Golden rule of rebasing (never rebase public) in Git - Step-by-Step Execution

Process Flow - Golden rule of rebasing (never rebase public)

Start with local branch

↓

Perform rebase

↓

Check if branch is public

↓

STOP: Don't rebase

↓

Avoid rewriting history others use

This flow shows that before rebasing, you must check if the branch is public. If yes, stop to avoid rewriting shared history. If no, rebase safely.

Execution Sample

Git

git checkout feature
# local branch

git rebase main
# rebase local branch

git push --force
# force push (dangerous if public)

This example shows rebasing a local feature branch onto main and force pushing, which is safe only if the branch is not public.

Process Table

Step	Action	Branch State	Rebase Allowed?	Result
1	Checkout feature branch	Local only	Yes	Ready to rebase
2	Run git rebase main	Local only	Yes	Branch rebased onto main
3	Check if branch is public	Local only	Yes	Safe to push force
4	Force push to remote	Local only	Yes	Remote updated safely
5	If branch was public	Shared with others	No	Stop! Don't rebase to avoid conflicts

💡 Stop rebasing if branch is public to avoid rewriting shared history

Status Tracker

Variable	Start	After Step 2	After Step 4
branch_state	Local only	Rebased locally	Rebased and pushed
rebase_allowed	Yes	Yes	Yes or No depending on public status

Key Moments - 2 Insights

Why should you never rebase a public branch?

Because rebasing rewrites history, and if others use that branch, it causes conflicts and confusion. See execution_table row 5.

What does 'force push' do after rebasing?

It updates the remote branch with rewritten history. This is safe only if the branch is local or private. See execution_table row 4.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution table, at which step do you check if the branch is public?

A Step 3

B Step 1

C Step 4

D Step 2

💡 Hint

Check the 'Action' column in execution_table row 3 for the public branch check.

According to variable_tracker, what is the branch_state after step 4?

A Local only

B Rebased locally

C Rebased and pushed

D Shared with others

💡 Hint

Look at variable_tracker row for branch_state after step 4.

If the branch is public, what should you do according to the concept flow?

A Rebase and force push

B Stop and do not rebase

C Merge instead of rebase

D Delete the branch

💡 Hint

See the 'Yes' branch from 'Check if branch is public' in concept_flow.

Concept Snapshot

Golden Rule of Rebasing:
- Never rebase public branches.
- Rebasing rewrites commit history.
- Rebase only local/private branches.
- Force push only safe on non-public branches.
- Avoid conflicts and confusion for others.

Full Transcript

The golden rule of rebasing is to never rebase public branches. Rebasing changes commit history, which can confuse others if the branch is shared. The flow starts by checking out a local branch, rebasing it onto main, then checking if the branch is public. If it is public, stop rebasing to avoid rewriting shared history. If not, you can safely force push the rebased branch. The execution table shows each step, including checking branch state and whether rebase is allowed. Variable tracking shows the branch state changes from local to rebased and pushed. Key moments clarify why rebasing public branches is dangerous and what force push does. The visual quiz tests understanding of when to check branch status, branch state after pushing, and the correct action if the branch is public. Remember: only rebase local branches to keep history clean and avoid conflicts.