From: Julia Evans <julia@xxxxxxx> - make it clearer that we're talking about a multistep process - give a more technically accurate description how rebase works with the merge backend. - delete a duplicate explanation of how git rebase skips commits with the same textual changes (it's explained in more detail a few lines further down) - remove the explanation of how exactly `--fork-point` and `--root` work since that information is in the OPTIONS section - put all discussion of `ORIG_HEAD` inside the note Signed-off-by: Julia Evans <julia@xxxxxxx> --- Documentation/git-rebase.adoc | 34 +++++++++++++++++----------------- 1 file changed, 17 insertions(+), 17 deletions(-) diff --git a/Documentation/git-rebase.adoc b/Documentation/git-rebase.adoc index 50c84f138212..c16ee37b46a7 100644 --- a/Documentation/git-rebase.adoc +++ b/Documentation/git-rebase.adoc @@ -65,31 +65,31 @@ linkgit:git-config[1] for details) and the `--fork-point` option is assumed. If you are currently not on any branch or if the current branch does not have a configured upstream, the rebase will abort. -All changes made by commits in the current branch but that are not -in `<upstream>` are saved to a temporary area. This is the same set -of commits that would be shown by `git log <upstream>..HEAD`; or by -`git log 'fork_point'..HEAD`, if `--fork-point` is active (see the -description on `--fork-point` below); or by `git log HEAD`, if the -`--root` option is specified. - -The current branch is reset to `<upstream>` or `<newbase>` if the -`--onto` option was supplied. This has the exact same effect as -`git reset --hard <upstream>` (or `<newbase>`). `ORIG_HEAD` is set -to point at the tip of the branch before the reset. +Here is a more detailed description of what `git rebase <upstream>` does: + +First, it makes a list of all commits in the current branch that are not in +`<upstream>`. This is the same set of commits that would be shown by `git log +<upstream>..HEAD`. You can use `--fork-point` or `--root` to change how this +list of commits is constructed. + +Then it checks out `<upstream>` (or `<newbase>` if the `--onto` option was +supplied) with the equivalent of `git switch --detach <upstream>`. + +Then it replays the commits, one by one, in order. This is similar to running +`git cherry-pick <commit>` for each commit. See REBASING MERGES for how merges +are handled. + +Finally, it updates your branch to point to the final commit with the equivalent +of `git switch -C <branch>`. [NOTE] +`ORIG_HEAD` is set to point at the tip of the branch before the rebase. `ORIG_HEAD` is not guaranteed to still point to the previous branch tip at the end of the rebase if other commands that write that pseudo-ref (e.g. `git reset`) are used during the rebase. The previous branch tip, however, is accessible using the reflog of the current branch (i.e. `@{1}`, see linkgit:gitrevisions[7]). -The commits that were previously saved into the temporary area are -then reapplied to the current branch, one by one, in order. Note that -any commits in `HEAD` which introduce the same textual changes as a commit -in `HEAD..<upstream>` are omitted (i.e., a patch already accepted upstream -with a different commit message or timestamp will be skipped). - If the upstream branch already contains a change you have made (e.g., because you mailed a patch which was applied upstream), then that commit will be skipped and warnings will be issued (if the 'merge' backend is -- gitgitgadget