What is the benefit of using git rebase --onto?

The --onto flag allows for precise control over the rebase operation, letting you move specific ranges of commits or change the parent base of a branch when Git's automatic detection is incorrect.

When should I use the --reapply-cherry-picks flag?

Use this flag when you have a feature branch that contains multiple merge commits from the main branch and you want to clean it up into a linear history by dropping those merges while keeping your unique changes.

How does the --update-refs flag help with stacked PRs?

The --update-refs flag automatically updates all branch pointers in a dependent chain during a rebase, eliminating the need to manually rebase each dependent branch in a stack individually.

How do I safely update a remote branch after rebasing?

After rebasing, always use 'git push --force-with-lease' instead of a standard force push. This ensures you don't accidentally overwrite new work pushed by teammates that you haven't fetched yet.

Git Rebase Patterns

Name: Git Rebase Patterns
Author: laurigates

bylaurigates

•

Developer Tools

Master advanced Git rebase techniques to maintain a clean linear history and manage complex stacked pull request workflows.

Git Rebase Patterns provides specialized guidance for developers looking to implement professional-grade history management beyond basic Git commands. It excels at converting merge-heavy branches into clean linear histories, automating the updates of dependent branches in stacked PR chains using features like --update-refs, and providing precise control over commit relocation with --onto. This skill is essential for maintaining high-quality codebases in trunk-based development environments where readable, logical commit logs are a priority for effective code review.

Key Features

01Best practices for safe conflict resolution and protected force pushing.

02Precise commit relocation and base correction using the powerful --onto parameter.

039 GitHub stars

04Clean history conversion by removing redundant merge commits with --reapply-cherry-picks.

05Interactive rebase workflows for squashing, fixing up, and rewording commits.

06Stacked PR management using the --update-refs flag to sync entire branch chains.

Use Cases

01Relocating work from an incorrect parent branch to a new target base without losing progress.

02Managing a chain of dependent features across multiple branches in a stacked PR workflow.

03Cleaning up a messy commit history before submitting a pull request for review.

What are Skills?·How to Install

Install with 🐟 Skill.Fish

npx skillfish add laurigates/claude-plugins git-rebase-patterns

For use in Claude.ai and ChatGPT

Download Skill