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How to Change `Git Merge --Squash` Default Template on Local Merge?

5 minutes read

To change the default template for git merge --squash on a local merge, you can create a custom merge commit template. This template allows you to specify the format and content of the commit message that will be generated when squashing a merge.


To do this, you can create a file named MERGE_MSG in the .git directory of your repository. In this file, you can define your desired commit message format using placeholders such as %s for the subject line and %b for the body of the commit message.


For example, you could configure the default template to include information about the branches being merged, the commit message from the merge, and any relevant details. Once you have created the custom merge commit template, Git will use this template for future squash merges in the repository.


By customizing the default template for git merge --squash, you can ensure consistency in the commit messages generated during merges and provide additional context about the changes being integrated into the codebase.


How to change the default template for git merge --squash on a local merge?

To change the default template for git merge --squash on a local merge, you can set up a custom merge message using the -m option followed by the desired merge message.


Here's how you can do it:

  1. Start by initiating a merge using the git merge --squash command.
  2. When prompted to enter the merge message, use the -m option followed by your custom merge message. For example: 
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git merge --squash branchname -m "Custom merge message for squashing commits"


  1. Press Enter to complete the merge with the custom merge message.


Alternatively, you can create a custom template for merge messages by editing the ~/.gitconfig file. You can set up a merge template using a custom git configuration like this:

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git config --global commit.template ~/.gitmerge


Then create a ~/.gitmerge file and add your custom merge message template.


Now, whenever you use git merge --squash, it will automatically use the custom merge message template you've set up.


How to enable the merge.commit default config setting in git?

To enable the merge.commit default config setting in git, you can use the following command:

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git config --global merge.commit true


This command sets the merge.commit configuration setting to true globally, meaning it will apply to all repositories on your system.


Alternatively, you can also set the merge.commit setting for a specific repository by navigating to the repository and running:

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git config merge.commit true


This will only affect the current repository.


What is the best practice for managing merge commit message templates in git projects?

One best practice for managing merge commit message templates in git projects is to create a custom merge commit message template file that contains the desired format and information. This template file can be saved in the project repository or in the user's global git configuration.


To set up a custom merge commit message template, you can use the following steps:

  1. Create a text file with the desired merge commit message template format. You can include placeholders for information such as the branch names being merged and a brief description of the changes.
  2. Save the template file in the project repository or in the user's global git configuration. To save it globally, you can use the following command: git config --global commit.template /path/to/merge-commit-template.txt
  3. Configure git to use this template for merge commit messages by setting the commit.template configuration option: git config --global commit.template /path/to/merge-commit-template.txt
  4. When creating a merge commit, git will use the custom merge commit message template to generate the commit message. You can modify the template as needed for each project or modify the global configuration to change the template for all projects.


By following these best practices, you can ensure consistency and clarity in merge commit messages across git projects and make it easier for contributors to understand the changes being merged.


How to revert changes made to the merge commit message template in git?

To revert changes made to the merge commit message template in git, you can follow these steps:

  1. Open your terminal or command prompt.
  2. Navigate to the root directory of your git repository.
  3. Use the following command to open the merge commit message template in a text editor:
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git config --global --edit


  1. Look for the "merge.commit" section in the editor, which contains the merge commit message template.
  2. Make any necessary changes to revert back to the original template.
  3. Save and close the text editor.
  4. Run the following command to verify that the changes have been reverted:
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git config --global –-get merge.commit


  1. The output should display the original merge commit message template.


How to switch between different merge commit message templates in git?

To switch between different merge commit message templates in Git, you can follow these steps:

  1. Create different merge commit message templates: You can create different merge commit message templates by creating separate template files and storing them in a specific directory (e.g. ~/.git-templates/merge-message-).
  2. Configure Git to use a specific template: You can configure Git to use a specific merge commit message template by setting the merge.message configuration variable to the path of the desired template file. For example, you can run the following command to set the merge commit message template to a specific file: git config --global merge.message ~/.git-templates/merge-message-template1
  3. Switch between templates: To switch between different merge commit message templates, you can simply update the merge.message configuration variable with the path to the desired template file. You can use the git config command mentioned above to update the template path.
  4. Verify the template used: To verify which template is currently being used, you can check the value of the merge.message configuration variable using the following command: git config --get merge.message


By following these steps, you can easily switch between different merge commit message templates in Git.


What is the impact of changing the merge commit message template on the project history in git?

Changing the merge commit message template in Git does not impact the project history itself. The history of the project, including all commits and changes made, remains intact and unchanged.


However, changing the merge commit message template can affect future merge commit messages that are created. By modifying the template, you can customize the information included in the merge commits, such as adding a specific format or including certain details. This can help improve the consistency and clarity of the commit messages in the project.


In summary, changing the merge commit message template in Git does not alter the project history, but it can impact the format and content of merge commit messages going forward.

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