Git Merge vs Rebase Demystified: A Deep Dive into Version Control Mastery

Version control is critical in managing code for development teams. In Git, MERGE and REBASE are two important strategies for integrating changes from one branch into another. Both are powerful tools, but knowing when and how to use them is key for a cleaner commit history and conflict-free collaboration.

What is Git MERGE?

A merge combines the histories of two branches into a single branch. It creates a new commit called a “merge commit” to signify where the branches were merged.

Example Scenario: MERGING Two Branches

# Assume you're on the 'feature' branch
git checkout feature

# Merge 'main' into 'feature'
git merge main

Here’s a visualization before and after the merge:

Diagram: Before and After a Merge

Before Merge:

A---B---C  (main)
     \
      D---E  (feature)

After Merge:

A---B---C-------F  (main)
     \       /
      D---E  (feature)