How to fix Git push rejected errors

When working with Git and GitHub, you might encounter errors such as:

• master rejected non-fast-forward
• github push rejected
• remote rejected
• git failed to push some refs
• git remote rejected
• failed to push some refs to github

These errors typically occur when your local branch is out of sync with the remote branch. This guide provides step-by-step instructions to resolve these issues using Git and the Graphite CLI.

Understand the error

A common cause of push rejections is a non-fast-forward update. This happens when the remote branch has new commits that your local branch doesn't have. Git prevents you from overwriting these changes to avoid potential data loss.

Step-by-step solutions

1. Fetch the latest changes from the remote

Before pushing, ensure your local repository is up to date:

git fetch origin

This command retrieves the latest commits from the remote repository without modifying your local branches.

2. Merge or rebase the remote changes

After fetching, integrate the remote changes into your local branch.

Option A: Merge

git merge origin/master

This merges the remote master branch into your local master branch.

Option B: Rebase

git rebase origin/master

Rebasing rewrites your local commits on top of the remote commits, creating a linear history.

Choose the method that aligns with your project's workflow.

3. Resolve any merge conflicts

If there are conflicts during merge or rebase, Git will prompt you to resolve them. Open the conflicting files, make the necessary adjustments, then:

git add <file>

After resolving all conflicts:

• For merge:

  Terminal

  git commit
  
  

• For rebase:

  Terminal

  git rebase --continue
  
  

4. Push your changes to the remote repository

Once your local branch is in sync with the remote:

git push origin master

This should successfully update the remote branch.

Using the Graphite CLI

Graphite has a CLI tool that streamlines Git workflows, especially for managing stacked changes.

Install Graphite CLI

If you haven't installed Graphite:

brew install graphite-cli

Create and manage branches with Graphite

Create a new branch:

gt branch create <branch-name>

Commit your changes:

gt commit -m "Your commit message"

Push your changes:

gt submit

If you encounter a push rejection, Graphite will provide guidance on resolving the issue, often suggesting a rebase:

gt rebase

After rebasing, push again:

gt submit

Graphite simplifies the process of keeping your branches up to date and resolving conflicts.

Additional tips

• Always pull or fetch the latest changes before starting new work.
• Communicate with your team to coordinate changes and avoid conflicts.
• Use feature branches to isolate your work from the main branch.

By following these steps and utilizing tools like the Graphite CLI, you can effectively resolve common Git push rejection errors and maintain a smooth workflow.