git pull: Usage, Options & Common CI Errors

git pull is git fetch followed by an integration step (merge or rebase).

Pull updates your branch with remote changes. In CI you almost always want --rebase or --ff-only for predictable results.

What it does

git pull runs git fetch to get new commits, then merges (default) or rebases them onto your current branch.

Common usage

Terminal

git pull
git pull --rebase origin main
git pull --ff-only             # fail instead of creating a merge

Options

Flag	What it does
--rebase	Rebase local commits instead of merging
--ff-only	Only fast-forward; error if a merge is required
--no-rebase	Force a merge integration
--autostash	Stash/unstash dirty changes around the pull

Common errors in CI

fatal: Need to specify how to reconcile divergent branches - newer Git refuses to guess. Pick one: git config pull.rebase true (or pull.ff only). "Your local changes would be overwritten by merge" means a dirty tree; commit, stash, or use --autostash first.

Related guides

git fetch: Usage, Options & Common CI Errorsgit fetch downloads remote objects and refs without touching your working tree. Reference for --depth, --unsh… git merge: Usage, Options & Common CI Errorsgit merge joins two branch histories into one. Reference for --no-ff, --squash, --abort, and how to detect an… git rebase: Usage, Options & Common CI Errorsgit rebase replays commits onto a new base to keep history linear. Reference for -i, --onto, --continue, --ab… git push: Usage, Options & Common CI Errorsgit push uploads local commits to a remote. Reference for -u, --force-with-lease, and tags, plus the rejected…