# Git-aware in Atlas: Terminal-Native AI Coding in 2026 > Atlas reads git branches, status, and diffs, and can stage and create commits on your behalf. Atlas's Git-aware capability directly integrates with your local Git repository, allowing the terminal-native AI coding agent to read git branches, current status, and file diffs. This integration enables Atlas to stage changes and create commits on your behalf, streamlining your workflow directly within the terminal environment. ## Key takeaways - Atlas reads local git branches, status, and diffs. - Atlas stages and creates commits on your behalf. - All file edits are approved via unified diffs. - Changes are snapshotted as git patches for rollback. - Focus is on local repository interaction, not remote. ## How Atlas reads Git repository state Atlas, the terminal-native AI coding agent, provides deep insight into your Git repository's state in 2026. It directly reads git branches, the current working directory status, and any pending diffs, offering a comprehensive view of your project's version control. Atlas establishes a direct connection to your local Git repository to retrieve critical version control information. This mechanism allows Atlas to accurately report on the active git branches, the status of all tracked files within the working directory (identifying modifications, additions, or deletions), and any uncommitted differences between the working tree, index, and HEAD. By continuously monitoring these aspects, Atlas maintains an up-to-date understanding of your codebase's versioned state, informing its subsequent actions and suggestions. ## How Atlas stages and commits changes Beyond reading, Atlas can actively manage your Git workflow, allowing you to stage and create commits directly from the agent in 2026. This capability ensures that every file edit is computed as a unified diff and surfaced for approval before Atlas writes it to your repository. When Atlas proposes a change to your codebase, it first computes a unified diff for each affected file. This diff is then presented to you for explicit approval within the terminal interface. Once you approve the proposed changes, Atlas proceeds to stage these modifications, preparing them for inclusion in a commit. Following staging, Atlas can then create a new commit on your behalf, incorporating the approved changes into your repository's history. This process ensures that all modifications are reviewed and sanctioned by the developer before becoming permanent. ## Git patch snapshots for rollback Atlas enhances version control safety by snapshotting file changes as git patches, a crucial feature for developers in 2026. This mechanism ensures that any edits made by the agent can be easily diffed and rolled back, providing a robust safety net during development. To provide a safety net and facilitate review, Atlas automatically snapshots file changes as git patches. This means that before any significant modification is applied, a record of the original state and the proposed changes is captured in a standard patch format. These git patches serve as granular checkpoints, allowing you to easily review the exact modifications introduced by the agent. Should a change need to be undone, these patches enable precise diffing and rolling back of edits, offering a reliable mechanism for reverting agent-driven modifications. ## FAQ ### What Git operations can Atlas perform? Atlas can read git branches, repository status, and file diffs. It can also stage changes and create commits on your behalf after user approval. ### How does Atlas ensure I approve changes before committing? Atlas computes a unified diff for every file edit it proposes. This diff is surfaced for your explicit approval before any changes are written or committed to your repository. ### Can Atlas interact with remote Git repositories? Atlas's Git-aware capabilities are focused on local repository interactions, such as reading status and creating commits. It does not directly manage remote operations like pushing or pulling. ### How does Atlas handle rolling back changes? Atlas snapshots file changes as git patches. These patches allow you to easily diff the agent's edits and roll them back if needed, providing a safety mechanism. ### Where is the Git-aware functionality implemented in Atlas? The core implementation for Git-aware features, including handling `branch` and `commitChanges` operations, resides in the `atlas/src/git/index.ts` and `atlas/src/cli/cmd/github.handler.ts` files within the Atlas backend. ### Does Atlas support advanced Git features like rebase or merge? Atlas currently focuses on fundamental Git operations like reading state, staging, and committing. It does not support advanced features such as rebasing, squashing, or complex merging strategies. ### Is Atlas Git-aware by default? Yes, Atlas is designed to be Git-aware by default, integrating with your local Git repository to understand its state and perform actions like staging and committing. --- Canonical HTML: https://seashell.sh/resources/features/git-aware Source of truth: aeo_pages row `/resources/features/git-aware` (segment: Platform) (this file is generated from it, never hand-edited). Licence: SeaShell is proprietary with a free core. It is not open source and there is no public source repository.