git rebase basic usage - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What does the git rebase command do?

It moves or combines a sequence of commits to a new base commit, helping to keep a clean, linear project history.

beginner

How do you start a basic rebase of your current branch onto main?

Use git rebase main while on your feature branch to replay your commits on top of main.

intermediate

What should you do if you encounter conflicts during a rebase?

Resolve the conflicts manually, then run git rebase --continue to proceed with the rebase.

intermediate

What is the difference between git merge and git rebase?

git merge combines histories creating a merge commit; git rebase rewrites history to create a linear sequence of commits.

intermediate

Why should you avoid rebasing public branches?

Because rebasing rewrites history, it can confuse others who have based work on the original commits, causing conflicts.

What command rebases your current branch onto the main branch?

A git merge main

B git pull origin main

C git checkout main

D git rebase main

The command git rebase main moves your current branch commits on top of the main branch.

If a conflict happens during rebase, what is the next step?

A Run <code>git merge</code> to fix conflicts

B Abort the rebase with <code>git rebase --abort</code>

C Resolve conflicts and run <code>git rebase --continue</code>

D Delete the branch and start over

You must fix conflicts manually, then continue the rebase with git rebase --continue.

What does rebasing do to your commit history?

A Creates a merge commit

B Rewrites commits on top of another base

C Deletes all commits

D Pushes commits to remote

Rebasing rewrites your commits to appear as if they were made on top of another branch.

Which is a risk of rebasing a public branch?

A Confusing collaborators due to rewritten history

B Losing all commits permanently

C Automatically merging conflicts

D Deleting the remote repository

Rebasing changes commit history, which can cause problems for others working on the same branch.

Which command cancels an ongoing rebase and returns to the original state?

A git rebase --abort

B git reset --hard

C git merge --abort

D git checkout -- .

git rebase --abort stops the rebase and restores the branch to its state before rebasing.

Explain the basic steps to perform a git rebase of your feature branch onto the main branch.

Think about how you move your work on top of the latest main branch.

Describe why rebasing can be useful and when it should be avoided.

Consider the benefits of clean history and the risks of changing shared history.

Practice

1. What does the git rebase command primarily do?

easy

A. Deletes all commits from the current branch

B. Merges two branches together with a merge commit

C. Creates a new branch without any commits

D. Moves your commits to a new base commit to create a linear history

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the purpose of git rebase

   Git rebase moves commits from one base to another to keep history linear and clean.

2. Step 2: Compare with other git commands

   Unlike merge, rebase rewrites commit history without creating merge commits.

3. Final Answer:

   Moves your commits to a new base commit to create a linear history -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Rebase = move commits to new base [OK]

Hint: Rebase moves commits to a new base, unlike merge [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing rebase with merge
• Thinking rebase deletes commits
• Believing rebase creates new branches

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to rebase your current branch onto main?

easy

A. git rebase --merge main

B. git rebase -m main

C. git rebase main

D. git rebase --onto main

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall basic git rebase syntax

   The command to rebase current branch onto another is git rebase <branch>.

2. Step 2: Identify correct option

   git rebase main matches the correct syntax: git rebase main.

3. Final Answer:

   git rebase main -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Rebase syntax = git rebase branch [OK]

Hint: Use 'git rebase branch-name' to rebase current branch [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Adding unnecessary flags like -m or --merge
• Using --onto without required arguments
• Confusing rebase syntax with merge

3. Given the following commands run in sequence:

git checkout feature
git rebase main

What happens to the commits on feature branch?

medium

A. They are replayed on top of the latest commit on main

B. They are deleted and replaced by main commits

C. They remain unchanged and main is merged

D. They are copied to a new branch named main

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand what 'git rebase main' does on feature branch

   It takes commits from feature and replays them on top of main's latest commit.

2. Step 2: Clarify what happens to commits

   Commits are not deleted but moved to appear after main's commits, creating a linear history.

3. Final Answer:

   They are replayed on top of the latest commit on main -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Rebase = replay commits on new base [OK]

Hint: Rebase replays commits on top of target branch [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking commits get deleted
• Confusing rebase with merge
• Assuming new branches are created

4. You ran git rebase main on your feature branch but got conflicts. What is the correct way to continue after resolving conflicts?

medium

A. Run git rebase --continue

B. Run git merge --continue

C. Run git commit --amend

D. Run git rebase --abort to finish

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the correct command after resolving rebase conflicts

   After fixing conflicts during rebase, you must run git rebase --continue to proceed.

2. Step 2: Differentiate from other commands

   git merge --continue is for merges, git commit --amend edits commits, and git rebase --abort cancels rebase.

3. Final Answer:

   Run git rebase --continue -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Fix conflicts then git rebase --continue [OK]

Hint: After conflicts, use 'git rebase --continue' to proceed [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using merge commands during rebase
• Aborting rebase instead of continuing
• Trying to amend commits prematurely

5. You rebased your feature branch onto main and now want to update the remote branch. What must you do to push your changes?

hard

A. Use git push normally without flags

B. Use git push --force to overwrite remote history

C. Delete the remote branch and push again

D. Use git push --no-verify to skip hooks

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand effect of rebase on commit history

   Rebase rewrites commit history, so remote branch history differs from local.

2. Step 2: Identify correct push method after rebase

   You must force push with git push --force to update remote branch with rewritten history.

3. Final Answer:

   Use git push --force to overwrite remote history -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Rebase requires force push to update remote [OK]

Hint: After rebase, always force push to update remote branch [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Trying normal push after rebase
• Deleting remote branch unnecessarily
• Using push flags unrelated to rebase