Smerge, ediff and diff

Updated: 2021-12-22

For enditing conflict in git, use smerge or ediff.

Smerge

Basic workflow:

• Open magit status with SPC g g in Doom
• Identify the mark with Unmerged under Unstage list
• Go to the file and press Enter to open the file
• The base command for Smerge is C-c ^
• You will see the conflict and selecting the upper with C-c ^ u and lower with C-c ^ l
• To select all ‘conflicting’ changes press C-c ^ a
• To navigate the conflicts use C-c ^ n and C-c ^ p for next and previous conflict
• To see all the keybindings use C-c ^ h

With DOOM and hydra:

• SPC g m for SMerge will open hydra shortcuts.

Ediff

When you are in the file with conflict, type M-x smerge-ediff or M-x vc-resolve-conflicts. You will get 3 windows showing your HEAD and origin/HEAD that you have fetched and the outcome or end product. You can select A or B to select which you can to keep or delete. Use ? to see all the shortcuts to use.

This YouTube video explains it in more detail: Smerge and Ediff

Diff

To use diff directly from git comparing local and origin can be done with:

• Fetch changes from remotes git fetch origin
• Check log git log master..origin/master
• Show the changes git diff master..origin/master
• Merge changes git merge origin/master

Else you could use git pull if you aren’t interested to check the changes before merging.