rebase

Rebase

Mandatory Pre-Rebase Analysis

Complete all steps below before running git rebase.

Step 1 — Identify the merge base and branch files

MERGE_BASE=$(git merge-base <branch> <target>)
git diff <target>...<branch> --name-only        # files touched by the branch
git diff "${MERGE_BASE}..<target>" --name-only  # files changed on target since divergence

Step 2 — Diff overlapping files

For each file appearing in both lists above, read both sides:

git diff "${MERGE_BASE}..<target>" -- <file>    # what target changed
git diff "${MERGE_BASE}..<branch>" -- <file>    # what the branch changed

Determine what each side changed and in which regions.

Step 3 — Assign a disposition to every overlapping file

Disposition	When to use
KEEP	Branch version wins; target change is irrelevant or already superseded
MERGE	Both sides changed different regions — list which regions each side owns
DROP	Branch change superseded by what target already landed; discard it
REWRITE	Branch intent survives, but implementation must change to account for target's changes
NO_CONFLICT	File touched only by the branch — no overlap with target

Step 4 — State the plan before executing

Output the full plan in this format before any git rebase command:

Pre-rebase plan — <branch> onto <target>

Overlapping files:
  path/to/file.py: MERGE — branch adds X in foo(); target rewrites bar(); no region overlap
  path/to/other.py: DROP — target already landed the same change
  path/to/third.py: REWRITE — branch intent survives; must account for renamed parameter on target

No-conflict files (branch-only): path/a.py, path/b.py

Step 5 — Execute the rebase

git rebase <target> <branch>

Pass <branch> — the same one Steps 1-4 analysed. git rebase's positional form is [<upstream> [<branch>]]; omitting <branch> rebases whatever is currently checked out, which is a different branch whenever the analysis targeted one you are not standing on. That rewrites commits the plan never looked at and leaves the requested branch untouched.