How to test a merge without actually merging first

git merge
dole doug picture dole doug · Sep 20, 2011 · Viewed 88.2k times · Source

Is there any way of simulating a git merge between two branches, the current working branch and the master, but without making any changes?

I often have conflicts when I have to make a git merge. Is there any way of simulating the merge first?

Answer

Amber picture Amber · Sep 20, 2011

You can use git merge --no-commit to prevent the merge from actually being committed, and if you don't like how the merge works out, just reset to the original head.

If you definitely don't want to finalize the merge, even if it's a fast-forward (and thus has no conflicts, by definition), you could add --no-ff as well.

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