Скачать или смотреть How to Squash Latest Commits into a Merge Commit in Git

Learn how to clean up your Git commit history by easily squashing multiple commits into a specific merge commit. Follow our step-by-step guide for a tidy repository.
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Clean Up Your Git History: Squashing Latest Commits into a Merge Commit

In the world of version control, maintaining a clean commit history is essential for both personal projects and collaborative environments. However, situations may arise when your Git history doesn't look as tidy as you'd hoped—in particular, when you want to squash multiple commits into a single merge commit. If you've found yourself with a messy commit log and you're unsure how to fix it, you've come to the right place!

The Problem: A Messy Commit History

Imagine you have the following commit structure:

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You might find that after making a few commits (such as commit 1 and commit 2), your history is cluttered, and you want to consolidate these commits into your existing merge commit, specifically Merge commit (feature # 1). Your goal is to achieve this clean structure:

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The challenge arises when you notice that trying to utilize the git rebase -i command doesn’t recognize the merge commit properly which may lead to squashing everything into something you didn't intend. Fortunately, there is a straightforward method to accomplish your goal.

The Solution: Squashing Commits via Reset and Amend

To effectively squash commit 1 and commit 2 into the Merge commit (feature # 1), you'll need to utilize git reset and git commit --amend. Let’s break down the steps:

Step 1: Ensure Nothing is Staged

Before you do anything, it's important to ensure that you do not have any changes staged in your working directory. You can check this by running:

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Ensure that the output indicates no changes are staged. If there are, consider unstaging them with:

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Step 2: Reset Softly to the Desired Commit

Next, you'll need to use the following command to go back across the last two commits (commit 1 and commit 2):

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The --soft option is key here as it will move your HEAD pointer back by two commits but will keep your working directory as it is—meaning all changes from those commits will still be in your staging area.

Step 3: Amend the Merge Commit

Once you've reset, you'll now want to squash those commits into the merge commit. Run the following command:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This command allows you to modify the existing merge commit and include the changes from the commits you just reset. When performing this action, use the commit message you prefer that fits the context of your merge commit.

Important Note

Be cautious! If you had made any changes that you wanted to keep and had staged them before you started this process, they would also become part of your amended commit. Thus, always be conscious of your staging area before executing these commands.

Conclusion: Enjoy a Clean Commit History

By following these steps, you can achieve a much cleaner Git commit history, free of unnecessary commits that clutter your project. With the command git reset --soft HEAD~2 leading to a simple and effective git commit --amend, you can transform your version control into a professional-looking history to impress collaborators and maintain clarity for future development.

If you find yourself often managing commits, consider incorporating these techniques into your workflow to ensure an organized repository. Happy coding!