Git rebase is a Git utility that specializes in integrating changes from one branch onto another. Rebasing is the process of combining or moving a sequence of commits on top of a new base commit. It is a linear process of merging that can be used to maintain a linear project history.
Git rebase is used to:
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Integrate changes from one branch onto another: Rebasing allows developers to integrate changes from one branch onto another in a linear fashion, making it easier to maintain a clean project history.
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Rewrite project history: Rebasing rewrites the project history by creating brand new commits for each commit in the original branch, instead of using a merge commit.
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Clean up a messy history: Interactive rebasing gives developers complete control over the branch’s commit history, allowing them to alter commits as they are moved to the new branch. This is useful for cleaning up a messy history before merging a feature branch into the main branch.
It is important to note that rebasing is a destructive operation, and if not applied correctly, it could result in losing committed work and/or breaking the consistency of other developers repositories. It is recommended to only rebase commits that have never left your own computer or have been pushed but not based on by others.