From: "Elijah Newren via GitGitGadget" <gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
To: git@vger.kernel.org
Cc: Phillip Wood <phillip.wood123@gmail.com>,
Elijah Newren <newren@gmail.com>,
Elijah Newren <newren@gmail.com>
Subject: [PATCH v3 0/5] commit: refuse to amend during conflict resolution
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 2026 07:44:40 +0000 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <pull.2389.v3.git.git.1787903085.gitgitgadget@gmail.com> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <pull.2389.git.git.1787721681893.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
Changes since v2:
* Two new preparatory patches:
* Rename FROM_REBASE_PICK and is_from_rebase() to point out they are
about empty commits
* Allow a partial commit when a rebase pick becomes empty
* Tweaked the error message for attempted amend on now-dropped empty commit
(suggestions for further improvements welcome)
* Used the path accessor functions within sequencer.c to simplify the new
helper function
Both git commit --amend and a partial commit (git commit <paths>) are
foot-guns while the user is in the middle of an operation that resolves
conflicts on top of HEAD: recording a conflict resolution is about capturing
the state of the whole tree as a new commit, not about rewriting HEAD or
committing a subset of paths.
Historically we only rejected these during a merge or a cherry-pick or when
resolving an empty pick during a rebase. The same hazard exists for am,
revert, and rebase conflict stops, none of which were covered. This series
extends the refusal to all of them.
The three patches:
1. reword the two pre-existing "empty commit" rebase messages, which were
misleadingly generic
2. refuse git commit --amend during these additional operations
3. refuse partial commits during the same operations.
Elijah Newren (5):
commit: clarify FROM_REBASE_PICK and is_from_rebase() names
commit: allow a partial commit when a rebase pick becomes empty
commit: reword the empty-commit rebase amend error
commit: refuse to amend during conflict resolution
commit: refuse partial commits during conflict resolution
builtin/commit.c | 65 +++++++++++-----
sequencer.c | 59 ++++++++++++++-
sequencer.h | 24 ++++++
t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh | 128 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-
t/t3507-cherry-pick-conflict.sh | 22 ++++++
t/t4151-am-abort.sh | 22 ++++++
wt-status.h | 6 +-
7 files changed, 299 insertions(+), 27 deletions(-)
base-commit: 2c3adbb2c475981e340c79fdc5e7f4f9b5d9054e
Published-As: https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/releases/tag/pr-git-2389%2Fnewren%2Frefuse-amend-during-conflicts-v3
Fetch-It-Via: git fetch https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git pr-git-2389/newren/refuse-amend-during-conflicts-v3
Pull-Request: https://github.com/git/git/pull/2389
Range-diff vs v2:
-: ---------- > 1: 7e198a20fa commit: clarify FROM_REBASE_PICK and is_from_rebase() names
-: ---------- > 2: e169303619 commit: allow a partial commit when a rebase pick becomes empty
1: 65c48ed3cb ! 3: 0850a999da commit: reword the empty-commit rebase errors
@@ Metadata
Author: Elijah Newren <newren@gmail.com>
## Commit message ##
- commit: reword the empty-commit rebase errors
+ commit: reword the empty-commit rebase amend error
When a rebase applies a commit that becomes empty, it stops and asks the
user to decide whether to keep it or drop it. HEAD still points at the
- previously-applied commit at that point, so either amending or creating
- a partial commit is refused, with one of the following messages:
+ previously-applied commit at that point, so amending is refused, with:
You are in the middle of a rebase -- cannot amend.
- cannot do a partial commit during a rebase.
- Neither message hints that the real problem is a commit that became
- empty, and "during a rebase" is overly broad besides -- amending and
- partial commits are fine at an `edit` or `break` stop. Reword both to
- describe the actual situation.
+ That message would suggest that amending is not allowed during an 'edit'
+ or 'break' stop, which is misleading, plus it lacks the specificity that
+ might help the user know why their particular case is a problem: the
+ commit they intended to amend became empty and was dropped, so amending
+ would affect the wrong commit. Reword the error accordingly.
Signed-off-by: Elijah Newren <newren@gmail.com>
## builtin/commit.c ##
-@@ builtin/commit.c: static const char *prepare_index(const char **argv, const char *prefix,
- else if (is_from_cherry_pick(whence))
- die(_("cannot do a partial commit during a cherry-pick."));
- else if (is_from_rebase(whence))
-- die(_("cannot do a partial commit during a rebase."));
-+ die(_("cannot do a partial commit while resolving a commit that became empty."));
- }
-
- if (list_paths(&partial, !current_head ? NULL : "HEAD", &pathspec))
@@ builtin/commit.c: static int parse_and_validate_options(int argc, const char *argv[],
else if (is_from_cherry_pick(whence))
die(_("You are in the middle of a cherry-pick -- cannot amend."));
- else if (whence == FROM_REBASE_PICK)
+ else if (is_from_rebase_empty(whence))
- die(_("You are in the middle of a rebase -- cannot amend."));
-+ die(_("You are resolving a commit that became empty -- cannot amend."));
++ die(_("The now-empty commit has been dropped -- cannot amend."));
}
if (fixup_message && squash_message)
die(_("options '%s' and '%s' cannot be used together"), "--squash", "--fixup");
## t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh ##
-@@ t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh: test_expect_success 'correct error message for partial commit after empty pick'
- ) &&
- echo x >file1 &&
- test_must_fail git commit file1 2>err &&
-- test_grep "cannot do a partial commit during a rebase." err
-+ test_grep "cannot do a partial commit while resolving a commit that became empty." err
- '
-
- test_expect_success 'correct error message for commit --amend after empty pick' '
@@ t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh: test_expect_success 'correct error message for commit --amend after empty pick'
) &&
echo x>file1 &&
test_must_fail git commit -a --amend 2>err &&
- test_grep "middle of a rebase -- cannot amend." err
-+ test_grep "resolving a commit that became empty -- cannot amend." err
++ test_grep "now-empty commit has been dropped -- cannot amend." err
'
test_expect_success 'todo has correct onto hash' '
2: 4a1461e527 ! 4: 9f80d8a00d commit: refuse to amend during conflict resolution
@@ builtin/commit.c: static int parse_and_validate_options(int argc, const char *ar
- else if (is_from_cherry_pick(whence))
+ case ONGOING_CHERRY_PICK:
die(_("You are in the middle of a cherry-pick -- cannot amend."));
-- else if (whence == FROM_REBASE_PICK)
+- else if (is_from_rebase_empty(whence))
+ case ONGOING_REBASE_EMPTY:
- die(_("You are resolving a commit that became empty -- cannot amend."));
+ die(_("The now-empty commit has been dropped -- cannot amend."));
+ case ONGOING_REVERT:
+ die(_("You are in the middle of a revert -- cannot amend."));
+ case ONGOING_AM:
@@ builtin/commit.c: static int parse_and_validate_options(int argc, const char *ar
die(_("options '%s' and '%s' cannot be used together"), "--squash", "--fixup");
## sequencer.c ##
+@@ sequencer.c: static GIT_PATH_FUNC(rebase_path_author_script, "rebase-merge/author-script")
+ * command is processed, this file is deleted.
+ */
+ static GIT_PATH_FUNC(rebase_path_amend, "rebase-merge/amend")
++/*
++ * The apply ("am") backend keeps its state in the rebase-apply directory;
++ * the "applying" file within it marks a plain `git am` (as opposed to an
++ * apply-based rebase).
++ */
++static GIT_PATH_FUNC(apply_dir, "rebase-apply")
++static GIT_PATH_FUNC(apply_path_applying, "rebase-apply/applying")
+ /*
+ * When we stop at a given patch via the "edit" command, this file contains
+ * the commit object name of the corresponding patch.
@@ sequencer.c: int sequencer_determine_whence(struct repository *r, enum commit_whence *whence)
return 0;
}
@@ sequencer.c: int sequencer_determine_whence(struct repository *r, enum commit_wh
+enum ongoing_operation sequencer_ongoing_operation(struct repository *r,
+ enum commit_whence whence)
+{
-+ char *path;
-+ int found;
-+
+ /*
+ * The merge, cherry-pick, and (empty) rebase-pick stops are already
+ * distinguished by 'whence'.
@@ sequencer.c: int sequencer_determine_whence(struct repository *r, enum commit_wh
+ case FROM_CHERRY_PICK_SINGLE:
+ case FROM_CHERRY_PICK_MULTI:
+ return ONGOING_CHERRY_PICK;
-+ case FROM_REBASE_PICK:
++ case FROM_REBASE_EMPTY:
+ return ONGOING_REBASE_EMPTY;
+ case FROM_COMMIT:
+ break;
@@ sequencer.c: int sequencer_determine_whence(struct repository *r, enum commit_wh
+ return ONGOING_REVERT;
+
+ /* In the middle of an `am`? */
-+ path = repo_git_path(r, "rebase-apply/applying");
-+ found = file_exists(path);
-+ free(path);
-+ if (found)
++ if (file_exists(apply_path_applying()))
+ return ONGOING_AM;
+
+ /*
@@ sequencer.c: int sequencer_determine_whence(struct repository *r, enum commit_wh
+ * to be amended (a clean edit/reword stop); its absence therefore
+ * marks a conflicted stop.
+ */
-+ path = repo_git_path(r, "rebase-apply");
-+ found = file_exists(path);
-+ free(path);
-+ if (!found) {
-+ char *stopped_sha = repo_git_path(r, "rebase-merge/stopped-sha");
-+ char *amend_marker = repo_git_path(r, "rebase-merge/amend");
-+
-+ found = file_exists(stopped_sha) && !file_exists(amend_marker);
-+ free(stopped_sha);
-+ free(amend_marker);
-+ }
-+ if (found)
++ if (file_exists(apply_dir()) ||
++ (file_exists(rebase_path_stopped_sha()) &&
++ !file_exists(rebase_path_amend())))
+ return ONGOING_REBASE_CONFLICT;
+
+ return ONGOING_NONE;
@@ sequencer.h: int sequencer_get_last_command(struct repository* r,
## t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh ##
@@ t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh: test_expect_success 'correct error message for commit --amend after empty pick'
- test_grep "resolving a commit that became empty -- cannot amend." err
+ test_grep "now-empty commit has been dropped -- cannot amend." err
'
+test_expect_success 'commit --amend is refused at a rebase conflict stop' '
3: e0be8cdf63 ! 5: 050b9e8a52 commit: refuse partial commits during conflict resolution
@@ Commit message
Similar to the previous commit, just as `git commit --amend` is a
foot-gun during conflict resolution, so is a partial commit (`git commit
<paths>`). Recording a conflict resolution is about capturing the state
- of the entire tree on top of HEAD, not a subset of paths. For many
- years we have rejected partial commits in the middle of
+ of the entire tree on top of HEAD, not a subset of paths. For many years
+ we have rejected partial commits in the middle of
- a merge
- a cherry-pick
- - a rebase that stopped at a pick
- but, just like amending, this was never extended to the other
- operations that can also leave conflicts to resolve:
+ but, just like amending, this was never extended to the other operations
+ that can also leave conflicts to resolve:
- an `am` operation
- a revert
- a rebase that stopped for conflict resolution
Reuse sequencer_ongoing_operation(), introduced for the analogous
- `--amend` check, to detect all of these and refuse the partial commit.
+ `--amend` check, to detect these and refuse the partial commit. A rebase
+ that stopped because a pick became empty is not conflict resolution and,
+ as an earlier patch established, is deliberately left permitted.
Signed-off-by: Elijah Newren <newren@gmail.com>
@@ builtin/commit.c: static const char *prepare_index(const char **argv, const char
- die(_("cannot do a partial commit during a merge."));
- else if (is_from_cherry_pick(whence))
- die(_("cannot do a partial commit during a cherry-pick."));
-- else if (is_from_rebase(whence))
-- die(_("cannot do a partial commit while resolving a commit that became empty."));
+ switch (sequencer_ongoing_operation(the_repository, whence)) {
+ case ONGOING_NONE:
+ break;
@@ builtin/commit.c: static const char *prepare_index(const char **argv, const char
+ case ONGOING_CHERRY_PICK:
+ die(_("cannot do a partial commit during a cherry-pick."));
+ case ONGOING_REBASE_EMPTY:
-+ die(_("cannot do a partial commit while resolving a commit that became empty."));
++ /*
++ * A pick that became empty is not a conflict, and creating
++ * a new commit (partial or not) poses no problem.
++ */
++ break;
+ case ONGOING_REVERT:
+ die(_("cannot do a partial commit during a revert."));
+ case ONGOING_AM:
--
gitgitgadget
next prev parent reply other threads:[~2026-08-28 7:44 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 32+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
2026-08-26 5:21 [PATCH] commit: refuse to amend during conflict resolution Elijah Newren via GitGitGadget
2026-08-26 13:56 ` Phillip Wood
2026-08-27 0:21 ` Elijah Newren
2026-08-26 16:22 ` Junio C Hamano
2026-08-27 0:23 ` Elijah Newren
2026-08-26 16:39 ` Junio C Hamano
2026-08-27 0:24 ` Elijah Newren
2026-08-27 1:02 ` [PATCH v2 0/3] " Elijah Newren via GitGitGadget
2026-08-27 1:02 ` [PATCH v2 1/3] commit: reword the empty-commit rebase errors Elijah Newren via GitGitGadget
2026-08-27 15:19 ` Phillip Wood
2026-08-27 16:54 ` Junio C Hamano
2026-08-28 7:38 ` Elijah Newren
2026-08-27 16:35 ` Junio C Hamano
2026-08-27 16:52 ` Junio C Hamano
2026-08-28 7:38 ` Elijah Newren
2026-08-27 1:02 ` [PATCH v2 2/3] commit: refuse to amend during conflict resolution Elijah Newren via GitGitGadget
2026-08-27 15:19 ` Phillip Wood
2026-08-27 1:02 ` [PATCH v2 3/3] commit: refuse partial commits " Elijah Newren via GitGitGadget
2026-08-27 15:19 ` Phillip Wood
2026-08-27 15:19 ` [PATCH v2 0/3] commit: refuse to amend " Phillip Wood
2026-08-27 16:28 ` Elijah Newren
2026-08-28 7:44 ` Elijah Newren via GitGitGadget [this message]
2026-08-28 7:44 ` [PATCH v3 1/5] commit: clarify FROM_REBASE_PICK and is_from_rebase() names Elijah Newren via GitGitGadget
2026-08-28 15:41 ` Junio C Hamano
2026-08-28 17:27 ` Elijah Newren
2026-08-28 7:44 ` [PATCH v3 2/5] commit: allow a partial commit when a rebase pick becomes empty Elijah Newren via GitGitGadget
2026-08-28 15:46 ` Junio C Hamano
2026-08-28 7:44 ` [PATCH v3 3/5] commit: reword the empty-commit rebase amend error Elijah Newren via GitGitGadget
2026-08-28 15:49 ` Junio C Hamano
2026-08-28 7:44 ` [PATCH v3 4/5] commit: refuse to amend during conflict resolution Elijah Newren via GitGitGadget
2026-08-28 7:44 ` [PATCH v3 5/5] commit: refuse partial commits " Elijah Newren via GitGitGadget
2026-08-28 16:18 ` Junio C Hamano
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