git.vger.kernel.org archive mirror
 help / color / mirror / Atom feed
From: "Julia Evans via GitGitGadget" <gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
To: git@vger.kernel.org
Cc: Julia Evans <julia@jvns.ca>, Julia Evans <julia@jvns.ca>
Subject: [PATCH v2 1/5] doc: git-rebase: start with an example
Date: Fri, 08 Aug 2025 19:15:21 +0000	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <26b742eb49f935147ac373bf9435827a6f85e531.1754680525.git.gitgitgadget@gmail.com> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <pull.1949.v2.git.1754680525.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>

From: Julia Evans <julia@jvns.ca>

Start with an example that mirrors the example in the `git-merge` man
page, to make it easier for folks to understand the difference between a
rebase and a merge.

Signed-off-by: Julia Evans <julia@jvns.ca>
---
 Documentation/git-rebase.adoc | 49 ++++++++++++++++-------------------
 1 file changed, 23 insertions(+), 26 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Documentation/git-rebase.adoc b/Documentation/git-rebase.adoc
index 956d3048f5a6..6dacf693bd71 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-rebase.adoc
+++ b/Documentation/git-rebase.adoc
@@ -16,6 +16,29 @@ SYNOPSIS
 
 DESCRIPTION
 -----------
+Transplant a series of commits onto a different starting point.
+
+For example, imagine that you have been working on the `topic` branch in this
+history, and you want to "catch up" to the work done on the `master` branch.
+
+------------
+          A---B---C topic
+         /
+    D---E---F---G master
+------------
+
+You want to transplant the commits you made on `topic` since it diverged from
+`master` (i.e. A, B, and C), on top of the current `master`.  You can do this
+by running `git rebase master` while the `topic` branch is checked out.  If you
+want to rebase `topic` while on another branch, `git rebase master topic` is a
+short-cut for `git switch topic && git rebase master`.
+
+------------
+                  A'--B'--C' topic
+                 /
+    D---E---F---G master
+------------
+
 If `<branch>` is specified, `git rebase` will perform an automatic
 `git switch <branch>` before doing anything else.  Otherwise
 it remains on the current branch.
@@ -58,32 +81,6 @@ that caused the merge failure with `git rebase --skip`.  To check out the
 original `<branch>` and remove the `.git/rebase-apply` working files, use
 the command `git rebase --abort` instead.
 
-Assume the following history exists and the current branch is "topic":
-
-------------
-          A---B---C topic
-         /
-    D---E---F---G master
-------------
-
-From this point, the result of either of the following commands:
-
-
-    git rebase master
-    git rebase master topic
-
-would be:
-
-------------
-                  A'--B'--C' topic
-                 /
-    D---E---F---G master
-------------
-
-*NOTE:* The latter form is just a short-hand of `git checkout topic`
-followed by `git rebase master`. When rebase exits `topic` will
-remain the checked-out branch.
-
 If the upstream branch already contains a change you have made (e.g.,
 because you mailed a patch which was applied upstream), then that commit
 will be skipped and warnings will be issued (if the 'merge' backend is
-- 
gitgitgadget


  reply	other threads:[~2025-08-08 19:15 UTC|newest]

Thread overview: 103+ messages / expand[flat|nested]  mbox.gz  Atom feed  top
2025-08-08 15:24 [PATCH 0/5] doc: git-rebase: clarify DESCRIPTION section Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-08 15:24 ` [PATCH 1/5] doc: git-rebase: start with an example Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-08 16:30   ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-08 17:13     ` Julia Evans
2025-08-08 18:11       ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-08 15:24 ` [PATCH 2/5] doc: git rebase: dedup merge conflict discussion Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-08 17:48   ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-08 15:24 ` [PATCH 3/5] doc: git rebase: clarify arguments syntax Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-08 15:24 ` [PATCH 4/5] doc: git-rebase: move --onto explanation down Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-08 15:24 ` [PATCH 5/5] doc: git-rebase: update discussion of internals Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-08 19:15 ` [PATCH v2 0/5] doc: git-rebase: clarify DESCRIPTION section Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-08 19:15   ` Julia Evans via GitGitGadget [this message]
2025-08-08 23:31     ` [PATCH v2 1/5] doc: git-rebase: start with an example Junio C Hamano
2025-08-08 19:15   ` [PATCH v2 2/5] doc: git rebase: dedup merge conflict discussion Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-08 19:15   ` [PATCH v2 3/5] doc: git rebase: clarify arguments syntax Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-08 21:09     ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-08 19:15   ` [PATCH v2 4/5] doc: git-rebase: move --onto explanation down Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-08 19:15   ` [PATCH v2 5/5] doc: git-rebase: update discussion of internals Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-08 21:54     ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-08 22:52   ` [PATCH v3 0/5] doc: git-rebase: clarify DESCRIPTION section Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-08 22:52     ` [PATCH v3 1/5] doc: git-rebase: start with an example Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-08 22:52     ` [PATCH v3 2/5] doc: git rebase: dedup merge conflict discussion Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-08 22:52     ` [PATCH v3 3/5] doc: git rebase: clarify arguments syntax Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-08 22:52     ` [PATCH v3 4/5] doc: git-rebase: move --onto explanation down Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-08 22:52     ` [PATCH v3 5/5] doc: git-rebase: update discussion of internals Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-09  1:14     ` [PATCH v4 0/5] doc: git-rebase: clarify DESCRIPTION section Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-09  1:14       ` [PATCH v4 1/5] doc: git-rebase: start with an example Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-10 15:41         ` Phillip Wood
2025-08-11  8:46         ` Patrick Steinhardt
2025-08-11  9:13         ` Karthik Nayak
2025-08-11 12:27           ` Ben Knoble
2025-08-12  9:05             ` Karthik Nayak
2025-08-12 14:30               ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-11 13:07           ` Phillip Wood
2025-08-12  9:07             ` Karthik Nayak
2025-08-12 17:07               ` D. Ben Knoble
2025-08-12 18:07                 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-14  7:23                   ` Karthik Nayak
2025-08-09  1:14       ` [PATCH v4 2/5] doc: git rebase: dedup merge conflict discussion Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-11  8:46         ` Patrick Steinhardt
2025-08-11 13:02           ` Phillip Wood
2025-08-09  1:14       ` [PATCH v4 3/5] doc: git rebase: clarify arguments syntax Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-09  1:14       ` [PATCH v4 4/5] doc: git-rebase: move --onto explanation down Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-09 14:55         ` D. Ben Knoble
2025-08-09  1:14       ` [PATCH v4 5/5] doc: git-rebase: update discussion of internals Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-10 15:42         ` Phillip Wood
2025-08-13 18:55           ` symmetric difference with --left-only vs. range notation D. Ben Knoble
2025-08-13 21:40             ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-11  8:46         ` [PATCH v4 5/5] doc: git-rebase: update discussion of internals Patrick Steinhardt
2025-08-11 12:29           ` Ben Knoble
2025-08-11 13:45             ` Patrick Steinhardt
2025-08-11 19:34           ` Julia Evans
2025-08-11 20:12       ` [PATCH v5 0/5] doc: git-rebase: clarify DESCRIPTION section Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-11 20:12         ` [PATCH v5 1/5] doc: git-rebase: start with an example Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-11 20:50           ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-11 20:12         ` [PATCH v5 2/5] doc: git rebase: dedup merge conflict discussion Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-11 20:12         ` [PATCH v5 3/5] doc: git rebase: clarify arguments syntax Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-11 20:12         ` [PATCH v5 4/5] doc: git-rebase: move --onto explanation down Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-11 20:12         ` [PATCH v5 5/5] doc: git-rebase: update discussion of internals Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-11 21:14           ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-11 21:51         ` [PATCH v6 0/5] doc: git-rebase: clarify DESCRIPTION section Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-11 21:51           ` [PATCH v6 1/5] doc: git-rebase: start with an example Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-11 21:51           ` [PATCH v6 2/5] doc: git rebase: dedup merge conflict discussion Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-11 21:51           ` [PATCH v6 3/5] doc: git rebase: clarify arguments syntax Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-11 21:51           ` [PATCH v6 4/5] doc: git-rebase: move --onto explanation down Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-11 21:51           ` [PATCH v6 5/5] doc: git-rebase: update discussion of internals Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-11 22:10             ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-11 22:42               ` Julia Evans
2025-08-11 21:59           ` [PATCH v6 0/5] doc: git-rebase: clarify DESCRIPTION section Junio C Hamano
2025-08-12 13:49           ` [PATCH v7 " Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-12 13:49             ` [PATCH v7 1/5] doc: git-rebase: start with an example Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-12 13:49             ` [PATCH v7 2/5] doc: git rebase: dedup merge conflict discussion Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-12 13:49             ` [PATCH v7 3/5] doc: git rebase: clarify arguments syntax Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-12 13:49             ` [PATCH v7 4/5] doc: git-rebase: move --onto explanation down Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-12 13:49             ` [PATCH v7 5/5] doc: git-rebase: update discussion of internals Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-14 21:28               ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-15 16:52             ` [PATCH v8 0/5] doc: git-rebase: clarify DESCRIPTION section Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-15 16:52               ` [PATCH v8 1/5] doc: git-rebase: start with an example Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-15 16:52               ` [PATCH v8 2/5] doc: git rebase: dedup merge conflict discussion Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-15 16:52               ` [PATCH v8 3/5] doc: git rebase: clarify arguments syntax Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-15 16:52               ` [PATCH v8 4/5] doc: git-rebase: move --onto explanation down Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-15 21:05                 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-18 13:42                   ` Phillip Wood
2025-08-18 17:06                     ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-19 15:03                       ` Julia Evans
2025-08-19 19:45                         ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-15 16:52               ` [PATCH v8 5/5] doc: git-rebase: update discussion of internals Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-18 13:43               ` [PATCH v8 0/5] doc: git-rebase: clarify DESCRIPTION section Phillip Wood
2025-08-23  0:42               ` [PATCH v9 " Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-23  0:42                 ` [PATCH v9 1/5] doc: git-rebase: start with an example Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-23  0:42                 ` [PATCH v9 2/5] doc: git rebase: dedup merge conflict discussion Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-23  0:43                 ` [PATCH v9 3/5] doc: git rebase: clarify arguments syntax Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-23  0:43                 ` [PATCH v9 4/5] doc: git-rebase: move --onto explanation down Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-23  0:43                 ` [PATCH v9 5/5] doc: git-rebase: update discussion of internals Julia Evans via GitGitGadget
2025-08-13 13:31           ` [PATCH v6 0/5] doc: git-rebase: clarify DESCRIPTION section Phillip Wood
2025-08-13 15:33             ` Julia Evans
2025-08-14 21:18               ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-15 10:25                 ` Phillip Wood
2025-08-15 15:45                   ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-15 15:54                     ` Phillip Wood
2025-08-15 15:56                       ` Julia Evans
2025-08-15 10:25               ` Phillip Wood
2025-08-09 15:04   ` [PATCH v2 " D. Ben Knoble

Reply instructions:

You may reply publicly to this message via plain-text email
using any one of the following methods:

* Save the following mbox file, import it into your mail client,
  and reply-to-all from there: mbox

  Avoid top-posting and favor interleaved quoting:
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posting_style#Interleaved_style

* Reply using the --to, --cc, and --in-reply-to
  switches of git-send-email(1):

  git send-email \
    --in-reply-to=26b742eb49f935147ac373bf9435827a6f85e531.1754680525.git.gitgitgadget@gmail.com \
    --to=gitgitgadget@gmail.com \
    --cc=git@vger.kernel.org \
    --cc=julia@jvns.ca \
    /path/to/YOUR_REPLY

  https://kernel.org/pub/software/scm/git/docs/git-send-email.html

* If your mail client supports setting the In-Reply-To header
  via mailto: links, try the mailto: link
Be sure your reply has a Subject: header at the top and a blank line before the message body.
This is a public inbox, see mirroring instructions
for how to clone and mirror all data and code used for this inbox;
as well as URLs for NNTP newsgroup(s).