Merge Conflict in Git: The Simplest Resolution Workflow

TL;DR: Keep your working tree clean, rebase first, resolve file by file, run tests, then continue. If things go sideways, abort and try again. Below is a reliable, text-first flow you can memorize.

Mental model

A conflict means two commits changed the same lines or adjacent context. Your job is to decide which change wins or how to combine them, then produce a clean result.

Minimal workflow

# make sure you have no local changes you cannot stash
git status

# get upstream changes
git fetch origin

# rebase your branch onto the latest main
git rebase origin/main

# resolve conflicts as they appear
# open each file, search for <<<<<<< ======= >>>>>>>
# edit to a single correct version

# mark resolved files
git add <file>

# continue the rebase
git rebase --continue

# run tests and linters
npm test # or ./gradlew test, etc.

Resolving files

Look for conflict markers. Decide which side to keep or how to merge them into a single version. Remove the markers completely.

<<<<<<< HEAD
const port = 3000;
=======
const port = 8080;
>>>>>>> origin/main

Final:

const port = 8080; // choose one and move on

Avoiding conflicts next time

• Pull and rebase before starting new work.
• Keep PRs small and focused.
• Move unrelated refactors to a separate change.

Useful aliases

git config --global alias.co checkout
git config --global alias.st status
git config --global alias.rb "rebase"

FAQ

Rebase or merge
Rebase keeps history linear and reduces future conflicts. Use merge if your team policy prefers it.

How do I abort safely
Run git rebase --abort or git merge --abort to return to the previous state. Commit or stash your edits first.

I committed conflict markers by accident
Revert that commit or fix the file and commit again. Add a pre-commit hook that prevents committing markers.

Cast this in your project

• Merge Conflict T-shirt for the Git warriors.
• Git Flashcards to practice core commands and flows.

Photo by Vera Arsic: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-and-woman-wearing-brown-leather-jackets-984950/