Overview
The working directory is the project folder in which you create, edit, rename, and delete files. These are active file-system changes. They are not yet permanent entries in Git history.
The staging area is the intermediate selection area between the working directory and the local repository. Staging means identifying which current changes should be included in the next commit.
The local repository stores committed versions and project history on your computer. A commit moves the currently staged snapshot into this repository.
The remote repository is an online Git repository, commonly hosted on GitHub. Pushing sends local commits to the remote. Fetching or pulling brings remote information back toward the local repository and working directory.
The basic direction of work is:
Working directory -> staging area -> local repository -> remote repository
The corresponding actions are:
Edit -> add -> commit -> push
This layered workflow prevents every file edit from becoming a permanent saved version automatically. You can make several changes, inspect them, choose the ones that belong together, and only then commit them.