Git merge is not possible because I have unmerged files
GitMergeGit Problem Overview
git continues to confuse me with its unhelpful error warnings This one really deserves a prize:
git merge is not possible because you have unmerged files
My situation: My master branch on github was edited (directly in the browser) while my local master branch was also edited.
I wrongly suppose you could simply merge the two versions and be done with it, but also, I cannot merge - because my files are unmerged.
git merge remote/master
results in
error: merge is not possible because you have unmerged files.
hint: Fix them up in the work tree, and then use 'git add/rm <file>'
hint: as appropriate to mark resolution and make a commit.
fatal: Exiting because of an unresolved conflict.
So, after adding and committing the local change and then trying to merge again, I get:
merge: remote/master - not something we can merge
Clearly I am missing something essential here... Do I have the wrong idea about what merging means? How do I fix this issue of having a different remote master / local master branch?
Git Solutions
Solution 1 - Git
I repeatedly had the same challenge sometime ago. This problem occurs mostly when you are trying to pull from the remote repository and you have some files on your local instance conflicting with the remote version, if you are using git from an IDE such as IntelliJ, you will be prompted and allowed to make a choice if you want to retain your own changes or you prefer the changes in the remote version to overwrite yours'. If you don't make any choice then you fall into this conflict. all you need to do is run:
git merge --abort # The unresolved conflict will be cleared off
And you can continue what you were doing before the break.
Solution 2 - Git
The error message:
> merge: remote/master - not something we can merge
is saying that Git doesn't recognize remote/master
. This is probably because you don't have a "remote" named "remote". You have a "remote" named "origin".
Think of "remotes" as an alias for the url to your Git server. master
is your locally checked-out version of the branch. origin/master
is the latest version of master
from your Git server that you have fetched (downloaded). A fetch
is always safe because it will only update the "origin/x" version of your branches.
So, to get your master
branch back in sync, first download the latest content from the git server:
git fetch
Then, perform the merge:
git merge origin/master
...But, perhaps the better approach would be:
git pull origin master
The pull
command will do the fetch
and merge
for you in one step.
Solution 3 - Git
It might be the Unmerged paths that cause
error: Merging is not possible because you have unmerged files.
If so, try:
git status
if it says > You have unmerged paths.
do as suggested: either resolve conflicts and then commit or abort the merge entirely with
git merge --abort
You might also see files listed under Unmerged paths, which you can resolve by doing
git rm <file>
Solution 4 - Git
I ran into the same issue and couldn't decide between laughing or smashing my head on the table when I read this error...
What git really tries to tell you: "You are already in a merge state and need to resolve the conflicts there first!"
You tried a merge and a conflict occured. Then, git stays in the merge state and if you want to resolve the merge with other commands git thinks you want to execute a new merge and so it tells you you can't do this because of your current unmerged files...
You can leave this state with git merge --abort
and now try to execute other commands.
In my case I tried a pull and wanted to resolve the conflicts by hand when the error occured...
Solution 5 - Git
I also had similar problems.
My probblem: when I merge branch, and resolve conflicts with IDE, the IDE will show commit panel board normally, but it does not.
I think I have merged successfully, but when I push or pull,git remind me " commit your changes before merging" or "Updates were rejected because the tip of your current branch is behind".
My solution: git merge --continue
if you want to abort this merge ,you can also run git merge --abort
Solution 6 - Git
Another potential cause for this (Intellij was involved in my case, not sure that mattered though): trying to merge in changes from a main branch into a branch off of a feature branch.
In other words, merging "main" into "current" in the following arrangement:
main
|
--feature
|
--current
I resolved all conflicts and GiT reported unmerged files and I was stuck until I merged from main into feature, then feature into current.
Solution 7 - Git
Something that happened to me, if you tried to do merge before and resolved some conflicts on the incoming branch, git can do some changes on its own on your current branch, so try git status
even if you are sure that no modifications have been made by yourself, then something like this might appear:
then simply do git add .
git commit -m "message"
and try to do the merge again