git-squash-soft-reset

name	git-squash-soft-reset
description	Squash multiple git commits into one using soft reset - a non-interactive alternative to rebase. Use when: (1) you need to squash commits without an editor, (2) interactive rebase hangs or requires manual intervention, (3) CI/CD or automated contexts where git rebase -i won't work, (4) you want the fastest way to combine all branch commits into one. Covers soft reset technique, force push safety, and pre-commit hook bypass.
author	Claude Code
version	1.0.0
date	2026-01-27T00:00:00.000Z

Git Squash via Soft Reset

Problem

Interactive rebase (git rebase -i) requires an editor and manual intervention, making it unsuitable for automated contexts or when you simply want to combine all commits on a branch into one quickly.

Context / Trigger Conditions

• Need to squash many commits (5+) into one before merging
• git rebase -i opens an editor that can't be automated
• Working in a CI/CD pipeline or scripted environment
• Want to clean up commit history before PR merge
• Interactive rebase hangs or times out

Solution

Step 1: Ensure Clean Working Directory

git status  # Should show no uncommitted changes

Step 2: Soft Reset to Target Branch

# Reset to the branch you want to squash onto (usually main/master)
git reset --soft origin/main

# This moves HEAD back but keeps ALL changes staged
# All commits since origin/main are now uncommitted but staged

Step 3: Create Single Commit

git commit -m "feat: comprehensive commit message describing all changes"

If pre-commit hooks fail due to network issues (common with CI validation hooks):

git commit --no-verify -m "feat: comprehensive commit message"

Step 4: Force Push (Safely)

# Use --force-with-lease for safety (fails if remote changed)
git push --force-with-lease origin your-branch-name

# Only use --force if you're certain no one else pushed
git push --force origin your-branch-name

Verification

# Verify single commit on branch
git log --oneline main..HEAD
# Should show only ONE commit

# Verify all changes are included
git diff origin/main --stat
# Should show all expected file changes

Example

Before: 12 commits on feature branch

76c02678 fix(mcp-client): use proper types
44c1fb0f fix: remove pnpm-lock.yaml
edf814e2 chore: strengthen ESLint rules
8d15084a refactor: extract handlers
39ae5f50 chore: retry CI
... (7 more commits)

Commands:

git reset --soft origin/main
git commit -m "feat(mcp-multiplexer): complete MCP protocol implementation

Key changes:
- Implement tool-level authorization
- Refactor handler.ts into focused modules
- Use proper MCP SDK types
- Fix prototype pollution vulnerability"

git push --force-with-lease origin feat/issue-82-complete-mcp-v2

After: Single clean commit

13499270 feat(mcp-multiplexer): complete MCP protocol implementation

Notes

• --force-with-lease is safer than --force - it fails if someone else pushed to the branch, preventing accidental overwrites
• --no-verify bypasses pre-commit hooks - use when hooks fail for environmental reasons (network timeouts, missing tools) but the code is known to be valid
• This technique preserves all file changes but loses individual commit messages - consider including a summary of key changes in the new commit message
• Works with any target branch, not just main: git reset --soft origin/develop
• To squash only the last N commits: git reset --soft HEAD~N

Comparison with Alternatives

Method	Interactive	Preserves Messages	Speed
git reset --soft	No	No	Fast
git rebase -i	Yes	Configurable	Slow
git merge --squash	No	No	Medium

Related

• See also: git-advanced-workflows skill for rebasing techniques