{ "uuid": [ { "value": "2885a415-17fb-4374-8070-0be55407af6c" } ], "langcode": [ { "value": "en" } ], "type": [ { "target_id": "daily_email", "target_type": "node_type", "target_uuid": "8bde1f2f-eef9-4f2d-ae9c-96921f8193d7" } ], "revision_timestamp": [ { "value": "2025-05-11T09:00:14+00:00" } ], "revision_uid": [ { "target_type": "user", "target_uuid": "b8966985-d4b2-42a7-a319-2e94ccfbb849" } ], "revision_log": [], "status": [ { "value": true } ], "uid": [ { "target_type": "user", "target_uuid": "b8966985-d4b2-42a7-a319-2e94ccfbb849" } ], "title": [ { "value": "Merging without merge commits" } ], "created": [ { "value": "2024-05-12T00:00:00+00:00" } ], "changed": [ { "value": "2025-05-11T09:00:14+00:00" } ], "promote": [ { "value": false } ], "sticky": [ { "value": false } ], "default_langcode": [ { "value": true } ], "revision_translation_affected": [ { "value": true } ], "path": [ { "alias": "\/daily\/2024\/05\/12\/merging-without-merge-commits", "langcode": "en" } ], "body": [ { "value": "\n

Since I posted about optimising for revertability<\/a>, I've received a few questions about how I avoid merge commits when working with Git.<\/p>\n\n

This is an extract from my .config\/git\/.config<\/code> file:<\/p>\n\n

[merge]\n    ff = \"only\"\n\n[pull]\n    ff = \"only\"\n    rebase = true\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n

This changes the behaviour of when I run git pull<\/code> to always include --rebase<\/code> by default and to only allow fast-forward merges and pulls.<\/p>\n\n

Only allowing fast-forward merges avoids merge commits as Git can just move the pointer for the branch to the latest commit.<\/p>\n\n

If I can't do a fast-forward merge, I need to rebase first to update everything and bring it up to date.<\/p>\n\n

Sometimes, when working in team, merge commits will still creep in sometimes and there are situations where you can only create a merge commit.<\/p>\n\n

In this situation, I can do git merge --ff<\/code> to allow a merge commit temporarily, but this is the exception instead of the default.<\/p>\n\n

\n

Hint: there's a lot more information on the configuration and arguments if you run and read man git-merge<\/code>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

When working with online tools such as GitHub and GitLab, I avoid any options like Squash and merge<\/code> or Create a merge commit<\/code> and will use rebase options, although I've seen where different commit IDs have been generated when merged in the UI, which is why I prefer to do merges locally.<\/p>\n\n

Or use trunk-based development<\/a> and don't work on topic branches at all.<\/p>\n\n ", "format": "full_html", "processed": "\n

Since I posted about optimising for revertability<\/a>, I've received a few questions about how I avoid merge commits when working with Git.<\/p>\n\n

This is an extract from my .config\/git\/.config<\/code> file:<\/p>\n\n

[merge]\n    ff = \"only\"\n\n[pull]\n    ff = \"only\"\n    rebase = true\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n

This changes the behaviour of when I run git pull<\/code> to always include --rebase<\/code> by default and to only allow fast-forward merges and pulls.<\/p>\n\n

Only allowing fast-forward merges avoids merge commits as Git can just move the pointer for the branch to the latest commit.<\/p>\n\n

If I can't do a fast-forward merge, I need to rebase first to update everything and bring it up to date.<\/p>\n\n

Sometimes, when working in team, merge commits will still creep in sometimes and there are situations where you can only create a merge commit.<\/p>\n\n

In this situation, I can do git merge --ff<\/code> to allow a merge commit temporarily, but this is the exception instead of the default.<\/p>\n\n

\n

Hint: there's a lot more information on the configuration and arguments if you run and read man git-merge<\/code>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

When working with online tools such as GitHub and GitLab, I avoid any options like Squash and merge<\/code> or Create a merge commit<\/code> and will use rebase options, although I've seen where different commit IDs have been generated when merged in the UI, which is why I prefer to do merges locally.<\/p>\n\n

Or use trunk-based development<\/a> and don't work on topic branches at all.<\/p>\n\n ", "summary": null } ], "feeds_item": [ { "imported": "1970-01-01T00:33:45+00:00", "guid": null, "hash": "df04ab02769a8e43f0227ca122c3d48c", "target_type": "feeds_feed", "target_uuid": "90c85284-7ca8-4074-9178-97ff8384fe76" } ] }