Understanding git fetch

While `git pull` is convenient, `git fetch` offers a safer and more controlled way to update your repository. The `git fetch` command downloads all the new data from the remote repository—new branches, new commits, new tags—but it does *not* automatically merge any of that new data into your local working branches. Instead, it updates your remote-tracking branches (e.g., `origin/main`). This gives you a chance to review the changes before you decide to integrate them into your own work. You can see what others have been working on by checking out the remote-tracking branch (`git checkout origin/main`) or by comparing it with your local branch (`git diff main origin/main`). Once you have reviewed the changes and are ready to integrate them, you can then manually run `git merge origin/main` while on your `main` branch. This separation of downloading and merging makes `git fetch` a safer alternative for updating your code, as it allows you to handle potential merge conflicts before they affect your local work.