Git merge and rebase

Updated 2026-02-15

merge vs rebase, conflict resolution, and interactive rebase. When to use each and best practices.

Merge vs rebase

merge: git merge branch creates merge commit, history shows branch. rebase: git rebase main replays your commits on top of main; linear history. Rebase local only, don't rebase shared.

Conflict and interactive

```
git status
```
See conflicted files.

Edit file, then git add file; git merge --continue or rebase --continue

Resolve conflict.

```
git rebase -i HEAD~3
```
Interactive rebase last 3 commits (pick, reword, squash, drop).