Rebase Root Commit Essentials Guide

Rebase Root Commit Essentials Guide | Generated by AI

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git rebase --root is a special form of rebase that lets you rewrite the very first commit of your repository. Normally, git rebase needs a parent commit to rebase onto, but the --root option treats the root commit (the first commit with no parent) as if it were being rebased too.

Here’s how it works in practice:

1. Standard rebase vs. root rebase

Normal git rebase: You reapply commits on top of another branch or commit, changing history after a chosen base.
git rebase --root: Instead of starting after the root, it rewrites the root itself. You can split it, squash it with subsequent commits, or even completely replace it.

2. Typical use cases

Editing the first commit message If you want to rewrite your project’s very first commit message, you can run:
```
git rebase --root -i
```
and change pick to reword for the first commit.
Squashing the root with later commits For example, if your first commit was just scaffolding (like a README), you can squash it into the next commit to clean up history.
Splitting the root commit If your first commit contained too much (e.g., entire project code dump), you can split it into multiple logical commits during an interactive rebase.

3. What happens internally

Git creates a temporary “fake” parent commit for the root commit so that it can apply rebase operations starting from scratch.
Each commit is replayed (rebased) as if the repository began differently.
You’re essentially rewriting the foundation of your repo’s history.

4. Example workflow

git rebase --root -i

You’ll get an editor like this:

pick a1b2c3d Initial commit
pick d4e5f6g Add feature A
pick h7i8j9k Add feature B

From here you can:

Change pick to reword for the root commit → change its message.
Change pick to squash → merge root with next commit.
Reorder or split as needed.

⚠️ Important note

git rebase --root rewrites history, so it should only be done on branches that haven’t been pushed/shared, or you must force-push afterward. On shared branches, it can cause confusion and conflicts for collaborators.

Would you like me to also show you a concrete before-and-after history example (with commit hashes) so you can see exactly how git rebase --root changes the log?

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