Resolving Conflicts Within the Same Branch
Understanding the Situation:
If changes are made on both the local and remote repos (generally caused by forgetting to push/pull after changes have been made), the conflict(s) should be resolved as follows:
1. Identify the conflicting files:
git status
2. Open the conflicting files: Use your preferred text editor to open the files with conflicts.
3. Review the changes: Carefully examine the changes made in both versions.
4. Choose the correct changes: Decide which changes to keep, discard, or combine.
5. Edit the file: Manually edit the file, removing the conflict markers and incorporating the desired changes.
6. Stage the resolved file:
git add <filename>
7. Commit the changes:
git commit -m "Resolved conflict in <filename>"
Preventing Future Conflicts:
- Develop on separate branches: Encourage developers to work on separate branches and merge when ready.
- Rebase frequently: If you must work on the same branch, rebase your local changes onto the remote branch regularly.
- Effective communication: Ensure clear communication among team members about who is working on what.
Additional Considerations:
- Force pushing: Avoid force pushing as it can overwrite other people's work.
- Merge tools: Consider using a merge tool for complex conflicts.
Example:
«««< HEAD This is the original line.
This is the changed line from one developer.
other_developer
You would then decide whether to keep the original line, the changed line, or combine the changes.
Remember: Resolving conflicts within the same branch can be more complex than between branches due to the potential for multiple contributors. Clear communication and careful conflict resolution are essential.