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Git Merge vs Git Rebase

If you’ve worked with Git long enough, you’ve probably heard this debate:

“Should we use git merge or git rebase?”

Both commands combine changes from different branches, but they do it in very different ways. Understanding the difference is essential for clean history, fewer conflicts, and safer collaboration.

This post explains when to use each, with mental models that actually stick.

The Core Difference (TL;DR)

  • Git merge preserves history
  • Git rebase rewrites history

That single difference explains almost everything else.

Git Merge: Preserve What Happened

When you merge, Git creates a merge commit that ties two branches together.

What this means

  • The full branch structure is preserved
  • You can see exactly when branches diverged and merged
  • History reflects reality, not aesthetics

Example

git checkout main
git merge feature

Pros

  • Safe for shared branches
  • No history rewriting
  • Easy to reason about in teams

Cons

  • History can get noisy
  • Many merge commits in long-lived repos

When to use merge

  • Merging into main or develop
  • Working with multiple collaborators
  • Any branch that others have already pulled

Git Rebase: Rewrite for Clarity

Rebasing takes your commits and replays them on top of another branch.

What this means

  • Commit hashes change
  • History becomes linear
  • Git pretends your work started later than it actually did

Example

git checkout feature
git rebase main

Pros

  • Clean, linear history
  • Easier git log
  • Great for polishing work before merging

Cons

  • Dangerous on shared branches
  • Can cause problems if misused

When to use rebase

  • Updating your local feature branch
  • Cleaning up commits before opening a PR
  • Working alone on a branch

The Golden Rule of Rebase

Never rebase commits that other people have already pulled.

Why?

Because rebasing changes commit history.
If someone else has the old commits, Git will get confused — and so will your teammates.

If you must push after rebasing:

git push --force-with-lease

(--force-with-lease is safer than --force)

To read w

Merge vs Rebase: How Conflicts Feel

SituationMergeRebase
ConflictsHappen onceHappen per commit
ResolutionOne big fixSmaller, repeated fixes
UndoEasyRequires care

Rebase conflicts feel harder at first, but they force you to fix issues commit by commit, which often leads to better code.

A Practical Workflow That Works

Here’s a simple, safe approach many teams use:

While developing

  • Rebase your feature branch on main

git fetch origin git rebase origin/main

When ready to integrate

  • Merge the feature branch

git checkout main git merge feature

This gives you:

  • Clean feature history
  • Safe shared history
  • Fewer surprises

Final Thoughts

  • Use merge to be safe
  • Use rebase to be clean
  • Use both intentionally

Git isn’t about choosing sides — it’s about choosing the right tool for the situation.

If you understand how history changes, you’ll stop fearing both commands.

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