Coding⏱️ 2 min read📅 2026-06-03

How to Fix: How do I resolve git saying "Commit your changes or stash them before you can merge"?

Git merge conflict resolved by checking out and committing changes.

Quick Answer: Try git checkout -- wp-content/w3tc-config/master.php again, then commit the changes with git add . && git commit -m 'resolved w3tc config conflict'

When Git displays the message 'Commit your changes or stash them before you can merge,' it's usually because your local repository has diverged from the remote repository. This divergence occurs when you push changes to the remote repository and then try to pull those changes back into your local repository.

⚠️ Common Causes

  • Pushing changes to the remote repository before pulling from it.

🔧 Proven Troubleshooting Steps

Method 1: Rebase and Push

  1. Step 1: Use the command `git rebase` to reapply your local changes on top of the remote repository's history.

Method 2: Merge and Commit

  1. Step 1: Use the command `git merge` to merge your local changes with the remote repository's changes.

🎯 Final Words

To avoid this issue in the future, make sure to push your local changes to the remote repository before pulling from it. If you do need to merge changes, use one of the methods outlined above and commit the merged changes.

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