Git Pull

git pull fetches changes from a remote repository and merges them into your current branch in one step, keeping your local work in sync with collaborators.

What Does git pull Do?

git pull is shorthand for two commands run in sequence:

1. git fetch — downloads new commits from the remote.
2. git merge — merges the fetched commits into your current branch.

This keeps your local branch up to date with whatever has been pushed to the remote.

Basic Pull

git pull

This pulls from the upstream tracking branch configured for your current branch.

Pull from a Specific Remote and Branch

git pull origin main

Pull Using Rebase Instead of Merge

Using rebase keeps the commit history linear by replaying your local commits on top of the fetched commits:

git pull --rebase origin main

This avoids extra "merge commit" entries in your history.

Set Rebase as the Default Pull Strategy

git config --global pull.rebase true

tip

git pull --rebase produces a cleaner history than the default merge strategy. Many teams prefer it as their standard workflow.

Always commit or stash your local changes before pulling — an unclean working directory can cause pull to fail or produce unexpected conflicts.

Common Mistakes

Pulling with uncommitted changes — if you have unstaged changes, git pull may fail. Commit your work first or stash it with git stash, pull, then unstash with git stash pop.

divergent branches warning — this happens when your local branch and the remote branch have both moved forward since you last synced. Either merge (git pull) or rebase (git pull --rebase) to reconcile them. Git 2.27+ requires you to configure your pull strategy explicitly:

git config --global pull.rebase false   # merge (default)
git config --global pull.rebase true    # rebase
git config --global pull.ff only        # fast-forward only

Pulling into the wrong branch — check git branch before pulling to confirm you're on the right branch.

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Next Steps: Understanding Remotes