How to use the command dolt merge (with examples)
Dolt is a version control system (VCS) that allows users to track changes made to a database and collaborate with others. The dolt merge command is used to join two or more development histories together. It allows users to incorporate changes from named commits into the current branch, create merge commits with specific commit messages, and abort the current conflict resolution process, among other functionalities.
Use case 1: Incorporate changes from the named commits into the current branch
Code:
dolt merge branch_name
Motivation:
The dolt merge branch_name command is used to incorporate changes from the named commits in the branch_name into the current branch. This is useful when you want to bring changes made in a specific branch into your current working branch.
Explanation:
dolt merge: This is the main command to perform a merge operation.branch_name: The name of the branch from which you want to merge changes into the current branch.
Example output:
Merging changes from branch_name into current branch...
Merge successful.
Use case 2: Incorporate changes from the named commits into the current branch without updating the commit history
Code:
dolt merge --squash branch_name
Motivation:
The dolt merge --squash branch_name command is used to incorporate changes from the named commits in the branch_name into the current branch, but without updating the commit history. This is useful when you want to group all the changes from the branch into a single commit.
Explanation:
dolt merge: This is the main command to perform a merge operation.--squash: This flag allows you to incorporate changes without updating the commit history.branch_name: The name of the branch from which you want to merge changes into the current branch.
Example output:
Merging changes from branch_name into current branch...
Merge successful. Changes are squashed into a single commit.
Use case 3: Merge a branch and create a merge commit even when the merge resolves as a fast-forward
Code:
dolt merge --no-ff branch_name
Motivation:
The dolt merge --no-ff branch_name command is used to merge a branch and create a merge commit, even when the merge resolves as a fast-forward. This is useful when you want to preserve the branch history and create a separate merge commit instead of a simple fast-forward merge.
Explanation:
dolt merge: This is the main command to perform a merge operation.--no-ff: This flag forces Dolt to create a merge commit instead of a fast-forward merge.branch_name: The name of the branch that you want to merge into the current branch.
Example output:
Merging changes from branch_name into current branch...
Merge commit created.
Use case 4: Merge a branch and create a merge commit with a specific commit message
Code:
dolt merge --no-ff -m "message" branch_name
Motivation:
The dolt merge --no-ff -m "message" branch_name command is used to merge a branch and create a merge commit with a specific commit message. This is useful when you want to provide a custom message for the merge commit.
Explanation:
dolt merge: This is the main command to perform a merge operation.--no-ff: This flag forces Dolt to create a merge commit instead of a fast-forward merge.-m "message": This option allows you to specify a custom commit message for the merge commit.branch_name: The name of the branch that you want to merge into the current branch.
Example output:
Merging changes from branch_name into current branch...
Merge commit created with message: "message".
Use case 5: Abort the current conflict resolution process
Code:
dolt merge --abort
Motivation:
The dolt merge --abort command is used to abort the current conflict resolution process. This is useful when you encounter conflicts during a merge and want to revert the merge back to its pre-merge state.
Explanation:
dolt merge: This is the main command to perform a merge operation.--abort: This flag instructs Dolt to abort the current conflict resolution process.
Example output:
Aborting the current conflict resolution process...
Merge operation aborted.
Conclusion:
The dolt merge command in Dolt is a powerful tool for combining different development histories and incorporating changes from one branch into another. It provides various options, such as squashing changes into a single commit, forcing merge commits, specifying custom commit messages, and aborting conflict resolutions. Understanding how to use these options will enable effective collaboration and version control in Dolt.
