Understanding Git Rebase vs Merge

This is the question that confuses every developer at some point. Let’s settle it.

Merge

git checkout main
git merge feature-branch

Creates a merge commit. History shows exactly what happened: two branches joined at a point. Safe for shared branches.

Rebase

git checkout feature-branch
git rebase main

Rewrites your commits on top of main. History looks linear — as if you started the feature after main was updated.

When to use which?

The golden rule

Never rebase a branch that other people are using. Rewriting shared history causes problems for everyone.