Merge methods (FREE)

The merge method you select for your project determines how the changes in your merge requests are merged into an existing branch.

The examples on this page assume a main branch with commits A, C, and E, and a feature branch with commits B and D:

gitGraph
   commit id: "A"
   branch feature
   commit id: "B"
   commit id: "D"
   checkout main
   commit id: "C"
   commit id: "E"

Configure a project's merge method

On the top bar, select Main menu > Projects and find your project.
On the left sidebar, select Settings > Merge requests.
Select your desired Merge method from these options:
- Merge commit
- Merge commit with semi-linear history
- Fast-forward merge
In Squash commits when merging, select the default behavior for handling commits:
- Do not allow: Squashing is never performed, and the user cannot change the behavior.
- Allow: Squashing is off by default, but the user can change the behavior.
- Encourage: Squashing is on by default, but the user can change the behavior.
- Require: Squashing is always performed, and the user cannot change the behavior.
Select Save changes.

Merge commit

By default, GitLab creates a merge commit when a branch is merged into main. A separate merge commit is always created, regardless of whether or not commits are squashed when merging. This strategy can result in both a squash commit and a merge commit being added to your main branch.

These diagrams show how the feature branch merges into main if you use the Merge commit strategy. They are equivalent to the command git merge --no-ff <feature>, and selecting Merge commit as the Merge method in the GitLab UI:

The merge strategy:

%%{init: { 'gitGraph': {'logLevel': 'debug', 'showBranches': true, 'showCommitLabel':true,'mainBranchName': 'main'}} }%%
gitGraph
   commit id: "A"
   branch feature
   commit id: "B"
   commit id: "D"
   checkout main
   commit id: "C"
   commit id: "E"
   merge feature

After a feature branch is merged with the Merge commit method, your main branch looks like this:

%%{init: { 'gitGraph': {'logLevel': 'debug', 'showBranches': true, 'showCommitLabel':true,'mainBranchName': 'main'}} }%%
gitGraph
   commit id: "A"
   commit id: "C"
   commit id: "E"
   commit id: "squash commit"
   commit id: "merge commit"

In comparison, a squash merge constructs a squash commit, a virtual copy of all commits from the feature branch. The original commits (B and D) remain unchanged on the feature branch, and the squash commit is placed on the main branch:

%%{init: { 'gitGraph': {'showBranches': true, 'showCommitLabel':true,'mainBranchName': 'main'}} }%%
gitGraph
   commit id:"A"
   branch feature
   checkout main
   commit id:"C"
   checkout feature
   commit id:"B"
   commit id:"D"
   checkout main
   commit id:"E"
   commit id:"squash commit" type: HIGHLIGHT

The squash merge graph is equivalent to these settings in the GitLab UI:

Merge method: Merge commit.
Squash commits when merging should be set to either:
- Require.
- Either Allow or Encourage, and squashing must be selected on the merge request.

The squash merge graph is also equivalent to these commands:

git checkout `git merge-base feature main`
git merge --squash <feature>
SOURCE_SHA=`git rev-parse HEAD`
git checkout <main>
git merge --no-ff $SOURCE_SHA

Merge commit with semi-linear history

A merge commit is created for every merge, but the branch is only merged if a fast-forward merge is possible. This ensures that if the merge request build succeeded, the target branch build also succeeds after the merge. An example commit graph generated using this merge method:

gitGraph
  commit id: "Init"
  branch mr-branch-1
  commit
  commit
  checkout main
  merge mr-branch-1
  branch mr-branch-2
  commit
  commit
  checkout main
  merge mr-branch-2
  commit
  branch squash-mr
  commit id: "Squashed commits"
  checkout main
  merge squash-mr

When you visit the merge request page with Merge commit with semi-linear history method selected, you can accept it only if a fast-forward merge is possible. When a fast-forward merge is not possible, the user is given the option to rebase, see Rebasing in (semi-)linear merge methods.

This method is equivalent to the same Git commands as in the Merge commit method. However, if your source branch is based on an out-of-date version of the target branch (such as main), you must rebase your source branch. This merge method creates a cleaner-looking history, while still enabling you to see where every branch began and was merged.

Fast-forward merge

Sometimes, a workflow policy might mandate a clean commit history without merge commits. In such cases, the fast-forward merge is appropriate. With fast-forward merge requests, you can retain a linear Git history and a way to accept merge requests without creating merge commits. An example commit graph generated using this merge method:

gitGraph
  commit id: "Init"
  commit id: "Merge mr-branch-1"
  commit id: "Merge mr-branch-2"
  commit id: "Commit on main"
  commit id: "Merge squash-mr"

This method is equivalent to git merge --ff <source-branch> for regular merges, and to git merge --squash <source-branch> for squash merges.

When the fast-forward merge (--ff-only) setting is enabled, no merge commits are created and all merges are fast-forwarded. Merging is only allowed if the branch can be fast-forwarded. When a fast-forward merge is not possible, the user is given the option to rebase, see Rebasing in (semi-)linear merge methods.

NOTE: Projects that use the fast-forward merge strategy can't filter merge requests by deployment date, because no merge commit is created.

When you visit the merge request page with Fast-forward merge method selected, you can accept it only if a fast-forward merge is possible.

Rebasing in (semi-)linear merge methods

In these merge methods, you can merge only when your source branch is up-to-date with the target branch:

Merge commit with semi-linear history.
Fast-forward merge.

If a fast-forward merge is not possible but a conflict-free rebase is possible, GitLab provides:

The /rebase quick action.
The option to select Rebase in the user interface.

You must rebase the source branch locally before a fast-forward merge if both conditions are true:

The target branch is ahead of the source branch.
A conflict-free rebase is not possible.

Rebasing may be required before squashing, even though squashing can itself be considered equivalent to rebasing.

Rebase without CI/CD pipeline

Introduced in GitLab 14.7 with a flag named rebase_without_ci_ui. Disabled by default.

Generally available in GitLab 15.3. Feature flag rebase_without_ci_ui removed.

To rebase a merge request's branch without triggering a CI/CD pipeline, select Rebase without pipeline from the merge request reports section. This option is available when fast-forward merge is not possible but a conflict-free rebase is possible.

Rebasing without a CI/CD pipeline saves resources in projects with a semi-linear workflow that requires frequent rebases.