Difference between 'Rebase current onto selected' and 'Pull into current using rebase' actions in the IDE

Question

What is the difference between 'Rebase current onto selected' and 'Pull into current using rebase' in the context of Git operations?

Answer

Both commands are used in version control to integrate and reapply changes, but they vary in their purpose and execution specifics:

• Pull into current using rebase: This operation updates the current branch by integrating remote changes and replaying the local commits on top of them. When performed graphically in the IDE (e.g., Git > Pull using 'Rebase'), it executes a git fetch followed by a git rebase on the remote branch. It ensures your branch retains a linear commit structure. This command can be invoked on a remote tracking branch only (origin/<branch_name>)

• Rebase current onto selected: This is a more flexible command that directly rebases the current branch onto another specified branch. It operates without usually fetching any changes, but rebases commits directly atop an explicitly chosen reference. When invoked, it runs only one command in the background - git rebase. It can be run on both local and remote tracking branches.

In summary, 'Pull into current using rebase' includes a 'fetch' step before rebase and generally pertains to remote branches. Conversely, 'Rebase current onto selected' is a direct rebase tailoring the branch structure. Using these commands effectively depends on the context and merging requirements.