Git Pretty Accept Merge

Git Pretty Accept Merge Workflow

This skill guides Claude through the proper git merge workflow based on the "pretty accept merge" pattern that preserves branch history and keeps commits clean.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

• The project's CLAUDE.md or documentation specifies this as the merge workflow
• Merging feature branches that should preserve their history
• Asked to follow a "no fast-forward" or "--no-ff" merge strategy
• Working with projects that use rebase-first merge patterns

Workflow Steps

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Checkout main

git checkout main

Step 2: Pull latest from origin

git pull origin main

Step 3: Check if feature branch needs rebasing

Check the merge base to see if the feature branch has diverged from main:

git merge-base main <feature-branch>
git rev-parse main

If these return different commits, the branch needs rebasing.

Step 4: Rebase feature branch (if needed)

If the branch needs rebasing:

git checkout <feature-branch>
git rebase main

Handle any conflicts that arise during rebase.

Step 5: Merge with --no-ff

After rebasing (or if no rebase was needed):

git checkout main
git merge --no-ff <feature-branch> -m "<merge-commit-message>"

Merge Commit Message Format

The merge commit should be high-level and explain what the branch accomplishes:

Merge branch 'feat/feature-name'

High-level summary of what this feature branch adds to the project.

Key additions:
- Bullet point 1
- Bullet point 2
- Bullet point 3

Key Principles

• Always use --no-ff to preserve branch history
• Rebase feature branches to keep history clean
• The merge commit message should provide context for the overall feature
• Small fixes can be committed directly to main when appropriate

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