See the current state of the merge/rebase. Check git history, and the conflicting files.
Find the primary sources for each conflict. Understand deeply why each change was made, and what the original intent was. Read the commit messages, check the PRs, check original issues/tickets.
Resolve each hunk. Preserve both intents where possible. Where incompatible, pick the one matching the merge's stated goal and note the trade-off. Do not invent new behaviour. Resolve rather than
--abort; if a hunk's intent cannot be established from the sources in step 2,--abortand ask, never commit it unresolved.Discover the project's automated checks and run them, typically typecheck, then tests, then format. Fix anything the merge broke.
Finish the merge/rebase. Before staging, run
git diff --check(warns on leftover conflict markers) and confirmgit ls-files -uis empty. Stage only the files you resolved, then commit. Git will not stop you: staging a file that still contains<<<<<<<clears its unmerged entry and the commit succeeds with the markers in history. If rebasing, continue the rebase process until all commits are rebased.
Resolving Merge Conflicts
Use when you need to resolve an in-progress git merge/rebase conflict.
stanfish06
Updated Resolving Merge Conflicts by stanfish06 · 3550463
npx skillmds@latest add stanfish06/resolving-merge-conflicts File contents
---name: resolving-merge-conflictsdescription: Use when you need to resolve an in-progress git merge/rebase conflict.---1. **See the current state** of the merge/rebase. Check git history, and the conflicting files.2. **Find the primary sources** for each conflict. Understand deeply why each change was made, and what the original intent was. Read the commit messages, check the PRs, check original issues/tickets.3. **Resolve each hunk.** Preserve both intents where possible. Where incompatible, pick the one matching the merge's stated goal and note the trade-off. Do **not** invent new behaviour. Resolve rather than `--abort`; if a hunk's intent cannot be established from the sources in step 2, `--abort` and ask, never commit it unresolved.4. Discover the project's **automated checks** and run them, typically typecheck, then tests, then format. Fix anything the merge broke.5. **Finish the merge/rebase.** Before staging, run `git diff --check` (warns on leftover conflict markers) and confirm `git ls-files -u` is empty. Stage only the files you resolved, then commit. Git will not stop you: staging a file that still contains `<<<<<<<` clears its unmerged entry and the commit succeeds with the markers in history. If rebasing, continue the rebase process until all commits are rebased.
stanfish06/skillquarium/tree/main/skills/resolving-merge-conflicts commit 35504639be
Frequently asked questions
Run npx skillmds@latest add stanfish06/resolving-merge-conflicts in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.
Use when you need to resolve an in-progress git merge/rebase conflict. It is listed under Coding & Dev Tools on SkillMD.
This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. Capability flags: docs only. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.
This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.
Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.
stanfish06 (@stanfish06) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.