Working Tree Question Explained
This worked Git Fundamentals practice question tests Working Tree and Staging. Try the answer first, then review why B is the best choice.
Short answer
The correct answer is B. git add path/to/file.
git add path/to/file stages only that path. git add . stages every changed file under the current directory, which is too broad for this scenario. The key is to match the exact action in the prompt to the tool, command, or concept that performs that action directly. Here, B. git add path/to/file is the only option that satisfies the scenario without adding unrelated behavior.
The Question
You edited two files but only want one file in the next commit. Which command stages just one file?
Why B is correct
git add path/to/file stages only that path. git add . stages every changed file under the current directory, which is too broad for this scenario. The key is to match the exact action in the prompt to the tool, command, or concept that performs that action directly. Here, B. git add path/to/file is the only option that satisfies the scenario without adding unrelated behavior.
Why the other options are wrong
Option A does not match the requirement in the prompt. The correct answer is B because git add path/to/file stages only that path. git add . stages every changed file under the current directory, which is too broad for this scenario.
Option C does not match the requirement in the prompt. The correct answer is B because git add path/to/file stages only that path. git add . stages every changed file under the current directory, which is too broad for this scenario.
Option D does not match the requirement in the prompt. The correct answer is B because git add path/to/file stages only that path. git add . stages every changed file under the current directory, which is too broad for this scenario.
Key idea: Working Tree and Staging
Working Tree and Staging questions test whether you can connect a common workflow problem to the right practical command, service, or concept. Instead of memorizing isolated definitions, look for the job being done in the prompt: staging a file, querying rows, running code, persisting container data, checking a service, or choosing the right cloud building block. The best answer usually names the simplest tool that performs that job directly. For Git Fundamentals, the safest study pattern is to read the scenario, underline the action verb, and eliminate answers that solve a different problem. If an option sounds related but changes the scope, adds risk, or describes a different layer of the stack, it is probably a distractor. After choosing an answer, explain why the other three fail; that habit builds the practical judgment these quizzes are meant to measure.
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