# [PATCH] status: suggest `git merge --continue`, not `git commit` 3 messages from 2026-10-06 to 2026-10-06. Participants: Julia Evans via GitGitGadget, Phillip Wood, Junio C Hamano. Thread: https://gitlist.dev/t/66473 ## Julia Evans via GitGitGadget, 2026-10-06 13:02 Subject: [PATCH] status: suggest `git merge --continue`, not `git commit` Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/pull.2249.git.1791291762665.gitgitgadget%40gmail.com ``` From: Julia Evans During a merge conflict, we suggest using --continue to continue the merge for rebase, revert, and cherry-pick. Change the `git merge` advice to be consistent. Commit 367ff694281ce569edd8f6e444fc770f92f5d215 says that `git merge --continue` is intended to be a synonym for `git commit`, and the `git merge` man page already suggests to use `git merge --continue`. Signed-off-by: Julia Evans --- status: suggest git merge --continue, not git commit We discussed making this consistent in another thread: https://lore.kernel.org/git/623cdf71-8076-4967-aff1-3ebeb57d1e3a@app.fastmail.com/T/#m4bdcb555cbdff4132fb1a678594f26b598e0b38f From some research: * git merge --continue was introduced in 367ff694281c in Dec 2016. It says that git merge --continue is intended to be a synonym for git commit. (thread here: https://lore.kernel.org/git/20161214083757.26412-1-judge.packham@gmail.com/) * This line of the advice was last touched in July 2016, before git merge --continue was introduced. So I don't see any obvious reason not to change the advice. Translations will need to be updated, I still don't know how that process works. Updating the translations should be straightforward since it's just a change in the command. Published-As: https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/releases/tag/pr-2249%2Fjvns%2Fadvice-merge-v1 Fetch-It-Via: git fetch https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git pr-2249/jvns/advice-merge-v1 Pull-Request: https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/pull/2249 t/t7060-wtstatus.sh | 8 ++++---- t/t7512-status-help.sh | 4 ++-- wt-status.c | 4 ++-- 3 files changed, 8 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-) diff --git a/t/t7060-wtstatus.sh b/t/t7060-wtstatus.sh index 942ddbbf0e..a9b435b5e3 100755 --- a/t/t7060-wtstatus.sh +++ b/t/t7060-wtstatus.sh @@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ test_expect_success 'M/D conflict does not segfault' ' cat >expect <expected <<\EOF && On branch main You have unmerged paths. - (fix conflicts and run "git commit") + (fix conflicts and run "git merge --continue") (use "git merge --abort" to abort the merge) Unmerged paths: @@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ test_expect_success 'status when conflicts with add and rm advice (both deleted) cat >expected <<\EOF && On branch conflict_second You have unmerged paths. - (fix conflicts and run "git commit") + (fix conflicts and run "git merge --continue") (use "git merge --abort" to abort the merge) Unmerged paths: @@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ test_expect_success 'status when conflicts with only rm advice (both deleted)' ' cat >expected <<\EOF && On branch conflict_second You have unmerged paths. - (fix conflicts and run "git commit") + (fix conflicts and run "git merge --continue") (use "git merge --abort" to abort the merge) Changes to be committed: diff --git a/t/t7512-status-help.sh b/t/t7512-status-help.sh index aca4b6d332..776a0dd5b8 100755 --- a/t/t7512-status-help.sh +++ b/t/t7512-status-help.sh @@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ test_expect_success 'status when conflicts unresolved' ' cat >expected <<\EOF && On branch conflicts You have unmerged paths. - (fix conflicts and run "git commit") + (fix conflicts and run "git merge --continue") (use "git merge --abort" to abort the merge) Unmerged paths: @@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ test_expect_success 'status when conflicts resolved before commit' ' cat >expected <<\EOF && On branch conflicts All conflicts fixed but you are still merging. - (use "git commit" to conclude merge) + (use "git merge --continue" to conclude merge) Changes to be committed: modified: main.txt diff --git a/wt-status.c b/wt-status.c index 57772c7501..f7b0dc29d5 100644 --- a/wt-status.c +++ b/wt-status.c @@ -1273,7 +1273,7 @@ static void show_merge_in_progress(struct wt_status *s, status_printf_ln(s, color, _("You have unmerged paths.")); if (s->hints) { status_printf_ln(s, color, - _(" (fix conflicts and run \"git commit\")")); + _(" (fix conflicts and run \"git merge --continue\")")); status_printf_ln(s, color, _(" (use \"git merge --abort\" to abort the merge)")); } @@ -1282,7 +1282,7 @@ static void show_merge_in_progress(struct wt_status *s, _("All conflicts fixed but you are still merging.")); if (s->hints) status_printf_ln(s, color, - _(" (use \"git commit\" to conclude merge)")); + _(" (use \"git merge --continue\" to conclude merge)")); } wt_longstatus_print_trailer(s); } base-commit: 5a7d1e8045ce66c908f62598e26cbb8df7b39a90 -- gitgitgadget ``` ## Phillip Wood, 2026-10-06 15:31 Subject: Re: [PATCH] status: suggest `git merge --continue`, not `git commit` Message-ID: <3a716db0-4c40-4407-9237-f83c0dd37ad8@gmail.com> URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/3a716db0-4c40-4407-9237-f83c0dd37ad8%40gmail.com In-Reply-To: ``` Hi Julia On 06/10/2026 14:02, Julia Evans via GitGitGadget wrote: > From: Julia Evans > > During a merge conflict, we suggest using --continue to continue the > merge for rebase, revert, and cherry-pick. > > Change the `git merge` advice to be consistent. > Commit 367ff694281ce569edd8f6e444fc770f92f5d215 says that When we use the output of "git show -s --format=reference" when referring to previous commits, so this would be 367ff69428 (merge: add '--continue' option as a synonym for 'git commit', 2016-12-14) > `git merge --continue` is intended to be a synonym for `git commit`, > and the `git merge` man page already suggests to use > `git merge --continue`. This looks like a sensible improvement. I wonder if we should fix the grammar at the same time so it says (use "git merge --continue" to conclude the merge) rather than (use "git merge --continue" to conclude merge) Thanks Phillip > Signed-off-by: Julia Evans > --- > status: suggest git merge --continue, not git commit > > We discussed making this consistent in another thread: > https://lore.kernel.org/git/623cdf71-8076-4967-aff1-3ebeb57d1e3a@app.fastmail.com/T/#m4bdcb555cbdff4132fb1a678594f26b598e0b38f > > From some research: > > * git merge --continue was introduced in 367ff694281c in Dec 2016. It > says that git merge --continue is intended to be a synonym for git > commit. (thread here: > https://lore.kernel.org/git/20161214083757.26412-1-judge.packham@gmail.com/) > * This line of the advice was last touched in July 2016, before git > merge --continue was introduced. > > So I don't see any obvious reason not to change the advice. > > Translations will need to be updated, I still don't know how that > process works. Updating the translations should be straightforward since > it's just a change in the command. > > Published-As: https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/releases/tag/pr-2249%2Fjvns%2Fadvice-merge-v1 > Fetch-It-Via: git fetch https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git pr-2249/jvns/advice-merge-v1 > Pull-Request: https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/pull/2249 > > t/t7060-wtstatus.sh | 8 ++++---- > t/t7512-status-help.sh | 4 ++-- > wt-status.c | 4 ++-- > 3 files changed, 8 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-) > > diff --git a/t/t7060-wtstatus.sh b/t/t7060-wtstatus.sh > index 942ddbbf0e..a9b435b5e3 100755 > --- a/t/t7060-wtstatus.sh > +++ b/t/t7060-wtstatus.sh > @@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ test_expect_success 'M/D conflict does not segfault' ' > cat >expect < On branch side > You have unmerged paths. > - (fix conflicts and run "git commit") > + (fix conflicts and run "git merge --continue") > (use "git merge --abort" to abort the merge) > > Unmerged paths: > @@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ test_expect_success 'status when conflicts with add and rm advice (deleted by th > cat >expected <<\EOF && > On branch main > You have unmerged paths. > - (fix conflicts and run "git commit") > + (fix conflicts and run "git merge --continue") > (use "git merge --abort" to abort the merge) > > Unmerged paths: > @@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ test_expect_success 'status when conflicts with add and rm advice (both deleted) > cat >expected <<\EOF && > On branch conflict_second > You have unmerged paths. > - (fix conflicts and run "git commit") > + (fix conflicts and run "git merge --continue") > (use "git merge --abort" to abort the merge) > > Unmerged paths: > @@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ test_expect_success 'status when conflicts with only rm advice (both deleted)' ' > cat >expected <<\EOF && > On branch conflict_second > You have unmerged paths. > - (fix conflicts and run "git commit") > + (fix conflicts and run "git merge --continue") > (use "git merge --abort" to abort the merge) > > Changes to be committed: > diff --git a/t/t7512-status-help.sh b/t/t7512-status-help.sh > index aca4b6d332..776a0dd5b8 100755 > --- a/t/t7512-status-help.sh > +++ b/t/t7512-status-help.sh > @@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ test_expect_success 'status when conflicts unresolved' ' > cat >expected <<\EOF && > On branch conflicts > You have unmerged paths. > - (fix conflicts and run "git commit") > + (fix conflicts and run "git merge --continue") > (use "git merge --abort" to abort the merge) > > Unmerged paths: > @@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ test_expect_success 'status when conflicts resolved before commit' ' > cat >expected <<\EOF && > On branch conflicts > All conflicts fixed but you are still merging. > - (use "git commit" to conclude merge) > + (use "git merge --continue" to conclude merge) > > Changes to be committed: > modified: main.txt > diff --git a/wt-status.c b/wt-status.c > index 57772c7501..f7b0dc29d5 100644 > --- a/wt-status.c > +++ b/wt-status.c > @@ -1273,7 +1273,7 @@ static void show_merge_in_progress(struct wt_status *s, > status_printf_ln(s, color, _("You have unmerged paths.")); > if (s->hints) { > status_printf_ln(s, color, > - _(" (fix conflicts and run \"git commit\")")); > + _(" (fix conflicts and run \"git merge --continue\")")); > status_printf_ln(s, color, > _(" (use \"git merge --abort\" to abort the merge)")); > } > @@ -1282,7 +1282,7 @@ static void show_merge_in_progress(struct wt_status *s, > _("All conflicts fixed but you are still merging.")); > if (s->hints) > status_printf_ln(s, color, > - _(" (use \"git commit\" to conclude merge)")); > + _(" (use \"git merge --continue\" to conclude merge)")); > } > wt_longstatus_print_trailer(s); > } > > base-commit: 5a7d1e8045ce66c908f62598e26cbb8df7b39a90 ``` ## Junio C Hamano, 2026-10-06 18:20 Subject: Re: [PATCH] status: suggest `git merge --continue`, not `git commit` Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/xmqq5wzeelmf.fsf%40gitster.g In-Reply-To: ``` "Julia Evans via GitGitGadget" writes: [Administrivia] As you have cc: D. Ben Knoble" ben.knoble@gmail.com at the end of your pull request that you gave to GitGitGadget, you ended up with a bogus Cc: address that reads "D. Ben Knoble you may want to help improving GGG by raising an issue to reject (or ignore) such a malformed address. [end of administrivia] > diff --git a/t/t7060-wtstatus.sh b/t/t7060-wtstatus.sh > index 942ddbbf0e..a9b435b5e3 100755 > --- a/t/t7060-wtstatus.sh > +++ b/t/t7060-wtstatus.sh > @@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ test_expect_success 'M/D conflict does not segfault' ' > cat >expect < On branch side > You have unmerged paths. > - (fix conflicts and run "git commit") > + (fix conflicts and run "git merge --continue") > (use "git merge --abort" to abort the merge) This message comes from show_merge_in_progress(), which is called only when the code is convinced that it is seeing an unmerged index due to a conflicted git merge. We can therefore make this message as merge-specific as we want. The suggestion to use 'git merge --abort' already does this. > diff --git a/wt-status.c b/wt-status.c > index 57772c7501..f7b0dc29d5 100644 > --- a/wt-status.c > +++ b/wt-status.c > @@ -1273,7 +1273,7 @@ static void show_merge_in_progress(struct wt_status *s, > status_printf_ln(s, color, _("You have unmerged paths.")); > if (s->hints) { > status_printf_ln(s, color, > - _(" (fix conflicts and run \"git commit\")")); > + _(" (fix conflicts and run \"git merge --continue\")")); > status_printf_ln(s, color, > _(" (use \"git merge --abort\" to abort the merge)")); > } > @@ -1282,7 +1282,7 @@ static void show_merge_in_progress(struct wt_status *s, > _("All conflicts fixed but you are still merging.")); > if (s->hints) > status_printf_ln(s, color, > - _(" (use \"git commit\" to conclude merge)")); > + _(" (use \"git merge --continue\" to conclude merge)")); > } > wt_longstatus_print_trailer(s); > } We could tighten "You have unmerged paths." even further to indicate that these paths came from a conflicted 'git merge'. In the same file, show_cherry_pick_in_progress() and show_revert_in_progress() already provide instructions very specific to these commands. Since the message for 'git merge' is the oldest, it is not surprising that we did not update it when 'git merge --continue', the instructions for cherry-pick and revert, or 'git merge --abort' instruction were added to the system. This commit moves us belatedly in the right direction, and as always, it is better late than never. The changes look good. Thanks. ```