Git

Merge Preferences¶

What each method does:

Method	What it does	Example
Merge commit	Ties both branches together with a new commit.	`git merge --no-ff feature`
Squash	Collapses all commits into one, then merges.	`git merge --squash feature`
Rebase	Replays your commits onto the target tip, no merge commit.	`git rebase main`
Fast-forward	Slides the branch pointer forward, no new commit.	`git merge --ff-only feature`
Cherry-pick	Copies specific commits onto another branch.	`git cherry-pick <commit>`

Merge commit¶

gitGraph
   commit id: "A"
   branch feature
   commit id: "B"
   commit id: "C"
   checkout main
   merge feature

Squash¶

gitGraph
   commit id: "A"
   branch feature
   commit id: "B"
   commit id: "C"
   checkout main
   commit id: "B+C"

Rebase¶

gitGraph
   commit id: "A"
   commit id: "B'"
   commit id: "C'"

Fast-forward¶

gitGraph
   commit id: "A"
   commit id: "B"
   commit id: "C"

Cherry-pick¶

gitGraph
   commit id: "A"
   branch feature
   commit id: "B"
   commit id: "C"
   checkout main
   cherry-pick id: "C"

Merge Methods & Commit Signatures¶

Each merge method treats the branch's commit signatures differently. Pick your method with this in mind when signatures matter (bot commits are SSH-signed and show a signature badge).

Method	What happens to the branch commits' signatures
Fast-forward	Preserved: the original signed commits land on the target untouched.
Merge commit	Preserved in history. The merge commit itself is a new commit, signed by whoever creates it.
Squash	Discarded: the branch commits are replaced by one new commit with a new signature (or none).
Rebase	Discarded: replayed commits are new objects. Your local git re-signs only if configured.

When you merge through forgejo, the server creates the merge/squash commit and signs it as the system service account with the instance key, so web merges show a signature, but it is the instance's signature, not the PR author's. Only a fast-forward merge lands the author's own signed commits on the target branch unchanged.

Older merge commits

Instance signing was enabled in July 2026. Web merges made before then are unsigned and cannot be re-signed.