| name | rebase-resolver |
| description | Resolve git rebase conflicts one block at a time with verification. Use when rebasing, resolving merge conflicts, or continuing a rebase. Works with git rerere. Always keeps HEAD by default, verifies with grep, never uses bulk operations. Delegates file edits to subagents. |
| allowed-tools | Read,Bash(git:*,grep:*),Task |
Rebase Conflict Resolver
Resolve git rebase conflicts systematically, one block at a time, with full verification.
Delegates individual file resolution to subagents for reduced context usage.
Quick Reference
git status --porcelain | grep "^UU\|^AA\|^DD"
git rebase --continue
Mandatory Rules
- NEVER bulk operations — No
git checkout --ours/--theirs, no loops, no multi-file commands
- One conflict at a time — Resolve each
<<<<<<< to >>>>>>> block independently
- ALWAYS grep before staging —
git add FORBIDDEN until grep confirms 0 markers
- Respect rerere — Block-by-block resolution enables rerere learning
- HEAD by default — Keep HEAD unless operator explicitly specifies otherwise
- Read before edit — Always read the conflict block first
- No time commentary — Never comment on duration, tedium, or effort
- No alternative offers — Never ask "would you prefer a different approach?" or suggest shortcuts
- Focus on current block only — Don't project ahead about total remaining work
- Delegate to subagents — Use Task tool for file-level conflict resolution
Whole-File Conflicts (Optimization)
When a conflict spans the entire file, use git show :2: to extract HEAD directly.
This avoids token-expensive Edit operations on large files.
Detection
first=$(head -1 {FILE} | grep -c "^<<<<<<<")
last=$(tail -1 {FILE} | grep -c "^>>>>>>>")
markers=$(grep -c "^<<<<<<\|^======\|^>>>>>>" {FILE})
[ "$first" -eq 1 ] && [ "$last" -eq 1 ] && [ "$markers" -eq 3 ] && echo "whole-file"
Resolution (No Subagent Needed)
git show :2:{FILE} > {FILE}
git add {FILE}
Benefits: Zero tokens for resolution. Works for any file size.
Subagent Delegation
For files with partial conflicts (not whole-file), spawn a general-purpose subagent.
Subagent Prompt Template
Resolve git conflicts in: {FILE_PATH}
RESOLUTION STRATEGY: Always keep HEAD version (between <<<<<<< HEAD and =======)
WORKFLOW:
1. Run: grep -n "^<<<<<<\|^======\|^>>>>>>" {FILE_PATH}
2. Read the file around each conflict
3. For EACH conflict block (top to bottom):
- Use Edit tool with old_string = ENTIRE block from <<<<<<< HEAD through >>>>>>> commit
- new_string = HEAD content only (no markers)
4. After ALL conflicts resolved, verify: grep -c "^<<<<<<\|^======\|^>>>>>>" {FILE_PATH} || echo "0 markers"
5. If 0 markers, stage: git add {FILE_PATH}
6. Report: "Resolved {N} conflicts in {FILE_PATH}, staged successfully" or any errors
RULES:
- One conflict at a time, top to bottom
- Never use bulk operations (no git checkout --ours/--theirs)
- Include FULL block in Edit (all 3 markers + content) to avoid orphans
- Do NOT continue rebase - just resolve and stage this file
Orchestrator Workflow
-
Identify conflicts:
git status --porcelain | grep "^UU\|^AA\|^DD"
-
For each file, detect whole-file vs partial:
first=$(head -1 {FILE} | grep -c "^<<<<<<<")
last=$(tail -1 {FILE} | grep -c "^>>>>>>>")
markers=$(grep -c "^<<<<<<\|^======\|^>>>>>>" {FILE})
[ "$first" -eq 1 ] && [ "$last" -eq 1 ] && [ "$markers" -eq 3 ] && echo "whole-file"
-
If whole-file: Resolve directly (no subagent):
git show :2:{FILE} > {FILE}
git add {FILE}
-
If partial conflicts: Spawn subagent:
Task tool:
subagent_type: general-purpose
prompt: [use template above with actual file path]
description: "Resolve conflicts in {filename}"
-
Parallel execution: Run whole-file resolutions in parallel with Bash.
Spawn subagents in parallel for partial conflicts.
-
After all complete, verify overall status:
git status --porcelain | grep "^UU\|^AA\|^DD" || echo "All resolved"
-
Continue rebase:
git rebase --continue
AA Conflicts (Both Added)
For AA conflicts where both versions added the same file:
- Often identical content (rerere may auto-resolve)
- Subagent should compare versions: if identical, keep HEAD
- If different, keep HEAD unless operator specifies otherwise
Prerequisites: Git Rerere
Ensure rerere is enabled (remembers resolutions for reuse):
git config --get rerere.enabled
git config --global rerere.enabled true
See references/rerere.md for detailed documentation.
Manual Resolution (Without Subagents)
If needed, resolve directly following these steps:
Step 1: Find Conflict Markers
grep -n "^<<<<<<\|^======\|^>>>>>>" <file>
Process markers one at a time, top to bottom.
Step 2: Resolve ONE Block
2a. Read: Use Read tool with offset/limit around conflict lines
2b. Conflict structure:
<<<<<<< HEAD
(HEAD version - current branch)
=======
(Incoming version - commit being rebased)
>>>>>>> commit-hash
2c. Edit: Use Edit tool — CRITICAL: include FULL block
old_string: ENTIRE conflict from <<<<<<< HEAD through >>>>>>> commit
(all three markers AND all content between them)
new_string: resolved content only (no markers)
WARNING: Partial edits leave orphaned content without markers. Always include the complete block from opening marker to closing marker in a single Edit operation.
2d. Repeat for each conflict in file
Step 3: Verify — MANDATORY
grep -c "^<<<<<<\|^======\|^>>>>>>" <file> || echo "0 markers"
STOP if not 0. Do NOT proceed to staging.
Step 4: Stage
git add <file>
Resolution Patterns
Keep HEAD (Default)
old_string: Full block from <<<<<<< HEAD through >>>>>>> commit
new_string: Only HEAD content (between <<<<<<< HEAD and =======)
Keep Incoming
old_string: Full block from <<<<<<< HEAD through >>>>>>> commit
new_string: Only incoming content (between ======= and >>>>>>>)
Manual Merge
Combine both versions, remove all markers.
References
references/rerere.md — Git rerere documentationreferences/troubleshooting.md — Common issues and fixes
