Can I undo a merge conflict and start over?

Yes. Run "git merge --abort" to cancel the merge and return to the state before. If you were rebasing, use "git rebase --abort". This is safe and discards no committed work.

What do the >>>>>> markers mean?

These are conflict markers Git inserts into the file. Between >>>>>> branch-name is the incoming version. Edit the file to keep what you want and remove all marker lines.

How do I resolve a conflict during a rebase?

Same process: edit the file, remove markers, run "git add ". Then finish with "git rebase --continue" instead of "git commit". To skip a commit, use "git rebase --skip".

How can I prevent merge conflicts?

Pull and rebase frequently to stay up to date. Keep commits small and focused. Use short-lived feature branches and merge them back quickly rather than letting them diverge.

CONFLICT (content): Merge conflict in file

This error means Git found conflicting changes in the same lines from two different branches and needs your help to decide which version to keep. Here is how to resolve it.

Practice conflict resolution See the fix

gitquest — enquête

Error explained

What this error means

When you run git merge, git rebase, git cherry-pick, or git stash pop, Git tries to combine changes from two sources automatically. When both sources modified the same lines in the same file, Git cannot decide which version is correct and asks you to resolve it.

gitquest — merge conflict

$git merge feature/login

Auto-merging src/App.tsx

CONFLICT (content): Merge conflict in src/App.tsx

Automatic merge failed; fix conflicts and then commit the result.

gitquest — conflict markers inside the file

# Inside the conflicted file:

<<<<<<< HEAD

=======

>>>>>>> feature/login

Root causes

Why this happens

Two people edited the same lines

You and a teammate both changed the same part of a file on separate branches. When you merge, Git finds two different versions and cannot pick one automatically.

Rebase onto a diverged branch

When you rebase onto a branch that has moved forward, Git replays your commits one by one. If any touch lines also changed upstream, you get a conflict.

Cherry-pick or stash pop conflicts

Cherry-picking or popping a stash applies changes from one context onto another. If the target has diverged from the original context, the same lines may conflict.

Step-by-step fix

How to fix it

The process is the same whether the conflict came from a merge, rebase, or cherry-pick.

Fix during a merge

Open the conflicted file, choose the right version, remove the markers, then stage and commit.

gitquest — resolve merge conflict

# 1. See which files conflict

$git status

both modified: src/App.tsx

# 2. Edit the file, pick the right version, remove markers

# 3. Stage and commit

$git add src/App.tsx

$git commit -m "Resolve merge conflict in App.tsx"

[main a3b4c5d] Resolve merge conflict in App.tsx

Fix during a rebase (or cancel)

Same process, but finish with git rebase --continue. You can always abort.

gitquest — resolve or abort

# During a rebase, resolve the conflict then:

$git add src/App.tsx

$git rebase --continue

Successfully rebased and updated refs/heads/feature/login.

# To cancel instead:

$git merge --abort

# or: git rebase --abort

Best practices

How to prevent merge conflicts

Pull and rebase often

The longer your branch diverges, the more likely conflicts become. Run git pull --rebase daily to stay in sync with your team's work.

Keep commits small and focused

Large commits touching many files create more conflict opportunities. Make small changes and merge feature branches back quickly instead of letting them grow.

Communicate with your team

If a teammate is working on the same file, coordinate. Code reviews and short-lived branches reduce the chance of two people editing the same lines.

Related commands

git merge

Combine branches together

git rebase

Replay commits onto another branch

git diff

Compare changes between branches

GitQuest is created by Anaïs (nouvelle fenêtre), web developer and head of education, specializing in tech training and digital accessibility.

Questions about merge conflicts

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