How to Squash Merge in Git: Simple Steps and Examples

To squash merge in Git, use git merge --squash branch-name to combine all commits from the branch into a single commit on your current branch. Then, commit the changes with git commit to finalize the squash merge.

Syntax

The basic syntax for squash merging in Git is:

• git merge --squash <branch-name>: Combines all commits from the specified branch into your current branch as staged changes without creating a merge commit.
• git commit: Creates a single commit from the staged changes, completing the squash merge.

bash

git merge --squash feature-branch
git commit -m "Squash merge feature-branch"

Example

This example shows how to squash merge a branch named feature-branch into main. It combines all feature-branch commits into one commit on main.

bash

git checkout main
# Merge feature-branch with squash
git merge --squash feature-branch
# Commit the combined changes
git commit -m "Add feature from feature-branch as a single commit"

Output

Updating files: 100% (5/5), done.
[main 1a2b3c4] Add feature from feature-branch as a single commit
 5 files changed, 50 insertions(+)

Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes when squash merging include:

• Not running git commit after git merge --squash, which leaves changes staged but uncommitted.
• Expecting a merge commit; squash merge creates a single new commit instead.
• Forgetting to update the branch after squash merge, which can cause conflicts if you later merge normally.

bash

# Wrong way:
git merge --squash feature-branch
# Forgot to commit

# Right way:
git merge --squash feature-branch
git commit -m "Squash merge feature-branch"

Quick Reference

Command	Description
git merge --squash	Prepare all changes from as staged changes
git commit -m "message"	Create one commit from staged changes
git status	Check staged changes before committing
git log	View commit history after squash merge

Key Takeaways

Use git merge --squash to combine multiple commits into one before merging.

Always run git commit after squash merging to finalize the changes.

Squash merge does not create a merge commit but a single new commit.

Check your staged changes with git status before committing.

Be careful to update branches properly to avoid conflicts after squash merges.