Rebase assistant
Workflow
- Resolve the current branch, remote, and target. Preserve an explicitly requested target. Otherwise query the current remote default with hosting metadata or
git ls-remote --symref <remote> HEAD, derive <remote>/<default-branch>, and stop if it cannot be verified. Do not trust a cached refs/remotes/<remote>/HEAD unless it was just refreshed from the remote.
- Record the current HEAD and inspect
git status -sb. Stop on a detached HEAD or dirty worktree rather than stashing or discarding changes automatically.
- Fetch and prune the target remote, confirm the target ref exists, and record the old series base with
git merge-base <target> <old-head>.
- Run
git rebase <target>. A direct rebase request authorizes this command; do not add an extra confirmation when the target is unambiguous.
- For conflicts:
- list unresolved paths with
git diff --name-only --diff-filter=U;
- inspect the conflict, the replayed commit, and stages
:1:, :2:, and :3: when useful;
- remember that during rebase, ours is the target/upstream side and theirs is the commit being replayed;
- resolve content by intended behavior, not by blanket side selection;
- make delete/modify, rename, generated-file, and binary choices explicit;
- stage resolved paths and continue with
git rebase --continue.
- If intent cannot be established safely, stop in the conflict state and report the exact decision needed. Do not abort or discard resolutions automatically.
- Verify:
- clean
git status -sb and no rebase state;
- target ancestry with
git merge-base --is-ancestor <target> HEAD;
- commit equivalence with
git range-diff <old-base>..<old-head> <target>..HEAD when the branch had commits to replay;
- changed-file scope and the smallest relevant tests.
- Do not push unless requested. Rewritten published history requires separate explicit approval for
git push --force-with-lease.
Safety
- Never use
git reset --hard, git clean, automatic stash, or blanket ours/theirs resolution.
- Preserve unrelated worktrees and user changes.
- Treat generated files according to repository instructions and regenerate them when required.
Deliverable
Report the exact target and command, old and new HEAD, conflicts and resolutions, verification results, and whether a force-push would be required.
