WTF is git cherry-pick?

Ever wished you could steal just one commit without dragging the entire messy branch with it?

Welcome to Git’s commit heist tool: git cherry-pick.

What actually happens?

Run:

git checkout main
git cherry-pick <commit-hash>

Git grabs the diff from <commit-hash> and replays it on main as a brand-new commit.
Same content, fresh identity (new hash).

Why you need this

✅ Hotfix emergencies: pluck that one bugfix without the noise.
✅ Selective feature moves: steal just the feature you want.
✅ History hacks: clean up messy branches by cherry-picking verified commits.

💡 Pro tip: If you need more than 3 commits, merging might be smarter. Don’t over-cherry-pick like a code raccoon.

Anatomy of the output

bash [main 5f8d3e2] Fix typo in README Author: teammate <teammate@example.com> Date: Fri Jul 4 17:22:46 2025 +0530

5f8d3e2 → brand new hash, no shady reuse.
Message & author? Still carried over for context clarity.

Conflict mode: activate

Conflicts are inevitable. When they hit:

Fix markers (<<<<, ====, >>>>) in your favorite editor.
git add <resolved-files>
Continue the drama:

bash git cherry-pick --continue

⚠️ WTF moment: Cherry-pick conflicts are like that one friend who says “I’ll be chill” and then flips the table.

Spooked? Reset with:

bash git cherry-pick --abort

Back to pre-cherry-pick bliss.

Pro tips

✅ Cherry-pick small, self-contained commits. Big ones? Big drama.
✅ Avoid merge commits unless you enjoy pain.
✅ Push right after you pick. Don’t ghost your teammates.