git-merge-file - Linux

Overview

git-merge-file is specifically designed to facilitate merging files during a git merge operation, allowing you to merge changes from different branches or commits. It provides a user-friendly interface for resolving merge conflicts by presenting the conflicting versions of text files and guiding you through the merging process.

Syntax

git merge-file [options] <input-file> <local-file> <remote-file> [output-file]

| Argument | Description |
|—|—|
| input-file | (Required) The path to a temporary file containing the original text before any merge attempts. |
| local-file | (Required) The path to the locally modified file. |
| remote-file | (Required) The path to the remotely modified file. |
| output-file | (Optional) The path to the output file where the merged result will be saved. Defaults to stdout if omitted. |

Options/Flags

| Option | Description | Default |
|—|—|—|
| -p | Prompt for each conflict resolution. | No |
| -L<n> | Ignore conflicts in the first <n> lines. | 0 |
| -R<n> | Ignore conflicts in the last <n> lines. | 0 |

Examples

Simple Merge:

git merge-file input.txt local.txt remote.txt

Merge with Prompt:

git merge-file -p input.txt local.txt remote.txt output.txt

Ignoring Conflicts in First 10 Lines:

git merge-file -L10 input.txt local.txt remote.txt

Common Issues

  • Conflict Markers: If merge conflicts occur, you may see markers in the output file. Manually resolve these conflicts before saving the merged result.
  • Editor Integration: git-merge-file uses your default text editor to resolve conflicts. Ensure your editor is properly configured for merging (e.g., Atom with the merge-conflict package).

Integration

  • Bash Script: Create a script that automates conflict resolution based on specific criteria.
  • Vim: Use plugins like vim-fugitive for enhanced merging functionality within Vim.

Related Commands

  • git-merge: Perform a merge operation between branches or commits.
  • git-resolve: Manually resolve merge conflicts within a specific file.
  • git-mergetool: Launch a merge tool for selecting merges between different versions.