tree had the first directory deleted.

So when you switched back to master, that working tree was preserved:

C:\HOMEWARE\git\tests\p2>git checkout master
D       f1/f1a.txt
D       f1/f1b.txt
Switched to branch 'master'

Hence the disappearance of 'f1'...