3c Resolving Merge Conflicts Understanding What Causes Conflicts Merge conflicts occur when Git cannot automatically merge changes from two different branches because the same lines of code have been modified in both branches. This typically happens when:
Same file, same lines modified: Both branches have changed the same portion of a file Different files with similar content: When different branches modify related functionality Branches that have diverged significantly: When there are many changes across multiple files Git detects these conflicts automatically and marks them in the affected files, preventing automatic merging to avoid data loss or incorrect code behavior.
Manual Resolution Process 1. Open the conflicted file in your text editor 2. Examine the conflict markers and decide which changes to keep or combine 3. Edit the file to remove conflict markers and create the desired final code 4. Stage the resolved file using git add 5. Complete the merge with git commit
Best Practices for Merge Conflicts 1. Communication: Discuss conflicts with team members before resolving 2. Test thoroughly: Ensure resolved code works correctly after merging 3. Keep changes minimal: Only resolve what's necessary, not everything 4. Use tools: Leverage Git GUI tools or editors with merge conflict resolution capabilities 5. Document decisions: Add comments explaining why certain conflicts were resolved a particular way
Common Commands for Conflict Management git status: Shows conflicted files git diff: Displays differences in conflicted files git checkout --theirs filename: Accept changes from the branch being merged git checkout --ours filename: Keep changes from current branch git mergetool: Opens a visual merge tool git reset --merge: Aborts the merge process
Can you answer these questions 1. What are the three main conflict markers that Git inserts when there's a merge conflict? 2. Why does Git prevent automatic merging when conflicts occur? 3. How can you identify which files have merge conflicts after attempting a merge? 4. What happens if you don't resolve all conflicts before committing a merge? 5. What is the difference between git checkout --theirs and git checkout --ours? 6. Can you use git add on only some of the conflicted files, or must you add them all at once? 7. How can you abort a merge operation if you want to start over? 8. What are the advantages of using a visual merge tool like git mergetool over manual editing? 9. Why might someone choose to resolve conflicts by accepting changes from their current branch instead of the merged branch? 10. How does Git determine which lines in a file have conflicts when there are multiple conflicting changes? 11. What is the proper sequence of commands to complete a merge after resolving all conflicts? 12. What are some strategies for minimizing merge conflicts during collaborative development? 13. How can you use git diff to better understand what changed in conflicted files? 14. When would you prefer to resolve a conflict using git checkout --theirs over manual editing? 15. What is the purpose of the git reset --merge command?