Merging in Git: Understanding Branch Relationships for Master Updates

Описание: Discover how to effectively manage branch merges in Git and learn why merging from one updated branch, while ignoring others, can simplify your workflow.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/67692858/ asked by the user 'Ray' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/1344476/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/67692912/ provided by the user 'TheIceBear' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/6889416/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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Understanding Git Branch Merges

In the world of Git, managing branches effectively is crucial for maintaining a clean and organized codebase. Developers often encounter scenarios where multiple branches are being worked on concurrently, leading to questions about how merges should be handled. One common query is whether it's possible to merge into the master branch from an updated branch while ignoring other branches.

The Scenario

Imagine a situation where:

You have a master branch as your main codebase.

Branch 1.5.5 is created from master for specific development work.

From branch 1.5.5, you create another branch called 1.5.6.

Various teams are working on each of these branches.

Once the work on 1.5.5 is completed, it is merged into 1.5.6. Now, your goal is to update the master branch with the changes from 1.5.6, but you want to know if you also need to merge in 1.5.5.

The Solution: Merging Simplified

Key Point

When you merge branch 1.5.6 into the master branch, all commits that are part of 1.5.6 are also included, regardless of their original branch. This means:

All Changes Are Included: By merging 1.5.6, you are indeed merging the changes from 1.5.5 since 1.5.5 was previously merged into 1.5.6.

No Need for Additional Merges: You do not have to merge 1.5.5 separately into master, because its changes are already included via 1.5.6.

Steps to Merge

Switch to the master branch:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Merge 1.5.6 into master:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Push the changes to update the remote master:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Understanding the Commit History

It's essential to keep in mind that Git tracks commits based on their history. When you perform a merge, Git creates a new commit that includes all the changes from both branches. This is why the commits from 1.5.5 will still be reflected in the master branch through 1.5.6.

Conclusion

Merging branches in Git can sometimes seem overwhelming, but understanding the history of your branches simplifies the process. In the scenario where you've merged 1.5.5 into 1.5.6, you can confidently merge 1.5.6 into master without needing to redundantly merge 1.5.5. This makes your workflow more efficient and keeps your master branch clean with all the latest changes.

Embracing these principles not only saves time but also helps in maintaining clarity regarding what changes exist where in your project. Happy coding!