Ours vs theirs in conflicts in Git - Practice Questions

Challenge - 5 Problems

🧠 Conceptual

intermediate

Understanding 'ours' and 'theirs' in Git merge conflicts

When resolving a merge conflict in Git, what does the term 'ours' refer to?

A The changes from the branch you are currently on (your working branch).

B The changes from the branch you are merging into your current branch.

C The changes from the remote repository's default branch.

D The changes from the last commit before the merge started.

💡 Hint

Think about which branch you have checked out when you start the merge.

'Ours' refers to the branch you currently have checked out, the branch you are merging into. 'Theirs' refers to the branch you are merging from.

💻 Command Output

intermediate

Output of choosing 'ours' during conflict resolution

You have a merge conflict in a file named app.js. You run the command git checkout --ours app.js followed by git add app.js. What will be the content of app.js after these commands?

A The content of <code>app.js</code> from the branch you are merging in.

B The content of <code>app.js</code> from your current branch before the merge.

C An empty file with conflict markers still present.

D The content of <code>app.js</code> from the last commit on the remote repository.

💡 Hint

'--ours' means to keep your current branch's version of the file.

The command git checkout --ours app.js replaces the conflicted file with the version from your current branch, discarding the incoming changes.

🔀 Workflow

advanced

Resolving conflicts preferring 'theirs' changes

You are merging a feature branch into your main branch and want to resolve all conflicts by accepting the changes from the feature branch (theirs). Which sequence of commands correctly achieves this for all conflicted files?

A git merge feature; git checkout --theirs .; git add .; git commit -m 'Resolved conflicts using theirs'

B git merge feature; git checkout --ours .; git add .; git commit -m 'Resolved conflicts using theirs'

C git merge feature; git revert --theirs; git add .; git commit -m 'Resolved conflicts using theirs'

D git merge feature; git reset --hard; git commit -m 'Resolved conflicts using theirs'

💡 Hint

Remember that --theirs means the branch you are merging in.

After starting the merge, git checkout --theirs . replaces all conflicted files with the incoming branch's versions. Then staging and committing completes the resolution.

❓ Troubleshoot

advanced

Error when using 'git checkout --theirs' on a non-conflicted file

You run git checkout --theirs README.md but get the error: error: pathspec 'README.md' did not match any files. What is the most likely cause?

A You have uncommitted changes in README.md preventing checkout.

B You are not inside a Git repository.

C The file README.md is ignored by .gitignore.

D The file README.md is not in conflict, so 'theirs' version does not exist.

💡 Hint

'--theirs' only works on files with merge conflicts.

The --theirs option only applies to files currently in conflict. If README.md is not conflicted, Git cannot find a 'theirs' version to check out.

✅ Best Practice

expert

Choosing between 'ours' and 'theirs' in a complex conflict scenario

During a complex merge conflict involving multiple files, you want to keep your current branch's changes for configuration files but accept incoming changes for source code files. Which approach best achieves this?

A Abort the merge and manually copy files from each branch outside Git, then commit.

B Use <code>git checkout --theirs</code> on all files, then manually revert config files after commit.

C Use <code>git checkout --ours</code> on config files and <code>git checkout --theirs</code> on source code files, then stage and commit.

D Use <code>git merge --strategy=ours</code> to keep all current branch changes.

💡 Hint

Selective checkout of 'ours' or 'theirs' per file allows fine control.

Using git checkout --ours on config files keeps your branch's versions, while git checkout --theirs on source files accepts incoming changes. Staging and committing finalizes the resolution.

Practice

1. In a Git merge conflict, what does ours refer to?

easy

A. A backup copy of the file before the merge

B. The version of the file in the branch you are merging

C. The common ancestor version of the file

D. The version of the file in your current branch

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the meaning of 'ours' in Git conflicts

   'Ours' means the version of the file in your current branch where you started the merge.

2. Step 2: Differentiate from 'theirs'

   'Theirs' refers to the version from the branch you are merging into your current branch.

3. Final Answer:

   The version of the file in your current branch -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Ours = current branch version [OK]

Hint: Ours = your branch, theirs = merging branch [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing 'ours' with 'theirs'
• Thinking 'ours' means the common ancestor
• Assuming 'ours' is a backup copy

2. Which Git command correctly chooses the 'theirs' version of a conflicted file named app.js?

easy

A. git checkout --ours app.js

B. git checkout --theirs app.js

C. git reset --theirs app.js

D. git merge --theirs app.js

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the correct command to pick 'theirs'

   The command to choose the 'theirs' version during conflict is git checkout --theirs <file>.

2. Step 2: Verify the file name usage

   Using app.js after the command specifies the file to resolve.

3. Final Answer:

   git checkout --theirs app.js -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Use 'git checkout --theirs' to pick theirs [OK]

Hint: Use 'git checkout --theirs <file>' to pick theirs version [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using 'git reset' instead of 'git checkout'
• Confusing '--ours' with '--theirs'
• Trying 'git merge --theirs' which is invalid

3. After a merge conflict on index.html, you run:
git checkout --ours index.html
What will be the content of index.html after this command?

medium

A. The version from your current branch before the merge

B. The version from the branch you are merging

C. The common ancestor version

D. An empty file

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand what 'git checkout --ours' does in conflict

   This command replaces the conflicted file with the version from your current branch before the merge.

2. Step 2: Confirm the file content after the command

   After running it, index.html will have your branch's original content, ignoring the other branch's changes.

3. Final Answer:

   The version from your current branch before the merge -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   'git checkout --ours' = current branch content [OK]

Hint: Checkout --ours picks your branch's file version [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking it picks the other branch's version
• Assuming it resets to common ancestor
• Expecting it to merge both versions automatically

4. You tried to resolve a conflict by running git checkout --theirs main.js but the file did not update. What is the likely cause?

medium

A. You need to commit before checking out

B. You used the wrong file name

C. You are not in a conflicted merge state

D. The command only works after resolving conflicts manually

Solution

1. Step 1: Check the merge state requirement

   The git checkout --theirs command only works when Git detects a conflict during a merge.

2. Step 2: Understand why the file didn't update

   If you are not in a conflicted state, Git has no 'theirs' version to apply, so the file stays unchanged.

3. Final Answer:

   You are not in a conflicted merge state -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   'git checkout --theirs' needs conflict state [OK]

Hint: Use 'git status' to confirm conflict before checkout --theirs [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Trying to use --theirs outside a merge conflict
• Assuming checkout updates file without conflict
• Not verifying current branch or file name

5. During a complex merge conflict involving multiple files, you want to keep your current branch's version for config.yaml but accept the other branch's version for README.md. Which sequence of commands correctly resolves this?

hard

A. git checkout --ours config.yaml && git checkout --theirs README.md && git add config.yaml README.md

B. git checkout --theirs config.yaml && git checkout --ours README.md && git add config.yaml README.md

C. git reset --ours config.yaml && git reset --theirs README.md && git commit -m 'Resolve conflicts'

D. git merge --ours config.yaml README.md

Solution

1. Step 1: Use correct commands to pick versions per file

   To keep your branch's version for config.yaml, use git checkout --ours config.yaml. To accept the other branch's version for README.md, use git checkout --theirs README.md.

2. Step 2: Stage the resolved files

   After choosing versions, add both files to the staging area with git add config.yaml README.md to mark conflicts resolved.

3. Final Answer:

   git checkout --ours config.yaml && git checkout --theirs README.md && git add config.yaml README.md -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Use checkout --ours/theirs per file, then git add [OK]

Hint: Pick versions per file with checkout, then git add to resolve [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Mixing up --ours and --theirs for files
• Forgetting to git add after checkout
• Using git reset or git merge incorrectly