--------
[verse]
'git merge' [-n] [--stat] [--no-commit] [--squash] [-s <strategy>]...
- [-m <msg>] <remote>...
-'git merge' <msg> HEAD <remote>...
+ [--[no-]rerere-autoupdate] [-m <msg>] <commit>...
+'git merge' <msg> HEAD <commit>...
DESCRIPTION
-----------
-This is the top-level interface to the merge machinery
-which drives multiple merge strategy scripts.
+Merges the history specified by <commit> into HEAD, optionally using a
+specific merge strategy.
-The second syntax (<msg> `HEAD` <remote>) is supported for
+The second syntax (<msg> `HEAD` <commit>...) is supported for
historical reasons. Do not use it from the command line or in
-new scripts. It is the same as `git merge -m <msg> <remote>`.
+new scripts. It is the same as `git merge -m <msg> <commit>...`.
+
+*Warning*: Running 'git merge' with uncommitted changes is
+discouraged: while possible, it leaves you in a state that is hard to
+back out of in the case of a conflict.
OPTIONS
include::merge-options.txt[]
-m <msg>::
- The commit message to be used for the merge commit (in case
- it is created). The 'git-fmt-merge-msg' script can be used
- to give a good default for automated 'git-merge' invocations.
+ Set the commit message to be used for the merge commit (in
+ case one is created). The 'git fmt-merge-msg' command can be
+ used to give a good default for automated 'git merge'
+ invocations.
+
+--rerere-autoupdate::
+--no-rerere-autoupdate::
+ Allow the rerere mechanism to update the index with the
+ result of auto-conflict resolution if possible.
-<remote>...::
- Other branch heads to merge into our branch. You need at
- least one <remote>. Specifying more than one <remote>
- obviously means you are trying an Octopus.
+<commit>...::
+ Commits, usually other branch heads, to merge into our branch.
+ You need at least one <commit>. Specifying more than one
+ <commit> obviously means you are trying an Octopus.
include::merge-strategies.txt[]
If you tried a merge which resulted in complex conflicts and
-want to start over, you can recover with 'git-reset'.
+want to start over, you can recover with 'git reset'.
CONFIGURATION
-------------
branch.<name>.mergeoptions::
Sets default options for merging into branch <name>. The syntax and
- supported options are equal to that of 'git-merge', but option values
- containing whitespace characters are currently not supported.
+ supported options are the same as those of 'git merge', but option
+ values containing whitespace characters are currently not supported.
HOW MERGE WORKS
---------------
will write out your local changes already registered in your
index file along with the merge result, which is not good.
Because 1. involves only those paths differing between your
-branch and the remote branch you are pulling from during the
-merge (which is typically a fraction of the whole tree), you can
+branch and the branch you are merging
+(which is typically a fraction of the whole tree), you can
have local modifications in your working tree as long as they do
not overlap with what the merge updates.
3. For conflicting paths, the index file records up to three
versions; stage1 stores the version from the common ancestor,
- stage2 from `HEAD`, and stage3 from the remote branch (you
+ stage2 from `HEAD`, and stage3 from the other branch (you
can inspect the stages with `git ls-files -u`). The working
tree files contain the result of the "merge" program; i.e. 3-way
merge results with familiar conflict markers `<<< === >>>`.
* Decide not to merge. The only clean-ups you need are to reset
the index file to the `HEAD` commit to reverse 2. and to clean
- up working tree changes made by 2. and 3.; 'git-reset --hard' can
+ up working tree changes made by 2. and 3.; `git-reset --hard` can
be used for this.
* Resolve the conflicts. Git will mark the conflicts in
the working tree. Edit the files into shape and
- 'git-add' them to the index. Use 'git-commit' to seal the deal.
+ 'git add' them to the index. Use 'git commit' to seal the deal.
You can work through the conflict with a number of tools:
- * Use a mergetool. 'git mergetool' to launch a graphical
+ * Use a mergetool. `git mergetool` to launch a graphical
mergetool which will work you through the merge.
- * Look at the diffs. 'git diff' will show a three-way diff,
- highlighting changes from both the HEAD and remote versions.
+ * Look at the diffs. `git diff` will show a three-way diff,
+ highlighting changes from both the HEAD and their versions.
+
+ * Look at the diffs on their own. `git log --merge -p <path>`
+ will show diffs first for the HEAD version and then
+ their version.
+
+ * Look at the originals. `git show :1:filename` shows the
+ common ancestor, `git show :2:filename` shows the HEAD
+ version and `git show :3:filename` shows their version.
+
+
+EXAMPLES
+--------
- * Look at the diffs on their own. 'git log --merge -p <path>'
- will show diffs first for the HEAD version and then the
- remote version.
+* Merge branches `fixes` and `enhancements` on top of
+ the current branch, making an octopus merge:
++
+------------------------------------------------
+$ git merge fixes enhancements
+------------------------------------------------
+
+* Merge branch `obsolete` into the current branch, using `ours`
+ merge strategy:
++
+------------------------------------------------
+$ git merge -s ours obsolete
+------------------------------------------------
+
+* Merge branch `maint` into the current branch, but do not make
+ a new commit automatically:
++
+------------------------------------------------
+$ git merge --no-commit maint
+------------------------------------------------
++
+This can be used when you want to include further changes to the
+merge, or want to write your own merge commit message.
++
+You should refrain from abusing this option to sneak substantial
+changes into a merge commit. Small fixups like bumping
+release/version name would be acceptable.
- * Look at the originals. 'git show :1:filename' shows the
- common ancestor, 'git show :2:filename' shows the HEAD
- version and 'git show :3:filename' shows the remote version.
SEE ALSO
--------