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Git Rebase vs Git Merge: Which One Should You Use and When?

Git Rebase vs Git Merge: Which One Should You Use and When?
A detailed guide to understanding the differences between Git rebase and merge, helping you make informed decisions for your version control workflow.

Understanding the Basics
Git Merge

Before Merge
main     A---B---C
              \
feature        D---E

After Merge
main     A---B---C---F
              \     /
feature        D---E
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Key Characteristics
Creates a new merge commit
Preserves complete history
Non-destructive operation
Maintains branch context
Safe for shared branches
Git Rebase

Before Rebase
main     A---B---C
              \
feature        D---E

After Rebase
main     A---B---C
                \
feature         D'---E'
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Key Characteristics
Linear project history
Clean commit history
Rewrites commit history
No merge commits
Better for local branches
Key Differences

  1. History Structure Merge Preserves branch history Shows when branches were created Maintains context of parallel development Creates a merge commit Rebase Creates linear history Hides when branches were created Appears as if work was done sequentially No merge commits
  2. Commit History Merge 
# Merge commit message
Merge branch 'feature' into main

# Commit history
A---B---C---F (main)
     \     /
      D---E (feature)
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Rebase

# Commit history
A---B---C---D'---E' (main)
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  1. Use Cases When to Use Merge Public/shared branches Preserving branch history Complex feature branches Team collaboration When to Use Rebase Local feature branches Clean project history Before merging to main Individual development Implementation Examples Git Merge 
# Basic merge
git checkout main
git merge feature

# Merge with no fast-forward
git merge --no-ff feature

# Merge with specific strategy
git merge -X theirs feature
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Git Rebase

# Basic rebase
git checkout feature
git rebase main

# Interactive rebase
git rebase -i HEAD~3

# Rebase with conflict resolution
git rebase --continue
git rebase --abort
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Best Practices
Merge Best Practices
When to Use

Merging feature branches
Preserving history
Team collaboration
Public repositories
How to Use

Use --no-ff for feature branches
Write clear merge messages
Resolve conflicts carefully
Keep branches up to date
Rebase Best Practices
When to Use

Local development
Before merging to main
Cleaning up commits
Maintaining linear history
How to Use

Don't rebase public history
Use interactive rebase
Test after rebasing
Keep backups
Common Scenarios
Scenario 1: Feature Development

# Using merge
git checkout main
git merge feature

# Using rebase
git checkout feature
git rebase main
git checkout main
git merge feature
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Scenario 2: Updating Feature Branch

# Using merge
git checkout feature
git merge main

# Using rebase
git checkout feature
git rebase main
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Scenario 3: Cleaning Up Commits

# Interactive rebase
git rebase -i HEAD~3

# Squash commits
pick abc1234 First commit
squash def5678 Second commit
squash ghi9012 Third commit
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Potential Issues
Merge Issues
Merge Conflicts

Complex resolution
Multiple conflict points
History preservation
Team coordination
History Clutter

Merge commits
Branch complexity
Hard to follow
Visual noise


Rebase Issues
History Rewriting

Lost context
Force push needed
Team coordination
Backup required
Conflict Resolution

Sequential conflicts
Multiple resolutions
Complex scenarios
Time-consuming
Team Guidelines
When to Choose Merge
Team Collaboration

Shared branches
Public repositories
Team coordination
History preservation
Project Requirements

Complex features
Long-lived branches
Multiple developers
Release management
When to Choose Rebase
Individual Work

Local development
Feature branches
Code cleanup
History maintenance
Project Standards

Linear history
Clean commits
Code review
Quality control
Advanced Techniques
Merge Strategies

# Recursive merge
git merge -X recursive feature

# Octopus merge
git merge feature1 feature2

# Ours/Theirs
git merge -X ours feature
git merge -X theirs feature
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Rebase Techniques

# Interactive rebase
git rebase -i HEAD~3

# Rebase with autosquash
git rebase -i --autosquash HEAD~3

# Rebase with preserve-merges
git rebase -p main
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Decision Framework
Choose Merge When
Working on shared branches
Preserving branch history
Complex feature development
Team collaboration
Choose Rebase When
Working on local branches
Maintaining clean history
Before merging to main
Individual development
Conclusion
Both merge and rebase are valuable tools in Git. The choice depends on:

Team workflow
Project requirements
History preferences
Collaboration needs
Development style
Next Steps
Evaluate your workflow
Set team guidelines
Practice both methods
Monitor effectiveness
Adjust as needed

Resources
Git Documentation
Git Merge Strategies
Git Rebase Documentation
Atlassian Git Tutorial
Citations
Pro Git Book
GitHub Flow
Git Workflows
Git Best Practices
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