Key Takeaways:
git pull is a command used to update your local branch with the latest changes from a remote repository.- It performs two actions in one: it first downloads the updates and then merges them into your local codebase.
- This command helps keep your work in sync with your team and prevents version conflicts during collaboration.
- Developers often use
git pull to make sure they are working on the most current version of the project.
git pull can create merge conflicts if both local and remote changes modify the same lines of code.- Knowing when and how to use
git pull properly can improve team coordination and reduce errors in development.
Git Pull is one of the most frequently used Git commands for developers working with remote repositories. It updates your local branch with the most current changes from a remote source, usually GitHub, by combining two key operations: git fetch (downloads updates) and git merge (applies them to your current branch).
In short, git pull keeps your local repository in sync with shared, remote branches in one step. In this guide, you will learn how git pull actually works under the hood, when to use it, how to rebase instead of merge, and how to resolve conflicts when they arise. This guide also offers practical, example-driven insights into using git pull effectively.
Table of Contents:
What is git pull and What Does It Do?
The git pull command is a core Git operation used to bring changes from a remote repository into your local one. It combines two steps behind the scenes: git fetch, which downloads the latest updates, and git merge, which applies those updates to your current branch.
A git pull is a Git command that fetches and merges changes from a remote repository into your local branch.
It downloads any data your local repository is missing, such as new commits or file updates from the remote branch.
Once the fetch is complete, Git proceeds with a git merge, combining the remote-tracking branch into your current local branch. If changes exist, this results in a new merge commit.
The next diagram outlines the steps involved in the git pull process.
How git pull Works Internally (With Diagram)
- At first, your local repository appears to be up-to-date. As shown in the diagram below:
- However, a git fetch might reveal updates on the remote that you haven’t pulled yet.
- If the remote branch has progressed, running git pull merges those new commits from origin/main into your local branch, keeping both in sync.
For Example:
To see how this works in practice, consider a simple case: a repository with a main branch and a remote named origin. When you run git pull origin main, Git fetches updates from origin/main and merges them into your current branch. This keeps your local copy in line with what’s on the remote.
git pull in this case gets you all the changes since your local branch and main diverged. To explain, let’s say that the common point is commit 5. If the remote has progressed 1, 2, 3, then those would be fetched. Git then merges those changes into your local branch, creating a new local merge commit, which includes the content of those remote ones.
In the diagram, commit 8 represents the new merge commit. It includes the content from remote commits 1, 2, and 3 and typically carries a combined log message. This is one way Git can handle pulling and merging changes.
Git Pull Example: Sync Local with Remote
Suppose your manager shares a GitHub repository with you, and it contains a file named Intellipaat-Lab-Requirements.txt.
Note: This repository is also shared with other team members for their assigned tasks.
To start working, you cloned the repository using the git clone command and created a new file called Solutions.txt.
Now, while you worked locally, suppose another team member adds a new file named New_Requirements.txt to the remote repository. Since you haven’t pulled the latest changes, your local copy won’t include this new file.
Unaware of the changes, you completed your work and committed it using git commit -m “added solution file for Intellipaat_Lab_Requirements”.
Now, when you attempt to push your changes using the git push command, Git throws an error as your local repository doesn’t match the remote repository. The remote has changes (i.e., the New_Requirements.txt file) that your local copy didn’t. This is called a conflict.
To fix this conflict, you run git pull command that will fetch all the latest changes from the remote and merge them into your local repository.
After you’ve successfully pulled all the changes, you reattempt git push, and this time, your committed changes i.e., Solutions.txt, will be added to the remote repository.
Your changes are now synced and reflected in the remote repository.
Alternatively, you can pass the –rebase option to git pull. This changes the behavior: instead of creating a merge commit, Git rewinds your local changes, applies the incoming commits, and then reapplies your local work on top.
How to Use git pull –rebase
Why Rebase?
A common use of the git pull —rebase option is to keep a linear commit history. It rewrites your local commits so they are based on the incoming changes instead of a merge commit, which results in a cleaner, more user-friendly project history.
How git pull –rebase Works With Local Changes
Let’s return to the starting point of the earlier example. This time, we run git pull —rebase instead of a regular pull.
Central git repo to local git repo
In this version of the diagram, there’s no new merge commit like 8. Instead, git pull –rebase takes the remote commits 1, 2, and 3, then places your local commits 5, 6, and 7 on top of them. The result is a cleaner, linear history that reflects both sets of changes in sequence.
Set git pull –rebase as the Default Option
The rebase option helps avoid cluttered histories with unnecessary merge commits. Many developers prefer this approach, as it signifies “reapply my changes on top of the updated history.”
To make rebase the default behavior for all future pulls, you can set it globally using:
git config --global pull.rebase true
From now on, git pull will rebase instead of merge, unless you specify otherwise.
When Should You Use git pull in Your Workflow?
You may use git pull command to synchronize your local repository with a remote repository. It’s the most straightforward way to keep up with the upstream updates. Below are some situations in which git pull fits very nicely with what you want to do:
- Collaborative Development
If there are several developers pushing to a repository, you need to do a git pull from the repository to ensure that your local copy contains the most recent commits. This reduces merge conflicts and ensures everyone is working on a common, current codebase.
- Keeping in Sync with Master
If your team’s workflow centers around a single branch, like main or develop, regular pulls ensure that you’re not building on outdated changes. This is particularly helpful before starting any new work or before making a merge request.
- Updating a Feature Branch
So let’s say you’ve branched off main, and you’re working in isolation. Pulling from main into your feature branch is a way to get the recent changes (using merge or rebase) and to avoid a conflict later on.
- Merging Remote Changes
Any time the remote repository has changes (or updates) that are not present locally, git pull can fetch and merge them in one step. It works great, but an automatic merge can produce conflicts if your local changes diverge significantly.
- Rebasing for a Clean History
A common use of git pull –rebase is to keep a linear commit history. It rewrites your local commits so they are based on the incoming changes instead of a merge commit, which results in a more user-friendly project history.
Most Common git pull Command Options
- git pull < remote>
Downloads the current branch from the specified remote and merges it into your local branch. Equivalent to running git fetch <remote> followed by git merge origin/<branch>.
- git pull –no-commit <remote>
Fetches the remote changes and begins the merge, but pauses before creating a new merge commit. Useful if you want to inspect or adjust changes before finalizing the merge.
- git pull –rebase <remote>
Replaces the default merge strategy with a rebase. This replays your local commits on top of the fetched remote commits, keeping history linear.
- git pull –verbose
Provides detailed output during the pull process, showing which files are fetched and how the merge or rebase is applied.
- git pull –ff -only
Allows the pull only if the changes can be applied as a fast-forward. If a merge is needed, Git stops. This helps avoid automatic merge commits and keeps history tidy.
- git pull –no -ff
Forces a merge commit, even when a fast-forward is possible. This is useful if you want every pull to show up clearly in the commit history as a separate merge event.
- git pull –autostash
If you have uncommitted changes, this option stashes them before pulling and re-applies them afterward. Handy when you want to update your branch without discarding local edits.
- git pull origin <branch>
Pulls a specific branch (like main or dev) from the remote origin and merges it into your current branch. Useful when working across multiple remote branches.
Key Differences Between git fetch and git pull
Git fetch is easily confused with git pull among beginners because both are used to retrieve remote content. The key difference lies in what happens after downloading the content. The git fetch works up to the point where you update your remote-tracking branches without touching your work directory. It is the safest way to examine changes before they are applied.
Whereas Git pull not only retrieves the content but also immediately attempts to merge it into your current branch. This automatic merge may cause conflicts or leave your local repository in an unwanted state. To more differences on git fetch vs git pull, click here.
| Feature | git fetch | git pull |
| Function | Downloads changes from the remote repository | Downloads and merges changes into the current branch |
| Merge Behavior | Does not merge changes automatically | Automatically merges the fetched changes |
| Risk of Conflicts | No risk | Possible conflicts during auto-merge |
| Control | Gives more control over what and when to merge | Less control, as it does both fetch and merge in one step |
| Use Case | Ideal for reviewing changes before merging | Ideal for quickly syncing with the remote branch |
Git Pull Command Examples In Real-World Workflows
The following git pull examples demonstrate how to use git pull in common scenarios:
Default Behavior
git pull
Running git pull without any arguments fetches changes from the remote-tracking branch linked to your current branch (typically origin/<branch>) and merges them into your working copy. Under the hood, it’s roughly the same as:
git fetch origin
git merge origin/$(git rev-parse —abbrev-ref HEAD)
This keeps your branch aligned with the latest upstream changes.
Pulling Changes After Switching Branches
git checkout feature_x
git pull origin feature_x
This sequence checks out a branch named feature_x and pulls updates for it from the origin remote. If there are new commits on the remote, Git will fetch and then merge them into your local copy of feature_x. It’s a common workflow when you switch branches and want to make sure you’re not working on an outdated snapshot.
Pull with Rebase Instead of Merge
git checkout dev
git pull --rebase origin dev
Here, you’re pulling updates to the dev branch from origin, but instead of merging, Git will rebase your local commits on top of the newly fetched ones. This helps avoid merge commits and keeps the commit history clean and linear.
Pull From a Different Remote
git pull upstream main
If your project tracks more than one remote (e.g., origin for your fork and upstream for the original project), this command pulls changes from the main branch of the upstream remote. It’s typically used to stay updated with the canonical repository when working in forks.
Pull With Auto-Stashing
git pull --autostash origin main
If you have local modifications that would prevent a clean merge or rebase, this command tells Git to stash your changes temporarily, perform the pull, and then reapply your local edits. It avoids manual stash and pop steps.
How to Resolve Conflicts After a Git Pull
Sometimes, while you pull changes from a remote branch, Git finds that both your local work and the remote updates have changed the same part of a file. Git can’t decide which version to keep, so it marks the file as conflicted and lets you resolve it manually.
Here’s how to sort it out:
- Git will show which files have conflicts.
- Open each file and look for lines with conflict markers like <<<<<<<, =======, and >>>>>>>.
- Decide which changes to keep, or combine both if needed, and delete the markers.
- Once you’ve made the fixes, stage the file:
git add <filename>
- Finish the process:
git commit # if you’re merging
git rebase —continue # if you’re rebasing
- Remember to run git status to make sure all conflicts have been resolved.
Final Thoughts
The git pull command is a combination of fetch and merge options that help you update your local branch with the remote. Learning how to work with pull and rebase options is valuable in the long run because it ensures your project history is clean and tidy. Whether you are working independently or on a team, git pull is key to using Git effectively.
Git Pull – FAQs
1. What does git pull do in Git?
git pull downloads changes from a remote repository and immediately applies them to your current branch. It combines git fetch and git merge in a single command.
2. What is the difference between git pull and git fetch?
git fetch only downloads new data from the remote without modifying your working directory. git pull does a fetch followed by a merge or rebase, updating your working branch.
3. When should I use git pull -- rebase?
Use git pull --rebase when you want a cleaner, linear commit history. It’s ideal for syncing feature branches without creating merge commits.
4. How do I resolve conflicts after a git pull?
Open the conflicting files, look for Git’s conflict markers, and manually edit them. Then run git add <filename> followed by git commit (for merge) or git rebase --continue (for rebase).