git cherry pick commit from another branch

Nve Author

3 min read

·

03-04-2025

1

0

Share

Git's power lies in its branching model, allowing for parallel development and flexible integration. Sometimes, you might find a commit on a different branch that you want to include in your current branch without merging the entire branch. This is where git cherry-pick shines. This article will explore the git cherry-pick command, using examples and insights from Stack Overflow to help you master this crucial Git technique.

What is git cherry-pick?

git cherry-pick allows you to select specific commits from one branch and apply them to another. Think of it as copying the changes introduced by a commit onto your current branch. This is different from merging, which incorporates the entire history of a branch. Cherry-picking provides granular control over which changes you integrate.

Why use git cherry-pick instead of merging?

• Selective Integration: Avoid merging unnecessary changes. If a branch contains commits unrelated to your current work, cherry-picking lets you pick only the relevant ones.
• Maintaining a Clean History: Keeps your branch's history focused on its specific purpose. Avoid cluttering your branch with commits irrelevant to its development path.
• Fixing Bugs Across Branches: If you fix a bug on a feature branch and need that fix on the main branch immediately, cherry-picking is a clean and efficient solution.

How to Use git cherry-pick

Let's illustrate with a common scenario. Imagine you have a main branch and a feature branch:

*   main
|\
| * feature
|/

The feature branch has commits A, B, and C. You want only commit B on your main branch.

1. Checkout the target branch:

   git checkout main
   

2. Cherry-pick the desired commit: You'll need the commit hash of commit B. You can find this using git log --oneline feature. Let's say the hash for commit B is abcdef123:

   git cherry-pick abcdef123
   

3. Resolve Conflicts (if any): If commit B introduces changes that conflict with the files already present in main, Git will alert you. You'll need to manually resolve these conflicts and then stage the changes using git add <file>. Finally, use git cherry-pick --continue to complete the cherry-pick process. If you wish to abort the cherry-pick, use git cherry-pick --abort.

Example inspired by a Stack Overflow question (attribution needed here if using a specific question):

Let's say we want to apply a fix for a bug that's been addressed on a bugfix branch to the develop branch (this example is illustrative and not directly from a specific Stack Overflow post).

# Checkout the develop branch
git checkout develop

# Find the commit hash of the bugfix from the git log of the bugfix branch. Let's assume it is 12345678
git log bugfix

# Cherry-pick the commit
git cherry-pick 12345678

#If there are no conflicts, the commit is applied. You can verify this with git log develop.

Handling Conflicts (Inspired by Stack Overflow solutions - attribution would be added here if directly referencing a question):

Conflicts during cherry-pick are handled the same as merge conflicts. You'll need to open the conflicted files in your text editor, manually resolve the differences, stage the changes using git add, and then run git cherry-pick --continue.

#After resolving conflicts:
git add .
git cherry-pick --continue

Advanced git cherry-pick Techniques

• Cherry-picking multiple commits: You can cherry-pick multiple commits by specifying their hashes sequentially. For example: git cherry-pick abcdef123 ghijkl456

• Cherry-picking commit ranges: You can specify a range of commits using the syntax commit1^..commit2 (where commit1^ means the parent of commit1).

• --no-commit option: This option applies the changes but doesn't automatically create a new commit. This allows you to review the changes before committing them. Useful for fine-grained control.

Conclusion

git cherry-pick is a powerful tool for selectively integrating commits between branches. Understanding its usage, including conflict resolution, is essential for efficient Git workflow. By mastering this technique, you'll enhance your ability to manage your Git repositories effectively and avoid unnecessary complexities. Remember to always consult the official Git documentation for the most up-to-date information and options. Remember to always properly attribute any Stack Overflow answers you use in your work.