Resolving a merge conflict using the command line

Resolve merge conflicts using the command line by identifying conflicting changes, editing files, and committing resolutions.

In this article

Merge conflicts happen when competing changes are made to the same line of a file, or when one person edits a file and another person deletes the same file. See Merge conflicts.

Tip

You can use the conflict editor on GitHub to resolve competing line change merge conflicts between branches that are part of a pull request. See Resolving a merge conflict on GitHub.

Competing line change merge conflicts

When competing changes affect the same lines, choose which changes to keep, then commit the resolution.

  1. Open your terminal or Git Bash.

  2. Navigate into the local Git repository that has the merge conflict.

    cd REPOSITORY-NAME

  3. List the files affected by the merge conflict. In this example, the file styleguide.md has a merge conflict.

    $ git status
> # On branch branch-b
> # You have unmerged paths.
> #   (fix conflicts and run "git commit")
> #
> # Unmerged paths:
> #   (use "git add <file>..." to mark resolution)
> #
> # both modified:      styleguide.md
> #
> no changes added to commit (use "git add" and/or "git commit -a")

  4. Open your preferred text editor, such as Visual Studio Code, and navigate to the file that has merge conflicts.

  5. Search the file for the conflict marker <<<<<<<. The changes from the HEAD or base branch appear after <<<<<<< HEAD, followed by =======, then the changes from the other branch and >>>>>>> BRANCH-NAME.

    If you have questions, please
<<<<<<< HEAD
open an issue
=======
ask your question in IRC.
>>>>>>> branch-a

  6. Decide if you want to keep only your branch's changes, keep only the other branch's changes, or make a brand new change, which may incorporate changes from both branches. Delete the conflict markers <<<<<<<, =======, >>>>>>> and make the changes you want in the final merge. For example, you can keep both changes:

    If you have questions, please open an issue or ask in our IRC channel if it's more urgent.

  7. Stage your changes.

    git add .

  8. Commit your changes with a comment.

    git commit -m "Resolve merge conflict by incorporating both suggestions"

You can now merge the branches on the command line or push your changes to your remote repository on GitHub and merge your changes in a pull request.

Removed file merge conflicts

When one branch deletes a file and another branch edits the same file, choose whether to keep or delete the file, then commit the resolution.

  1. Open your terminal or Git Bash.

  2. Navigate into the local Git repository that has the merge conflict.

    cd REPOSITORY-NAME

  3. List the files affected by the merge conflict. In this example, the file README.md has a merge conflict.

    $ git status
> # On branch main
> # Your branch and 'origin/main' have diverged,
> # and have 1 and 2 different commits each, respectively.
> #  (use "git pull" to merge the remote branch into yours)
> # You have unmerged paths.
> #  (fix conflicts and run "git commit")
> #
> # Unmerged paths:
> #  (use "git add/rm <file>..." as appropriate to mark resolution)
> #
> #	deleted by us:   README.md
> #
> # no changes added to commit (use "git add" and/or "git commit -a")

  4. Open your preferred text editor, such as Visual Studio Code, and navigate to the file that has merge conflicts.

  5. Decide whether to keep the removed file. To add it back to your repository:

    git add README.md

    To remove this file from your repository:

    $ git rm README.md
> README.md: needs merge
> rm 'README.md'

  6. Commit your changes with a comment.

    $ git commit -m "Resolve merge conflict by keeping README.md file"
> [branch-d 6f89e49] Merge branch 'branch-c' into branch-d

With merge conflicts resolved, you can now push your changes to your remote repository on GitHub or merge your pull request into its base branch.

Further reading