How to Resolve a Git Merge Conflict

Why a merge conflict happens

Git combines changes from two branches automatically. When both branches changed the same lines of the same file, Git cannot decide which version to keep, so it stops and marks the file as conflicted for you to resolve. You will see it after a git merge, git pull, or git rebase:

$ git merge feature
Auto-merging main.py
CONFLICT (content): Merge conflict in main.py
Automatic merge failed; fix conflicts and then commit the result.

Read the conflict markers

Git rewrites the conflicted file with markers showing both sides:

<<<<<<< HEAD
PORT = 8080
=======
PORT = 9090
>>>>>>> feature

• From <<<<<<< HEAD to ======= is your branch's version.
• From ======= to >>>>>>> feature is the incoming branch's version.

Resolve it in three steps

1. Open the file and edit it to the final version you want - keep one side, the other, or combine them. Delete all three marker lines:

python PORT = 9090 TIMEOUT = 30

2. Stage the resolved file:

bash git add main.py

3. Finish the merge with a commit:

bash git commit --no-edit

That is it - the merge is complete.

Useful commands while resolving

git status        # files listed as "both modified" are conflicted
git diff          # shows each conflict hunk
git merge --abort # bail out and return to before the merge

How to avoid them

• Pull or rebase often so branches do not drift far apart.
• Keep changes small and focused on one area.
• For big conflicts, use git mergetool or your editor's built-in conflict view.