Difference between git pull and git fetch

Git pull

This is the most frequently used command, it allows you to retrieve work from a remote repository and apply changes to the local branch.

git pull origin main

In this example, we retrieve the work from the main branch in the current branch.

Git fetch

This command allows you to retrieve work from a remote repository without applying changes to the local branch.

git fetch origin

In this example, we retrieve the work without modifying the current branch.

Differences

The git pull command automatically applies changes to the local branch while git fetch does not modify the local branch.  The git pull command allows you to quickly retrieve the contents of the remote repository and git fetch allows you to have better control over the workflow. The git fetch command has no risk on local work and it does not modify the local branch.

Conclusion

Depending on the situation, choosing the right order allows you to optimize your workflow and gain flexibility.