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GIT · Branches · 10 min

Catch up without a merge commit

Advance main to work that is already ahead of it.

Not completed

Your task

Fast-forward main to feature/release. Preserve its two commits and create no merge commit.

What you’re aiming for

  • main and feature/release point to the same commit.
  • The history is linear, with three commits in total.

1. Prepare your practice folder

Use Git 2.28 or newer. The setup commands below use a Bash-compatible shell: Git Bash on Windows, or Bash on Linux/macOS.

Create a new, empty folder for this exercise. If that name already exists, choose another new name. Continue only after you’re inside the new folder.

NEW PRACTICE FOLDER
mkdir opsrung-git-fast-forward-branch && cd opsrung-git-fast-forward-branch

Run these setup commands in that folder:

SETUP — RUN ONCE
git init --initial-branch=main
git config --local user.name 'Practice Learner'
git config --local user.email 'practice@example.invalid'
printf '%s\n' 'A disposable OpsRung practice repository.' > README.txt
git add -- README.txt
git commit -m 'Start practice'
git switch -c feature/release
printf '%s\n' 'Version one.' > release.txt
git add -- release.txt
git commit -m 'Draft release'
printf '%s\n' 'Version two.' > release.txt
git add -- release.txt
git commit -m 'Finish release'
git switch main
Only if your personal Git settings interfere

You can normally skip this. If a commit asks for a signing key, runs a custom hook, or changes line endings unexpectedly, these repository-local overrides keep this disposable exercise independent of those settings.

OPTIONAL REPOSITORY OVERRIDES
git config --local commit.gpgsign false
git config --local core.autocrlf false
git config --local core.hooksPath .git/practice-no-hooks

Retry the failed command afterward. These settings apply only inside this practice repository.

2. Try the task

Work toward the goal above. Start by inspecting the files or resources, then use a hint if you need one.

Hint 1

Inspect the graph before merging.

Hint 2

main has not diverged from the feature branch.

Hint 3

Use git merge --ff-only feature/release.

3. Review your result

Use these commands to look at your result and compare it with the goals. The website does not run or verify them.

REVIEW IN YOUR TERMINAL
git status
git log --oneline --graph --all -12

What you should see

  • main and feature/release point to the same commit.
  • The history is linear, with three commits in total.

If your result differs: Work only in this exercise’s repository. Compare the branch, files, and history with every goal before marking complete.

Compare with one possible solution
ONE POSSIBLE SOLUTION — BASH
git merge --ff-only feature/release

Other approaches are fine if you reach the same goal. Opening this solution does not mark the exercise complete.

Finished this exercise?

You decide when you’re done. Your choice is saved in this browser, and you can change it later.