Git – How to Merge Main Branch to Child Branch if All Files and Directories Have Been Totally Changed (Wrapped in SPM)

Are you stuck in a Git nightmare where your entire directory structure has changed, and you need to merge your main branch with a child branch? Well, worry no more! This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of merging your main branch with a child branch, even when all files and directories have been completely rewritten.

Understanding the Problem

Imagine you have a main branch, let’s call it `master`, and a child branch, `feature/new-design`. In the `feature/new-design` branch, you’ve made drastic changes to the entire directory structure, renaming files, moving folders, and deleting unnecessary code. Now, you need to merge these changes back into the `master` branch. Sounds simple, right? Not quite.

The issue arises when Git tries to compare the two branches and realizes that almost everything has changed. This can lead to a plethora of merge conflicts, making it seem like a daunting task to resolve.

Preparation is Key

Before we dive into the merge process, let’s make sure our Git repository is set up correctly:

• Checkout the `master` branch using `git checkout master`.
• Verify that your local repository is up-to-date by running `git pull origin master`.
• Checkout the `feature/new-design` branch using `git checkout feature/new-design`.
• Verify that your local repository is up-to-date by running `git pull origin feature/new-design`.

Now that we’ve prepared our branches, let’s move on to the merge process.

Merging the Branches

To merge the `feature/new-design` branch into the `master` branch, we’ll use the following Git command:

git merge --no-commit --allow-unrelated-histories feature/new-design

This command tells Git to:

• Merge the `feature/new-design` branch into the current branch (`master`).
• Not commit the merge automatically (`–no-commit`).
• Allow Git to create a new merge commit, even if the branches have unrelated histories (`–allow-unrelated-histories`).

This command will create a new merge commit, but it won’t automatically commit it. We’ll need to resolve any merge conflicts and commit the changes manually.

Resolving Merge Conflicts

As expected, Git will encounter numerous merge conflicts due to the drastic changes made in the `feature/new-design` branch. To resolve these conflicts, we’ll need to:

• Open each file with conflicts and manually resolve them.
• Use `git add ` to stage each resolved file.
• Use `git rm ` to delete any files that are no longer needed.

Once you’ve resolved all conflicts and staged the changes, you can commit the merge using:

git commit -m "Merge feature/new-design into master"

This commit message is just a suggestion; you can use a more descriptive message to explain the changes made in the merge.

Verifying the Merge

After committing the merge, let’s verify that everything looks correct:

• Run `git log` to view the commit history.
• Run `git status` to ensure there are no remaining conflicts.
• Run `git branch -a` to verify that the `feature/new-design` branch has been merged into `master`.

If everything looks good, you can now push the changes to your remote repository using:

git push origin master

Wrapped in SPM ( Swift Package Manager )

If you’re using Swift Package Manager (SPM) in your project, you’ll need to take an additional step to ensure that your dependencies are correctly updated:

Create a new `Package.swift` file with the updated dependencies:

swift package init

Then, update the `Package.swift` file to reflect the changes made in the `feature/new-design` branch.

Finally, run `swift package update` to update the dependencies:

swift package update

This will ensure that your dependencies are correctly updated and reflected in your Xcode project.

Conclusion

Merging a branch with drastically changed files and directories can be a daunting task, but with the right approach, it’s definitely manageable. By following this guide, you should be able to successfully merge your `feature/new-design` branch into the `master` branch, even when all files and directories have been completely rewritten.

Remember to:

• Prepare your branches correctly.
• Use the `–no-commit` and `–allow-unrelated-histories` flags when merging.
• Manually resolve merge conflicts.
• Verify the merge and push the changes to your remote repository.
• If using SPM, update the `Package.swift` file and run `swift package update`.

By following these steps, you’ll be able to merge your branches with confidence and ensure a smooth development process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q	A
What if I encounter a large number of merge conflicts?	In such cases, it’s essential to resolve conflicts file by file, using `git add ` to stage each resolved file. If needed, seek help from your team or a Git expert.
Can I use `git merge –abort` to cancel the merge process?	Yes, if you encounter any issues during the merge process, you can use `git merge –abort` to cancel the merge and start again from scratch.
How do I verify that the merge was successful?	Run `git log` and `git status` to ensure that the merge was successful and there are no remaining conflicts.

I hope this comprehensive guide has helped you merge your branches successfully, even with drastically changed files and directories. Happy gitting!

Frequently Asked Question

Got stuck while merging your main branch to a child branch in Git, especially when all files and directories have been totally changed and wrapped in SPM? Fear not, friend! We’ve got you covered.