🌀 Merge Tutorial

Generating merge conflicts and learning to solve them

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📋 Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Open a New Folder on Your Device

Navigate to the location where you want to create your project:

cd path/to/your/folder

2. Create a New File Named notes.txt

In that folder, create a file called notes.txt and write a simple list in it, for example:

GROCERY LIST

banana  
mango  
papaya  
cereal  

3. Initialize Git

Start version control in the current folder:

git init

4. Commit the Initial List

Stage and commit your initial list:

git add .
git commit -m "initial commit with grocery list"

5. Create a New Branch (to Generate Merge Conflicts)

Create and switch to a new branch:

git checkout -b test

6. Change Something in the List

In the test branch, edit notes.txt. For example, delete an item or rename one:

• Rename cereal to granola
• Or remove banana

7. Add and Commit the Changes

git add .
git commit -m "update branch test"

8. Switch Back to the Main Branch

git checkout main

Now make a different change in notes.txt, ideally to the same lines (e.g., rename papaya to pineapple).

9. Commit the Changes in Main

git add .
git commit -m "update on main branch"

10. Merge the test Branch into main

git merge test

💥 You’ll likely see a merge conflict. Open notes.txt and resolve the conflict manually.

Conflict markers will look like this:

<<<<<<< HEAD
pineapple
=======
papaya
>>>>>>> test

Decide whether to keep:

• The change from main (HEAD)
• The change from test (incoming)
• Or combine both

Then save the file.

11. Finalize the Merge

After resolving the conflict, stage and commit the final version:

git add .
git commit -m "resolved merge conflict"

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✅ That’s It!

You've now created and resolved a Git merge conflict.
Great job — you're one step closer to being a Git pro! 🚀