Git Merge vs Rebase: When to Use Which (and Why It Matters)

Git Merge vs Rebase: When to Use Which (and Why It Matters) If you've ever stared at your terminal after a git pull , wondering why your commit history looks like a bowl of spaghetti, you're not alone. The merge vs rebase debate is one of the most common sources of confusion for developers—and for good reason. Both commands integrate changes from one branch into another, but they do it in fundamentally different ways that can dramatically affect your project's history. Here's the thing: neither approach is universally "right." They're tools with different trade-offs, and knowing when to use each one is a skill that separates junior developers from seasoned pros. Let's demystify both approaches so you can make confident decisions. The Core Difference At a high level, both git merge and git rebase do the same thing: they integrate changes from one branch into another. But how they do it—and what happens to your commit history—is where they diverge. Merge: Preserve Everything When you mer