code-yeongyu / merge-upstream
Sync a fork branch with an upstream remote using a history-preserving merge. Use this whenever the user says /merge-upstream, merge upstream, sync upstream, sync fork, or wants upstream changes integrated without rebasing or force-pushing.
Merge Upstream
Sync the current fork branch with upstream/<branch> using a merge commit by default. Preserve local commit hashes, keep push non-destructive, and never rewrite history.
Usage
Treat these as equivalent triggers:
/merge-upstream [--base=<branch>] [--ff-allow]
merge upstream [--base=<branch>] [--ff-allow]
sync fork with upstreamOptions:
--base=<branch>: use that upstream branch instead of auto-detecting the upstream default branch.--ff-allow: allowgit merge --ff-onlywhen the current branch has no unique local commits. Without this, usegit merge --no-ffto leave an explicit sync commit.
Invariants
- Do not run
git rebase. - Do not run
git push --forceorgit push --force-with-lease. - Do not bypass hooks or signing with
--no-verifyor--no-gpg-sign. - Ask before pushing.
Workflow
Validate the repository:
git rev-parse --is-inside-work-tree git branch --show-current git remote get-url upstream git remote get-url originAbort on detached HEAD or missing
upstream. Iforiginis missing, continue locally and skip push.Require a clean worktree:
worktree_status=$(git status --porcelain) || exit 1 test -z "$worktree_status"If dirty, stop and ask the user to clean or commit the changes, or use a clean task worktree.
Detect the upstream target branch:
- If
--base=<branch>is provided, fetch and verifyupstream/<branch>. - Otherwise run
git remote set-head upstream -a, then readrefs/remotes/upstream/HEAD. - If detection fails, ask the user for
--base=<branch>.
- If
Fetch enough history for a reliable merge base:
git rev-parse --is-shallow-repository git fetch --tags upstream "+refs/heads/${upstream_branch}:refs/remotes/upstream/${upstream_branch}" origin_branch_exists=false if git remote get-url origin >/dev/null 2>&1; then if ! origin_branch=$(git ls-remote --heads origin "refs/heads/${current_branch}"); then echo "failed to inspect origin/${current_branch}" >&2 exit 1 elif [ -n "$origin_branch" ]; then git fetch origin "+refs/heads/${current_branch}:refs/remotes/origin/${current_branch}" || exit 1 origin_branch_exists=true else echo "origin/${current_branch} does not exist; current branch is unpublished" fi fi git merge-base HEAD "upstream/${upstream_branch}"If the repository is shallow, unshallow
originfirst when available, thenupstreamonly if still shallow.Always use the fetched remote-tracking ref as the target; do not decide from a previously cached
upstream/<branch>tip.Record the exact refs and report divergence:
current_head=$(git rev-parse HEAD) upstream_tip=$(git rev-parse "upstream/${upstream_branch}") git rev-list --count "upstream/${upstream_branch}..HEAD" git rev-list --count "HEAD..upstream/${upstream_branch}" GIT_PAGER=cat git log --oneline "HEAD..upstream/${upstream_branch}" GIT_PAGER=cat git log --first-parent --oneline "upstream/${upstream_branch}..HEAD"Report
HEADandupstream/${upstream_branch}with their full SHAs.Merge:
Behind
0means the fetchedupstream_tipis already an ancestor ofcurrent_head. Confirm that state with both checks:git merge-base --is-ancestor "$upstream_tip" "$current_head" upstream_range=$(git rev-list "$current_head..$upstream_tip") || exit 1 test -z "$upstream_range"This completes upstream integration as a successful no-op. Report the exact refs, SHAs, ancestry result, and empty range; skip the merge, release, and other change-dependent gates. Do not create an empty commit or pull request, or publish a branch solely to represent the sync. If an independent request explicitly approves pushing existing local commits, use step 9's non-destructive push semantics.
If behind is greater than
0and--ff-allowis set with ahead0, run:git merge --ff-only "upstream/${upstream_branch}"Otherwise capture
previous_headandupstream_tip, then run:git merge --no-ff "upstream/${upstream_branch}" -m "merge: sync ${current_branch} with upstream/${upstream_branch}"
Resolve conflicts locally when they occur:
git diff --name-only --diff-filter=URead each conflicted file. Auto-resolve only mechanically obvious conflicts such as non-overlapping additions, import unions, formatting-only differences, or generated lockfile refreshes. For semantic conflicts, present the specific conflict and ask whether to keep ours, keep theirs, manually edit, or abort. After resolution:
git add <file> git -c core.editor=true merge --continueVerify:
git rev-parse --git-path MERGE_HEAD git rev-parse --git-path rebase-merge git rev-parse --git-path rebase-apply git show -s --format=%P HEAD git rev-list --left-right --count "upstream/${upstream_branch}...HEAD" if [ "$origin_branch_exists" = true ]; then git merge-base --is-ancestor "origin/${current_branch}" HEAD fiIn default mode, verify HEAD has two parents:
previous_headas first parent andupstream_tipas second parent. In--ff-allowfast-forward mode, verify HEAD equalsupstream_tip.Push only with explicit approval:
GIT_PAGER=cat git log --oneline --graph --decorate -10 git push origin "${current_branch}"If the remote branch does not exist, use
git push -u origin "${current_branch}". If push is rejected as non-fast-forward, re-fetch and offer only non-destructive options: mergeorigin/<branch>into HEAD and retry, or stop.
Final Report
Include:
- branch and upstream target, including their full SHAs
- whether merge, fast-forward, or no-op happened
- for a no-op, confirmed ancestry and the empty
HEAD..upstream/<branch>range - fork commits preserved
- upstream commits integrated
- push status
- any conflicts and how they were resolved