[PATCH v2] status: suggest `git merge --continue`, not `git commit`

WARM3d

From: Julia Evans via GitGitGadget <hidden>
Date: 2026-10-09 13:11:28
Subsystem: the rest · Maintainer: Linus Torvalds

From: Julia Evans <redacted>

During a merge conflict, we suggest using --continue to continue the
merge for rebase, revert, and cherry-pick.

Change the `git merge` advice to be consistent.
Commit 367ff694281ce569edd8f6e444fc770f92f5d215 says that
`git merge --continue` is intended to be a synonym for `git commit`,
and the `git merge` man page already suggests to use
`git merge --continue`.

Signed-off-by: Julia Evans <redacted>
---
    status: suggest git merge --continue, not git commit
    
    Changes in v2:
    
     * Use git show -s --format=reference to format the reference in the
       commit message (thanks to Phillip)
     * change to "conclude the merge" (thanks to Phillip)

Published-As: https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/releases/tag/pr-2249%2Fjvns%2Fadvice-merge-v2
Fetch-It-Via: git fetch https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git pr-2249/jvns/advice-merge-v2
Pull-Request: https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/pull/2249

Range-diff vs v1:

 1:  551b0e79b0 ! 1:  afc69ffeb8 status: suggest `git merge --continue`, not `git commit`
     @@ t/t7512-status-help.sh: test_expect_success 'status when conflicts resolved befo
       On branch conflicts
       All conflicts fixed but you are still merging.
      -  (use "git commit" to conclude merge)
     -+  (use "git merge --continue" to conclude merge)
     ++  (use "git merge --continue" to conclude the merge)
       
       Changes to be committed:
       	modified:   main.txt
     @@ wt-status.c: static void show_merge_in_progress(struct wt_status *s,
       		if (s->hints)
       			status_printf_ln(s, color,
      -				_("  (use \"git commit\" to conclude merge)"));
     -+				_("  (use \"git merge --continue\" to conclude merge)"));
     ++				_("  (use \"git merge --continue\" to conclude the merge)"));
       	}
       	wt_longstatus_print_trailer(s);
       }


 t/t7060-wtstatus.sh    | 8 ++++----
 t/t7512-status-help.sh | 4 ++--
 wt-status.c            | 4 ++--
 3 files changed, 8 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)

diff --git a/t/t7060-wtstatus.sh b/t/t7060-wtstatus.sh
index 942ddbbf0e..a9b435b5e3 100755
--- a/t/t7060-wtstatus.sh
+++ b/t/t7060-wtstatus.sh

@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ test_expect_success 'M/D conflict does not segfault' '
 	cat >expect <<EOF &&
 On branch side
 You have unmerged paths.
-  (fix conflicts and run "git commit")
+  (fix conflicts and run "git merge --continue")
   (use "git merge --abort" to abort the merge)
 
 Unmerged paths:

@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ test_expect_success 'status when conflicts with add and rm advice (deleted by th
 	cat >expected <<\EOF &&
 On branch main
 You have unmerged paths.
-  (fix conflicts and run "git commit")
+  (fix conflicts and run "git merge --continue")
   (use "git merge --abort" to abort the merge)
 
 Unmerged paths:

@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ test_expect_success 'status when conflicts with add and rm advice (both deleted)
 	cat >expected <<\EOF &&
 On branch conflict_second
 You have unmerged paths.
-  (fix conflicts and run "git commit")
+  (fix conflicts and run "git merge --continue")
   (use "git merge --abort" to abort the merge)
 
 Unmerged paths:

@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ test_expect_success 'status when conflicts with only rm advice (both deleted)' '
 	cat >expected <<\EOF &&
 On branch conflict_second
 You have unmerged paths.
-  (fix conflicts and run "git commit")
+  (fix conflicts and run "git merge --continue")
   (use "git merge --abort" to abort the merge)
 
 Changes to be committed:

diff --git a/t/t7512-status-help.sh b/t/t7512-status-help.sh
index aca4b6d332..f2e712ac39 100755
--- a/t/t7512-status-help.sh
+++ b/t/t7512-status-help.sh

@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ test_expect_success 'status when conflicts unresolved' '
 	cat >expected <<\EOF &&
 On branch conflicts
 You have unmerged paths.
-  (fix conflicts and run "git commit")
+  (fix conflicts and run "git merge --continue")
   (use "git merge --abort" to abort the merge)
 
 Unmerged paths:

@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ test_expect_success 'status when conflicts resolved before commit' '
 	cat >expected <<\EOF &&
 On branch conflicts
 All conflicts fixed but you are still merging.
-  (use "git commit" to conclude merge)
+  (use "git merge --continue" to conclude the merge)
 
 Changes to be committed:
 	modified:   main.txt

diff --git a/wt-status.c b/wt-status.c
index 57772c7501..238bb48643 100644
--- a/wt-status.c
+++ b/wt-status.c

@@ -1273,7 +1273,7 @@ static void show_merge_in_progress(struct wt_status *s,
 		status_printf_ln(s, color, _("You have unmerged paths."));
 		if (s->hints) {
 			status_printf_ln(s, color,
-					 _("  (fix conflicts and run \"git commit\")"));
+					 _("  (fix conflicts and run \"git merge --continue\")"));
 			status_printf_ln(s, color,
 					 _("  (use \"git merge --abort\" to abort the merge)"));
 		}

@@ -1282,7 +1282,7 @@ static void show_merge_in_progress(struct wt_status *s,
 			_("All conflicts fixed but you are still merging."));
 		if (s->hints)
 			status_printf_ln(s, color,
-				_("  (use \"git commit\" to conclude merge)"));
+				_("  (use \"git merge --continue\" to conclude the merge)"));
 	}
 	wt_longstatus_print_trailer(s);
 }

base-commit: 5a7d1e8045ce66c908f62598e26cbb8df7b39a90
-- 
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