GIT · Branches · 10 min

Replay your work after a hotfix

Put a local documentation change on top of the updated main.

Not completed

Your task

Rebase feature/docs onto main without a merge commit. Keep both the main hotfix and your documentation.

What you’re aiming for

main is an ancestor of feature/docs.
hotfix.txt and docs.txt are present.
The three-commit history has no merge commits.

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-rebase-onto-main && cd opsrung-git-rebase-onto-main

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/docs
printf '%s\n' 'Explain the release.' > docs.txt
git add -- docs.txt
git commit -m 'Write documentation'
git switch main
printf '%s\n' 'Validate incoming IDs.' > hotfix.txt
git add -- hotfix.txt
git commit -m 'Apply urgent hotfix'
git switch feature/docs

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

Switching branches does not move commits.

Hint 2

Rebase replays your local commits on a new base.

Hint 3

While on feature/docs, run git rebase main.

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 is an ancestor of feature/docs.
hotfix.txt and docs.txt are present.
The three-commit history has no merge commits.

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 rebase main

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.