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Git4 min read2026-03-01

Git Merge Conflict: Automatic merge failed; fix conflicts and then commit

Understand, resolve, and prevent Git merge conflicts using visual markers, merge tools, and clean branch workflows.

Error Code / Stack Trace

CONFLICT (content): Merge conflict in src/index.ts Automatic merge failed; fix conflicts and then commit the result.

Problem Overview

Git cannot automatically combine two commits because competing changes were made to the exact same lines of code in a file.

Why Does This Happen?

  • Two developers edited the same lines of code on different branches.
  • A file was deleted on one branch but modified on another.
  • Rebasing a long-lived feature branch against an updated main branch.

Step-by-Step Solution

Step 1: Inspect conflict markers in the file

Look for <<<<<<< HEAD (your current branch), =======, and >>>>>>> branch_name (incoming branch).

typescript
<<<<<<< HEAD
const API_BASE = 'https://api.v1.devfixhub.com';
=======
const API_BASE = 'https://api.v2.devfixhub.com';
>>>>>>> feature-branch

Step 2: Edit the file to keep the desired code and delete markers

Manually reconcile the code and remove all conflict marker lines.

typescript
const API_BASE = 'https://api.v2.devfixhub.com';

Step 3: Stage the resolved files and finish merge

Stage files with git add and complete the merge commit.

bash
git add src/index.ts
git commit -m "Merge branch 'feature-branch' and resolve API_BASE conflict"

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • •Committing files with <<<<<<< or >>>>>>> markers still inside them, causing syntax errors in production.

Prevention & Best Practices

  • Keep feature branches small and rebase frequently against main (git pull --rebase origin main).

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I abort a broken merge attempt?

Run 'git merge --abort' to restore your working tree to the state before the merge started.

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