git-merge-one-file - Linux

Overview

git-merge-one-file merges changes from one branch to a specific file while leaving the rest of the working tree and index unchanged. It’s useful for selectively merging individual files without affecting the entire project.

Syntax

git merge-one-file [<file>...] <branch>

Options/Flags

  • -L : Specify the path to a merge script to customize behavior (default: system default)
  • –no-commit: Perform the merge without committing changes
  • –squash: Squash the changes to the specified file into a single commit
  • –edit: Launch an editor after merging to resolve any conflicts
  • -s : Set the merge strategy (default: diff3)

Examples

  • Merge specific files from a branch:
git merge-one-file file1.txt file2.txt other-branch
  • Merge without committing:
git merge-one-file -no-commit myfile.txt other-branch
  • Squash changes into a single commit:
git merge-one-file --squash myfile.txt other-branch

Common Issues

  • Merge conflicts: If there are conflicts, they are indicated by merge markers in the file. Manually resolve the conflicts and stage the modified file.
  • Merge aborts: Ensure the merge source branch is up-to-date. If not, update it using git fetch and try again.

Integration

  • Selective merging: Combine with git add -p to selectively merge specific hunks within a file.
  • Merge conflicts: Use git difftool or git mergetool to resolve conflicts in files merged using git-merge-one-file.

Related Commands

  • git merge: Merge the history of multiple branches into a single branch
  • git cherry-pick: Copy commits from one branch to another
  • git add -p: Stage specific changes to the index